apperance vs reality Flashcards
context
The difference between appearance and reality, and the deception that is possible
because of this, is at the heart of the
tragedy of Macbeth. The outward
appearance of the Macbeths as
trustworthy and innocent enables
them to get away with their plot to
murder Duncan and ascend the
throne. Loyalty and trust are
juxtaposed by the ultimate betrayal
The witches
The Witches are the first exposure we get as an audience to the chaotic and inverted
world of Macbeth. The opening of the play creates a paradox, the contradictory statements
are reflective of appearance versus reality.
➔ One witch says, “When the battle’s lost, and won,” (1.1) which suggests there are
two sides to every story. One side loses, but one side wins.
➔ One of the most famous lines is, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair,” (1.1), the use of the
conjunction “and” shows both good and bad can exist at the same time. Even the
weather is reflective of this, as Macbeth declares “So foul and fair a day I have not
seen”.
Here Shakespeare warns his
audience that no one and nothing
can be trusted. In a wider sense, he
suggests that there are no
certainties when it comes to
morality. What appears to be good
on the surface may not be.
LM
Initially it is likely that her outward
appearance as a woman would mean the
audience would assume her to be weak
and therefore superfluous to the story line.
However, as the play progresses we see
the inner workings of her mind and realise
internally she is stereotypically
masculine. As she becomes more
powerful and masculine she is ultimately
destroyed by her weak mind.
The audience can see Lady Macbeth is
aware of the importance of outward appearance and how it can be manipulated when she
teaches Macbeth how he should act.
➔ She tells him, “To beguile the time, / Look like the time, bear welcome in your
eye, / Your hand, your tongue,” (1.5). Her use of physical features, such as
“eye”, and “hand” emphasise the importance of outward appearance. The verb
“look”, shows how he doesn’t have to be “like the time”, only imitate it.
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Macbeth benefits greatly from the conflict between appearance and reality, managing to be
viewed as an honorable warrior and king despite the awful crimes he has committed. He is
a symbol for deception and facade, but also for the way people lose sight of themselves
when they are constantly deceiving others. It becomes hard to tell who is the real Macbeth.
Descriptions of Macbeth
One of the first descriptions of Macbeth we get is from Duncan, who calls him “O valiant
cousin, worthy gentleman,” (1.2). Macbeth appears to be the perfect subject and
kinsman. “Valiant” and “worthy” are adjectives associated with honour and nobility,
particularly in the context of the royal court and the Code of Chivalry, which the
Renaissance admired. This is situational irony because we soon see that Macbeth is
neither “valiant” nor “worthy”, demonstrating that the way someone appears through their
words and actions reveals nothing about what lays underneath the surface.
Duncan
Though Duncan is a good king, Shakespeare implies he is vulnerable because he isn’t
wary of the difference between appearance and reality. He is too gullible.
He tells his subjects, “Signs of nobleness like stars shall shine / On all deservers,”
(1.4), suggesting he believes a person’s good nature is reflected in their face. The imagery
of “stars” shining like a spotlight implies good people stand out in a crowd, almost as if
illuminated by God. The “stars” are an allusion to Heaven and God, suggesting there is
a link or connection between God and His people because the “stars” can reach down to
earth.
Macbeth, in contrast, wants to be in darkness to do his
crimes, asking for “seeling night” (3.2) suggesting it
would be obvious to Duncan that he’s not a “deserver”,
but Duncan is unaware of Macbeth’s plots. He remarks
that the Macbeths’ “castle hath a pleasant seat,” (1.6),
calls Macbeth a “worthy gentleman” (1.2), and Lady
Macbeth an “honoured hostess,” (1.6). He is taken in
by their “pleasant” appearances. It is almost humiliating
how drastically wrong his impressions of the Macbeths
are, challenging these ideologies.
