Appearance vs Reality

• • Characters present themselves in ways that do not reflect their underlying realities
  • Sharp contrast between superficial appearances and underlying truths
  • Shakespeare is valiant and loyal yet has darkness within
  • Lady Macbeth is strong and controlling yet exposed to be fragile in Act 5 Scene 1
  • Banquo on the other hand is honourable and morally steadfast
• Shakespeare's Intention

  • Shakespeare uses this theme to imply those who resort to deceit and falsehood do not find lasting prosperity
  • Shakespeare suggests that deception creates a destructive cycle
• • The witches' ambiguous prophecies contribute to Macbeth's misunderstanding of his fate
  • " For none of women born shall harm Macbeth " Act 4 Scene 1
  • They appear to grant Macbeth invincibility and instil in him a false sense of security
  • This underscores the deceptive nature of appearances
• Macbeth's Loyalty & Illusion of Allegiance

  • Macbeth appears loyal and honourable however the reality beneath this becomes evident in his soliloquies
  • There is a stark contrast between public displays of loyalty and the private thoughts of his ambitious mind
  • "I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both against the deed; then, as his host. Who should against his murderer shut the door, Not bear the knife myself" Act 1, Scene 7
• Lady Macbeth's Façade of Power

  • Her initial appearances depict a woman who is resolute and manipulative
  • Her emotional unravelling reveals the reality beneath her manipulative façade
  • Lady Macbeth conceals the darker realities of her actions