Theme+-+False+Appearance

This important theme is introduced in the witches' chant of "Fair is foul and foul is fair". There are frequent verbal paradoxes in the play emphasising this duality, such as "when the battle's lost and won". This suggests that something may be good for some people, but bad for others. To Macbeth, the promises of the witches seem good, but this is deceptive: actually, they will destroy him. Duncan, too, makes errors, misjudging the appearance of his thanes. He has been betrayed by the first thane of Cawdor, noting ruefully, "there's no art to find the mind's construction in the face". This is echoed by Macbeth's resolve that "False face must hide what the false heart doth know".

When Duncan visits Macbeth's castle, he is deceived by the tranquil atmosphere"This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air nimbly and sweetly recommends itself". Banquo too is taken in by the deceptive calm and beauty of the place, sensing the presence of "heaven's breath". Lady Macbeth and Macbeth pretend to welcome Duncan affectionately while harbouring murderous thoughts.

As king and queen, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth put on a false front. At the banquet, Macbeth says he will 'play' the humble host, which is appropriate, since he is not king by right, but just performing a role. Lady Macbeth's demeanour of hard control is a pretence. When she encourages her husband to be "bright and jovial" among his guests, she had just expressed her own despair: "Nought's had, all's spent".

Perhaps the clearest examples of false appearance are in the promises made by the witches' apparitions: "None of woman born shall harm Macbeth"; "Fear not, till Birnam Wood do come to Dunsinane". These promises appear to say Macbeth is invincible, but this is an illusion. Malcolm uses false appearance to test Macduff, first claiming he is thoroughly wicked to see if Macduff would support such a person. Malcolm reflects on the difficulty of deciding whether people are good or bad, and that this may lead good people to be misjudged: "angels are bright still, though the brightest fell."

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