“Fair is foul, foul is fair” is one of the biggest themes in the play Macbeth, by Shakespeare. The quote is first spoken by the witches in the first scene of the play when they are discussing where and when they will encounter Macbeth, but is carried out throughout the whole play by unfolding events. By “fair is foul, foul is fair” the excerpt is talking about how thing and people might not be how they are perceived by one person. Someone who may convey the impression that they are innocent and charming, may turn out to be the most deceitful person around. Or how one scenario may seem like the best thing for one person and benefit them greatly, could be foul to everyone else. Shakespeare has a great deal of examples of this theme throughout Macbeth. Some of these include, the battle Scotland was in against Norway and the Scottish rebels, how Lady Macbeth is preserved and how she tells Macbeth to act, and lastly Macbeth killing King Duncan.
One way Shakespeare shows “fair is foul, foul is fair” in Macbeth is right near the beginning. Macbeth and Banquo are headed to the king’s court at Forres, and pass through the heath that the witches are residing in. Just as they enter the scene Macbeth comments, “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” (1, 3, 39). Macbeth observes that the day is ‘foul’ because so many lives were lost in the battle against the Norwegians and Scottish rebels. After the battle the army was also experiencing poor and dreary weather. Despite the lives that were lost and the weather they came out victorious and caught the traitors. This shows that even though they day may have been great for most of Scotland, there was still much grief for others who lost their lives and family members.
Another way “fair is foul, fo...
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Summarising, throughout the play we can see that “foul is fair, fair is foul” is shown recurrently throughout the play Macbeth. The concept shows that nothing is as it seems and many things in life may appear foul on the outside, but they really are fair on the inside. Many examples such as, the battle Scotland was in against Norway and the Scottish rebels, how Lady Macbeth is preserved and how she tells Macbeth to act, and Macbeth killing King Duncan, show how important this theme is to the play. In life the quote “don’t judge a book by its cover” may be a recurring message. Just like “foul is fair, fair is foul” things that happen in life may not be the way they can be perceived at first glance, the real and true part of it just needs to be revealed.
Works Cited
Shakespeare, W., & Kortes, M. (1988). Macbeth. Toronto: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich Canada.
and foul is fair", then when we first see Macbeth in the play, his
In the play, the Weird Sisters were the first influence on Macbeth’s downfall due to the prophecies they told him of the future. At the beginning of the play, the Weird Witches say, “Fair is foul and foul is fair. Hover through the frog and filthy air” (I.i.11-12). They mention that in this world it is difficult to tell what is truly fair and what is indeed foul, which sets a dark and mysterious setting for the rest of the play. In addition, the Weird Sisters overwhelmed Macbeth with the prophecies of his future. The Weird Sisters mention, “All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!…” (I.iii.49-53). This enlightened yet tricked Macbeth of all the good that is to come. If the prophecies were not told to Macbeth, he would not have to worry of obtaining his future quickly, and would instead remain sane and honourable. Unfortunately, the prophecies told by the Weird Sisters greatly affect Macbeth, and lead him into his next influence leading to his
Our main character Macbeth is very driven by his need for what he believes to be the truth. The play starts out with the quote “Fair is foul, and foul is fair,” (1.1.6) meaning nothing is, as it seems. This quote was from all three witches, who decided they were going to seek out Macbeth who at the time was Thane of Glamis and a prized solider on the battlefield. Macbeth at this time was looking for more in his life. The witches then gave him and his friend Banquo three prophecies. They were that he would become Tha...
Initially, the Elizabethan audience consider Macbeth as a respectable and well like character. We do however learn that appearances can be deceptive which corresponds with the main theme; 'Fair is foul, Foul is fair' which is referred to a lot throughout the play. This theme is first introduced in Act I, Scene I where the witches foretell the struggle between the forces of evil and good in which Macbeth is to be involved. It is also an indication that all will not be as it seems. This portrays a character as being much worse if the audience's first impressions of that character were positive.
In act three another prophecy foretold by the witches comes true. The paradox “fair is foul and foul is fair” characterizes the changes the protagonists undergo in acts one, two and three. Throughout the play Macbeth, the “fair” one, becomes overcome by guilt and becomes “foul”. While Lady Macbeth who was “foul” in her instigations becomes “fair”.
Macbeth began this play with a great future ahead of him: a Thane to the King with a great life and many friends. Shortly after Macbeth is given the title Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth and his companion Banquo encounter a group of witches. The witches are portrayed as wicked and menacing, saying “Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air” (Act 1, Scene 1). This quote shows that what appears to be fair and good, similar to that of Macbeth at the beginning of this play. This quote also applies to the Witches themselves. The Witches’ prophecies to Banquo and Macbeth appear to be fair and very appealing to the men, but are actually very deceiving and leads to Macbeth’s ultimate downfall. Following Macbeth’s visit by the witches, he tells Lady Macbeth of his encounter but says that he does not wish to kill King Duncan to become King. Shakespeare characterizes Lady Macbeth as an evil mastermind, using her powers of seduction to challenge Macbeth’s masculinity. Macbeth may not have murdered for the throne if it was not for the actions of Lady Macbeth, who accuses Macbeth of being too kind hearted to take the closest path to the throne. Macbeth’s downfall begins with the actions that his wife convinces him to take. Shakespeare uses characterization to show that Macbeth is a tragic hero, but these characters’ actions also cause many conflicts that lead to Macbeth’s
MACBETH's affirmation of this is reciprocated in Act I, Scene III, when he echoes the witches words, "So fair and foul a day I have not seen."
