Macbeth

William Shakespeare

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The Theme of Deception in Macbeth (Appearance vs. Reality)

by BookWorm189, March 20, 2013

“Fair is foul and foul is fair
Hover through the fog and filthy air”

One of the main themes rampant in Macbeth is that of deception. There is a disconnect between appearance and reality. Hypocrisy is everywhere and what is good for one person may be bad for others in the play.

The first scene of the play highlights this. We are introduced to the witches, who speak in ambiguous equivocations. The quote “Fair is foul…filthy air” portrays that what is ‘fair’ or good or wholesome for humans is ‘foul’ or unwh... Read more

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