Preview

Fair Is Fair And Foul In Macbeth By William Shakespeare

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
240 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Fair Is Fair And Foul In Macbeth By William Shakespeare
Fair is foul and foul is fair , hover through the fog and filthy air. appearances can be deceiving, what appears to be good can be bad, and what appears to be bad can be good, it’s seen through the play in such things as the credible reality impressions of lady macbeth and Macbeth and in the prediction of the weird sisters, fair appearances hide foul realities .

In the beginning of the play, three weird sisters (witches) plan when their next meeting is going to be in which they will casually meet macbeth , as the weird sisters chant “ fair is foul and foul is fair, hover through the fog and filthy air”. in scene three the witches meet again, one of the witches discuss a curse she has put on a woman's husband, because the women refused to
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Macbeth And Banquo Analysis
    • 346 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Macbeth And Banquo Analysis

    Once the exposition is established by the witches’ famous dialogue, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (I. i. 10), the reversal moral order is introduced as the theme of the play. This incident precedes the introduction of the diverse belief of both Macbeth and Banquo concerning the witches. Although Macbeth questions the witches’ prophecies in the beginning, he still maintains a flicker of hope that the prophecies are true. Macbeth’s belief in the witches’ predictions reveals to the audience that Macbeth is a credulous character. It only takes favourable prophecies for him to become convinced. During the first encounter between the witches, Macbeth and Banquo, Macbeth displays his anticipation to understand completely the words of the women,…

    • 346 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth's 'Fair And Foul Is Fair'
    • 793 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Macbeth's 'Fair And Foul Is Fair'

    The play Macbeth, was written around 1606 by the famous poet William Shakespeare. In the plot, Macbeth is told prophecies by three witches and he does everything in his power to make sure he becomes the king, as they proclaimed, including murder. In Macbeth, one theme presented is “fair is foul, and foul is fair,” meaning that things appearing to be good are sometimes bad, and things that at first seem bad can actually be good. There are many examples in the play to support this with regard to the supernatural, nature, and the play’s characters.…

    • 793 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    MacBeth's Loss of Innoncence
    • 1452 Words
    • 5 Pages

    MacBeth's Loss of Innoncence

    "Fair is foul, and foul is fair." (Act I, Scene I, line 10) With this opening paradoxical quote, Shakespeare opens the tragedy of Macbeth. Macbeth is the tragic hero of this tragedy, as his ambitious actions place him in a downwards spiral until he loses everything that was once precious to him. He sacrifices his innocence, his conscience, and his peace of mind for the endless power and control he pursues. The introduction of the play begins with the description of a king under the pressures of war. Duncan, the king of Scotland, hears of Macbeth's bravery in battle against a Scot who took sides with the enemy. Scotland is currently at war with the King of Norway, and the country is rather divided, as traitors begin to surface. One such traitor, the Thane of Cawdor, was promptly arrested (and later hanged). As a reimbursement for his courageous demeanor, Duncan gives the title to an unknowing Macbeth. Meanwhile, Macbeth and Banquo are on their journey to the castle and find themselves with three witches, who greet Macbeth as the "Thane of Cawdor." Immediately interested by this prophecy, Macbeth urges them to speak more...and his suppressed dreams of power begin to arise. It is this, Macbeth's aspirations of greatness that thrust him into power and his eventual death.…

    • 1452 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    CA English
    • 475 Words
    • 2 Pages

    CA English

    When we, as the audience/reader, first meet Lady Macbeth she is reading a letter sent to her, from Macbeth. The letter is about Macbeths meeting with the three ‘…weird sisters…’, [or the witches, as they are later known as]. He goes on to tell her about their prophecies they…

    • 475 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth Character Analysis
    • 870 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Macbeth Character Analysis