In the beginning of Shakespeare's play “Macbeth”,just before Macbeth encounters the witches for the first time, he shows that he is disturbed by the things he has seen in the war,in the line “So foul and fair a day I have not seen”. One interpretation of this quote is that the use of juxtaposition shows that Macbeth's conscience is split in two ;while he has won the battle in “fair” combat however the enemy's gore and blood shed was incredibly “foul” and has seen has deeply scared him. In particular the words “not seen” could suggest that he wishes to unsee what he has already seen as it is all to much for him, Shakespeare also uses this quote foreshadow Macbeth downfall as the line closely parallels with the chant all three witches sing in the very first scene “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” . This line and the quote “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” both use juxtaposition for effect and not only that both quotes use “foul” and “fair” to express it, this shows that from the beginning Macbeth is linked to the forces of darkness before he even meets the witches or writes the letter to Lady Macbeth,
This line ‘Fair is foul, and foul is fair,’ is important to the play Macbeth. When the
Darkness evokes feelings of evilness and a disturbance in nature. Macbeth's statement, "Now o'er the one half-world / Nature seems dead" (Lines 49 - 50), might mean that the world seems dead everywhere he looks, or it might give him the idea that the murder he is about to commit will have far-reaching repercussions. In Act V, Scene i, Line 10, the doctor says, "A great perturbation in nature," while talking about Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking, emphasizing how nature is disturbed by human doings. The witches' chorus on Act I, Scene i, Line 10, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair," is a paradox and a prophecy that makes the reader think about the line to find some meaning for themselves.
Macbeth is an extremely violent play and is present in both the uprising and downfall of the tragic hero. Macbeth is first introduced to us by the Captain, speaking in ore of Macbeth's brave and glamorous actions. ‘‘For brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name), Till he un-seamed him from the nave to th' chops.’’ Macbeth is being praised for his violent and gruesome actions of disembowelling a person, without condemnation. Shakespeare is expressing that violence is both a blessing and a curse depending on the morals behind his actions. Macbeth’s error in judgment is his constant and excessive killing of people. This derives from his for
Shakespeare's play "Macbeth" is considered one of his great tragedies. The play fully uses plot, character, setting, atmosphere, diction and imagery to create a compelling drama. The general setting of Macbeth is tenth and eleventh century Scotland. The play is about a once loyal and trusted noble of Scotland who, after a meeting with three witches, becomes ambitious and plans the murder of the king. After doing so and claiming the throne, he faces the other nobles of Scotland who try to stop him. In the play, Macbeth faces an internal conflict with his opposing decisions. On one hand, he has to decide of he is to assassinate the king in order to claim his throne. This would result in his death for treason if he is caught, and he would also have to kill his friend. On the other hand, if he is to not kill him, he may never realize his ambitious dreams of ruling Scotland. Another of his internal struggles is his decision of killing his friend Banquo. After hiring murderers to kill him, Macbeth begins to see Banquo's ghost which drives him crazy, possibly a result of his guilty conscience. Macbeth's external conflict is with Macduff and his forces trying to avenge the king and end Macbeth's reign over Scotland. One specific motif is considered the major theme, which represents the overall atmosphere throughout the play. This motif is "fair is foul and foul is fair."
The witches introduced in the first words of the play represent an over arching amount of power, as proved through the trueness of their prophesies. The witches promote Shakespeare’s imagery of illness through the line “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (Shakespeare, 1). This line demonstrates their ill philosophy in regard to everyday life. Shortly after, Macbeth is introduced with the line “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” (Shakespeare, 11). Through this line, a direct connection with the ill philosophy of the witches is reflected through the type of the day Macbeth has had. This direct connection and reflection on Macbeth’s life between the witches and Macbeth proves him to be powerless in regards to the witches. The witches oversee the events that take place throughout the course of the play, proving Macbeth to be powerless in regards to the events of the play. Through Macbeth's first spoken line, he is seen as a product of the witches intent and power, therefore leaving him without control of the events of his life, making him powerless.
Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair is a phrase that has become a synonym with the play Macbeth. It is the introduction to the play and the introduction to most important theme of the play, Appearance versus Reality. In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses various characters along with scenes and situations to portray and develop the theme of Appearance versus Reality. He also uses these vivid characters and scenes to emphasize the confusion between the real and surreal, the authentic and the fake, the act and the sincere. Characters in this play are very deceptive and their intentions are dark and ominous. However, their appearance does not show their sinister intentions. The theme of appearance versus reality is a vital part to this play and the characters that portray it are the Witches, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
fair can be foul when fair is equal or mild and foul is gross and rotten. Its