Appearance Vs Reality In Macbeth Essay

Appearance vs. Reality in Macbeth

In the play Macbeth, written by Shakespeare, one can find a multitude of paradoxes and equivocation; however, what played the biggest role in the play was deception. The art of deception is first introduced when Macbeth need to appear innocent during the investigation of the murders he committed. This cone of deception then grows to include Lad Macbeth as throughout these investigations she acts to divert attention away from her traumatized and distraught husband. Finally, we see this concept taken to the extreme with the weird sisters. The witches make Macbeth believe something that is false, and lead him on for most of the play. Potentially, if the witches had not given Macbeth this sense of confidence than he may have never killed, Duncan, Banquo or Macduffs family. This concept of appearance vs. reality not only caused Macbeth to rise up and become king, it also caused his inevitable downfall.

Throughout the play Macbeth uses his acting abilities and deceptive qualities to make people believe something, which in reality is false. We see him do this especially when trying to cover up the murders he committed. The first murder that occurred in the play was the murder of Duncan, and his two grooms. At first, Macbeth is not even certain that he wants to commit these murder because he feels that he would be betraying a close friend. As soon as Lady Macbeth sees weakness in her husband, she gives Macbeth a piece of advice that sets the tone for most of the play; False face must hide what the false heart doth/ know. (1.7.95-96). Lady Macbeth wants him to deceive everyone into believing that they had nothing to do with the murder, and were completely innocent. When Lennox and Macduff arrive at Macbeths door, it is very noticeable that Macbeth is feeling guilty and regretful. However, Lady Macbeth diverts all attention away from Macbeth by fainting. Help me hence, ho! (2.3.138) At this point Macbeth has time to gather his thoughts, and appear as if he knows nothing pertaining to Duncans death. The second case in point in which we see Macbeth using the concept of appearance vs. reality is before and during the murder of Banquo. Macbeth chooses to hire murderers instead of doing it himself. He also plans a dinner the night of Banquos death to secure an alibi thus eliminating himself as a suspect. In the beginning of the play, we see that Macbeth is not very skilled in killing, but as the play progresses makes up for it by being cunning and deceiving.

The concept of appearance vs reality is not only present after the murders, but also, during their. A perfect example would be Banquos murder. Macbeth has realized that hiring murderers is a much easier alternative than going out and physically committing the murder himself. However, the murderers need some motivation in order to complete the job well. The murderers, stricken by poverty, lead difficult lives. Macbeth realized that if he blamed all of their problems on Banquo, he would have the motive he needed. He was right. Both of you Know Banquo was your enemy. (3.1.129-130). This concept of appearance vs. reality is not only limited to Macbeth. Before Duncan is killed, Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth to Look like thinnocent/ flower/ But be the serpent under it (1.6.76-78) Some could argue that Lady Macbeth is the one who drove Macbeth to start manipulating and deceiving, she was the one who influenced Macbeth and convinced him to start Murdering. She wanted to be royalty just as much as Macbeth, but the guilt of all the blood on her hands, was too much to bear. Lady Macbeth may not have been strong enough to bear the guilt, in sharp contrast to the Weird Sisters who show no remorse throughout the play.

Finally, one can also see the concept of appearance vs. reality when the Weird Sisters foretell their prophecies. One of the three apparitions that the weird sisters made appear before Macbeth was a child holding a tree. This apparition told Macbeth that he shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him(4.1.105-107) By saying this, the apparition caused Macbeth to gain great confidence, because if taken literally, it then sounds impossible for Macbeth to die. How can a forest move? Well it cant. The witches used equivocation to deceive Macbeth into thinking that the whole forest needs to move, but reality only parts of the forest need to move. An example of this would be when each person in Siwards army carries one piece of the forest to Dunsinane and unknowingly Siward has completed part of the prophecy. Soon after Macbeth receives word of this, As I did stand my watch upon the hill, /I looked toward Birnam, and anon methought/ the wood began to

move. (5.5.37-39) Once Macbeth gets word of this, he realizes that what he thought was impossible, has just happened. The second apparition is a bloody child. This apparition tells Macbeth to Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn/ The power of man, for none of woman born/ Shall harm Macbeth. (4.1.90-92) Because of this apparition Macbeth gains copious confidence. Through his eyes, every man is of woman born, for everyone has a mother. The Weird Sisters, being very devious, do not count being born by a caesarian section as of woman born (4.1.91) This causes Macbeth to get a since of false security. So through Macbeths eyes he appears to be very safe. But in reality there is a dark future in store for him. The last of the three apparitions would be the armed head. This apparition says Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff!/ Beware the Thane of Fife! Dismiss me. Enough. (4.1.81-82) This apparition essentially foretells who will kill Macbeth, sadly after hearing the preceding apparition, Macbeth ignores this warning and makes it seem irrelevant. These apparitions have, through Macbeths eyes, been nothing but good news. First he hears he will not die until a forest moves to his castle. Then he hears that he should beware Maduff, but then ignores the warning after he hears that anyone born from a woman cannot kill him. Anyone would have gained confidence after having heard this news. However, the Weird Sisters never speak literally, the witches' prophesies are intentionally ambiguous (Lizhi, Ye). So this since of invincibility that Macbeth gets, will later lead to his inevitable yet heroic demise.

In conclusion, the concept of appearance vs. reality is found throughout the whole play. This concept of deception is used, but not limited, to Macbeth. Macbeth takes the idea of deception and enhances it to the point of manipulating other people. This not only causes Macbeth to rise to power, but also once he has gained too much confidence, it causes his heroic and inevitable downfall.