    Not only to develop Macbeth’s character, but to develop multiple themes throughout the play. One of the main thing the Witches do in the play is to create the theme of evil and supernatural. They do this from the very first scene when come and talking about about meeting Macbeth and saying their famous chant, “Fair is foul,foul is fair,/Hover through the fog and filthy air.” (1.1 13-14) When they say these lines and mention meeting with Macbeth; they immediately create the theme of evil and supernatural and make the audience wonder what they are planning to do to Macbeth. The Witches also help to create the theme of ambition They do this by giving Macbeth profecias and once one comes true, Macbeth says, “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical.” (1.3 38) When Macbeth says this line; it can be seen that Macbeth is thinking ambitious thoughts of killing the king to have the second part come true. Later in the play Macbeth returns to the Witches for more prophecies; they gave him deceptive prophecies that gave him false hope. These prophecies made Macbeth think he was invulnerable which made him over confident. When he found out the prophecies tricked him he says, “ Accused be the tongue that tells me so,/ For it hath cow’d my better part of man.” (5.8 17-18)He says this because he finally realises that he was deceived by the Witches. Throughout the play, the witches help the theme of evil and supernatural,…

    • 870 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Corruption In Macbeth
    • 676 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Corruption In Macbeth

    As creators of turmoil by nature, the witches catalyze changes in Macbeth that enable his transformation from a righteous military general into a committed megalomaniac. Furthermore, they inspire the awakening of Macbeth’s ambition and fool him by providing a false sense of security. This exploitation is expected from the dark and sinister creatures as they firmly believe that “fair is foul, and foul is fair.” The paradox and enigma behind this principle suggests that the witches feel disdain towards the laws of human nature, morality, and ethics. Their embodiment of pure evil allows the witches to find meaning and delight in the harshest of things while despising compassion. Furthermore, this belief shows that for them, there is a…

    • 676 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Examples Of How Fair Is Fair In Macbeth
    • 534 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Examples Of How Fair Is Fair In Macbeth

    In Macbeth, William Shakespeare shows a good side, and a bad side of a person. At the beginning of the play, three witches mentioned “ Fair is Foul” and “Foul is Fair” ( 1.1.13). Macbeth felt that his cousin Duncan are king was unfair to him, however, Duncan felt it was acceptable. In order, to right what Macbeth felt was foul he killed Duncan to make it Fair in his eyes. Their apparition are simply true and they have Macbeth thinking that anyone will hurt him. Macbeth had a taste of power, and he is willing to do anything to keep it.…

    • 534 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Explain How Does Shakespeare Create Mood And Atmosphere In The Opening Scene Of Macbeth
    • 1214 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Explain How Does Shakespeare Create Mood And Atmosphere In The Opening Scene Of Macbeth

    The witches agree to meet on ‘the heath’, an isolated and secretive location suggesting their intentions are evil. During this scene Macbeth is mentioned for the first time, the witches say they are to meet him, Shakespeare does this to foreshadow Macbeth’s link to evil, by suggesting Macbeth knows the witches the audience automatically associates Macbeth with the witches. The ending of the scene has great impact, all witches recite ‘Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air.’ Again the witches are ‘chanting’ and talking in rhyming couplets, suggesting they have telepathic powers, securing the idea that they have supernatural powers. At the era in which Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, James I was King, he was extremely interested in Witches, so many suggest Shakespeare wrote the play to please the King, and his followers. Act 1 scene 1 is a short impact scene for dramatic effect, Shakespeare introduces the witches as the first characters in the…

    • 1214 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Strong Feelings in William Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'
    • 2782 Words
    • 12 Pages

    Strong Feelings in William Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'

    The opening scene of ‘Macbeth’ is set in an wild and isolated place – the moorland is far removed from society and away from the usual social rules. The weather too is poor and hostile: the ‘fog and filthy air’ suggests gloom and unhealthiness. This is a place alien to human values, of darkness and foulness, and is a sinister challenge to ordinary goodness. The Witches’ use of rhyme in their speech is used throughout the play to bring a sense of incantation and magical charms. We are presented with a paradox when they chant, ‘When the battles’ lost and won’ and ‘fair is foul and foul is fair’ as the phrases seem to be impossible opposites. This instantly creates a sense of confusion, upsetting the natural order of things. This is echoed by the use of thunder and lightning, which is also associated with evil.…

