Macbeth - deception

Question 1

1st paragraph - Macbeth

Answer 1

Macbeth is a master of deception as he masks his evil intentions behind a face of nobleness. The praise, “O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman” reveals how Macbeth righteously fought to protect his king and country. His heroism and moral integrity is emphasised as King Duncan considers him as family, therefore placing his trust in him. As his ambition is ignited by the witches, he adopts a false appearance of loyalty to Duncan while secretly plotting his murder. “Stars hide your fire, let not light see my black and deep desires” is an important metaphor to illustrate his deception because he acknowledges the malevolence associated with these thoughts yet attempts to hide them so he can maintain a façade of righteousness towards Duncan.

Question 2

2nd paragraph - Lady Macbeth

Answer 2

Another key example is Lady Macbeth, whose ruthless ambition is immediately sparked when she hears of the witches’ ambiguous prophecies. She urges Macbeth to “look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under’t”, advising him to appear harmless while hiding his deadly intentions. Her ability to mask reality with a calm and composed face allows them to commit the regicide but it ultimately leads to guilt and madness.

Question 3

3rd paragraph - the witches

Answer 3

The witches also play a significant role in the theme of deception. Their cryptic prophecies are designed to mislead and manipulate Macbeth. They offer him the illusion of certainty and invincibility, yet their words are carefully chosen to deceive him into thinking he is invulnerable. When they tell him, “None of woman born shall harm Macbeth,” they create a false sense of security, which ultimately leads to his downfall. The witches’ deceptive nature is evident in their use of ambiguous language, suggesting that reality and appearance are often at odds.

Question 4

Conclusion

Answer 4

Through the central theme of deception, Shakespeare has successfully illustrated to audiences – specifically Jacobean audiences – to not trust appearances and that deception ultimately leads to destruction.