Macbeth Fair Is Foul And Fair

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Foul and Fair William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” places a major theme in a single line. The theme foreshadows and encompasses various aspects in the work and in real life. The play begins in a desert place with thunder and lightning. Three Witches appear and name where they will meet Macbeth. Before they vanish, they utter the famous line, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (Shakespeare “Macbeth” 1:1:12). This line refers to a major theme within the play and sends a message about life. The quote also hints at some opposites; good and evil, loyalty and disloyalty, and honor and shame. Firstly, the quote generates a paradox. “Foul” refers to an unpleasant, dirty, or evil person or object while “fair” implies cleanliness, goodness, and beauty.…show more content…
In the play, several instances appear fair, such as the day Macbeth returns from an important battle. During this setting, Macbeth even echoes the witches by saying, “So foul and fair a day I have not seen.” (Shakespeare “Macbeth” ). He wins a grand battle for his country, yet plots against King Duncan soon after, showing truth in the paradox. Several other events support the paradox as well; Duncan’s stay at Macbeth’s home that gave Macbeth the perfect opportunity to murder him, Macbeth’s opulent dinner with Banquo’s ghost in attendance, the impossible predictions of Macbeth’s demise that somehow came true. The paradox appears several times throughout the play, proving the line as a major theme. Likewise, the quote reveals the nature of many characters. Lady Macbeth’s nature falls best under the theme. Her dainty presence contradicts her evil coaxing and actions. Her looks and image represent her fair nature, while her prodding at her husband to murder Duncan and her smearing of Duncan’s blood characterize her foul side. Macbeth falls under the theme as well. His honor supports his fair quality, while his murderous acts portray his foulness. This also foreshadows the change dynamic characters will go through, as they begin as fair and become foul. This quote encompasses various aspects surrounding the…show more content…
Shakespeare characterizes the witches through Macbeth’s dialogue, “ “ (), insisting that foul can describe the witches. Like many authors, Shakespeare associates the witches with foulness and surrounds them with foul settings, like deserts and caves, and dialogue containing an eerie tone. Everything around witches suggests that they enjoy foul objects, which make them fair to them. Macbeth refers to the witches as “”, which describes them as foul, yet what they tell him seems fair, supporting the idea that foul and fair cancel each other out and lack accuracy in any
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