Macbeth - Reality vs. Appearance- Key
quotes
''Fair is foul, and foul is fair' - answer it means that appearances are often deceptive,
and that things are different from what they appear to be. This line also points towards
the play's concern with the inconsistency between appearance and reality. Though it is
a knotty and difficult idea, nevertheless it suggests that in this world, you can never be
sure whether it is a mirage, an apparition, or a dagger.
'Wither are they vanished? [...] Or have we eaten on the insane ' - answer Macbeth and
Banquo repeatedly ask questions. This shows their confusion - They cannot believe
what they've seen
There's no art to find the mind's construction in thy face: He was a gentleman on whom
I built an absolute trust - answer Duncan says that people may seem good and
trustworthy but they might not be. It's dramatically ironic because he misjudges
Macbeth.
look like th' innocent flower, but be the serpent under't - answerLady Macbeth
encourages Macbeth to deceive Duncan by pretending to be something he's not
Mine eyes are made the fools o' the other senses ... I see thee still - answerMacbeth
isn't sure whether the dagger he sees is real or not. It's not clear to the audience if the
Witches have created the hallucination or he's imagining it
'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak. The repetition in a woman's ear would murder
as it fell - answerMacduff thinks that because Lady Macbeth is a woman, she is too
vulnerable to hear about the murder. It's ironic because Lady Macbeth wanted to cast
off her femininity in A1S5 to make a capable of murder
Help me hence, ho! - answerIn some predictions Lady Macbeth only pretends to faint,
do to distract everyone from Macbeth's suspicious actions, but in others she faints
because she is shocked that Macbeth changes their plan and kills the grooms
There's daggers in men's smiles - answerDonalbain says that people hide their true
intensions. This echoed what Lady Macbeth says earlier (A1S5L64-65)
Chief guest; Ride you this afternoon? - answerMacbeth's flattering Banquo to make him
feel safe and to find out his whereabouts so he can have him murdered that evening
Play the humble host - answerMacbeth attempts to "play the humble host". He'll pretend
to be a good host well hired murderers kill one of his guests
quotes
''Fair is foul, and foul is fair' - answer it means that appearances are often deceptive,
and that things are different from what they appear to be. This line also points towards
the play's concern with the inconsistency between appearance and reality. Though it is
a knotty and difficult idea, nevertheless it suggests that in this world, you can never be
sure whether it is a mirage, an apparition, or a dagger.
'Wither are they vanished? [...] Or have we eaten on the insane ' - answer Macbeth and
Banquo repeatedly ask questions. This shows their confusion - They cannot believe
what they've seen
There's no art to find the mind's construction in thy face: He was a gentleman on whom
I built an absolute trust - answer Duncan says that people may seem good and
trustworthy but they might not be. It's dramatically ironic because he misjudges
Macbeth.
look like th' innocent flower, but be the serpent under't - answerLady Macbeth
encourages Macbeth to deceive Duncan by pretending to be something he's not
Mine eyes are made the fools o' the other senses ... I see thee still - answerMacbeth
isn't sure whether the dagger he sees is real or not. It's not clear to the audience if the
Witches have created the hallucination or he's imagining it
'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak. The repetition in a woman's ear would murder
as it fell - answerMacduff thinks that because Lady Macbeth is a woman, she is too
vulnerable to hear about the murder. It's ironic because Lady Macbeth wanted to cast
off her femininity in A1S5 to make a capable of murder
Help me hence, ho! - answerIn some predictions Lady Macbeth only pretends to faint,
do to distract everyone from Macbeth's suspicious actions, but in others she faints
because she is shocked that Macbeth changes their plan and kills the grooms
There's daggers in men's smiles - answerDonalbain says that people hide their true
intensions. This echoed what Lady Macbeth says earlier (A1S5L64-65)
Chief guest; Ride you this afternoon? - answerMacbeth's flattering Banquo to make him
feel safe and to find out his whereabouts so he can have him murdered that evening
Play the humble host - answerMacbeth attempts to "play the humble host". He'll pretend
to be a good host well hired murderers kill one of his guests
