Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair

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Fair is foul, and Foul is Fair.

In the play Macbeth, Macbeth demonstrates that fair is foul and foul is fair when he and his wife plot to kill the king and take over his throne with the help of the witches. Macbeth presents himself as a loyal and heroic character towards the king. He is a Scottish general who serves under the king truthfully and wholly. However, Macbeth is a traitor and plans to kill the king to satisfy his desire for power and advancement. His wife supports his pursuit of power and motivates him to commit acts of murder. The statement depicts how our perception of things or people may not always be who they are (Yagan et al., 2003). People may appear trustworthy and good to us, not because they mean it but because they have a motive behind it. It shows how human beings are self-centered and would do anything to have their way, including using other people’s emotional vulnerability to achieve their objectives.

There is more than what meets the eye. This quotation further illustrates the importance of taking time and knowing something or someone before making a conclusion about them. For instance, the three witches were perceived to be ugly and possessed by darkness. However, they were the ones who conveyed the good news to Macbeth that he would kill the king and resume his throne (Veszy-Wagner, 1968). These were beautiful words that Macbeth loved to hear. He was obsessed and hungry for power, and any justification or prediction that aligned with his ambition made him a happy man. It shows how what we see on the surface is not what truly exists. People are not who they appear to be, and there is more to a person than their physical appearance.

Don’t judge a book by its cover. This quotation warns people against assuming things about people just from their appearance. There is more to people than what we actually see from their physical appearance. People have characters and traits that are part of their identity. More often than not, people tend to show their good side when it’s relevant and can get them to what they desire. Individuals paint this picture of being too strong and unbeatable by anybody in society. In the Macbeth play, the witches prophesy that Macbeth cannot be killed by an ordinary man born of a woman (Yagan et al., 2003). However, at the end of the play, Macbeth is murdered by a man born of a woman through the Caesarian section.

Looks can be deceiving. In this context, Macbeth and his wife clearly portray how looks can be deceiving. They are both so glued to the idea of being powerful and ruling over the nation that they would compromise their moral values to achieve it. The king buys into the idea that Macbeth is his loyal servant and would fight other nations and die for him (Veszy-Wagner, 1968). On the other hand, Macbeth pretends to be loyal to the king so that he can get close to him and kill him. Eventually, Macbeth succeeds and murders the king and takes over his throne. Had the king been vigilant enough, he might have detected Macbeth’s intentions and cut him off immediately.

Conclusion

From the Macbeth play, it is clear that it is hard to tell individuals’ intentions just by looking at them. Individuals have often fallen victim to evil characters with malicious intentions in society for being too trusting and letting their guard down. Therefore, people need to take their time before passing judgment and getting lured into unnecessary traps.

References

Yagan, S., Krohn, M., Coyne, C., & Bolotin, E. (2003). Macbeth: Themes | SparkNotes. SparkNotes. Retrieved 1 November 2021, from https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/themes/#.

Veszy-Wagner, L. (1968). Macbeth:” Fair Is Foul and Foul Is Fair.” American Imago, 25(3), 242-257.