    • 2782 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Effects Of Guilt And Evil In Macbeth
    • 645 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Effects Of Guilt And Evil In Macbeth

    Because of his dark and evil desires evil in Macbeth takes shape.This happened when Macbeth listens to the witches prophecies. “Fair is foul, and foul and fair” (The entire play revolves around this chant)"Fair is foul, and foul is fair" is perhaps one of the most heavily impacted lines in Macbeth. it is used to foreshadow the fact that characters in the play who seem to be good and nice (Macbeth) may actually be tainted or evil. Because he listened to the witches prophecy he had a new dark ambition.Lady Macbeth, his wife, then pushes the ambition. After the murdering of Duncan, Macbeth has gained enough ambition, willing to kill anyone (men, women, and children) who he thinks might steal his seat on Scotland's throne. Macbeth puts his own evil desires before the good of his country, and, in the end, is tragedy destroyed by his own…

    • 645 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth Essay
    • 643 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Macbeth Essay

    * The weird sisters continue to entice the evil nature of Macbeth, using equivocation in their apparitions, “Macbeth shall never vanish’d be until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill shall come against him” and “None of women born shall harm Macbeth”.…

    • 643 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth Expository Essay
    • 707 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Macbeth Expository Essay

    Often times in our world, it can be agreed that not everything is what it seems. People, events, and nature often display signs of one thing while signifying something completely different in actuality. This may consequently lead to confusion between what is real and what is just a figment of the imagination. Authors often pick up on this theme of appearance vs. reality, and use it to enhance their works. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth includes the theme of appearance vs. reality through the Macbeths’ covering of the appending murders, as well as in the couples’ reoccurring hallucinations, which are ultimately used to display the corruptness of ambitious human nature.…

    • 707 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Analyzing The Great Chain Of Being In Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'
    • 472 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Analyzing The Great Chain Of Being In Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'

    At the beginning of the play three witches enter also known as the weird sisters. Witches were believed to be evil and unnatural. The weird sisters chanted “Fair is foul and foul is fair hover through the fog and filthy air.” (I:1:11-12) As creatures of the night they like whatever is "foul" and hate what is "fair." The sisters will "hover" in the fog, waiting for the chance to do evil. As the witches predicted Macbeths future Banquo was unsure of what they were saying was true or reliable. “I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than moral knowledge.”(I:5:1-3) Macbeth believes the witches have gave him reliable imformation even though its unmoral and unnatural to…

    • 472 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Dramatic Techniques in Macbeth
    • 1187 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Dramatic Techniques in Macbeth

    Dramatic irony is employed from the beginning of the play. The repetition of the paradox “fair is foul and foul is fair” (Act 1 Sc 1) by the Witches introduces the theme of the disruption of the natural order. Macbeth echoes similar words just before his first encounter with them, “so foul and fair a day I have not seen” (Act 1 Sc lll). This draws to the audience's attention the relationship that will form between Macbeth and the Weird Sisters. Dramatic irony is employed here, since Macbeth is unaware at this stage of the importance of his words. The audience though are able to see the connection, which creates dramatic suspense. His words highlight the contribution of the Witches to the events and outcomes of the play. Foreshadowing is one of the first dramatic techniques to be used in the play. In his meeting with the witches in Act 1 Sc lll, Macbeth learns of the prophecy. It plants the idea of treason in his mind. It is Macbeth's ambition that compels him to commit regicide. Without the deliverance of the prophecy by the Witches, Macbeth would not have considered becoming king. Macbeth at this stage of the action considers the witches insignificant, lowly and evil. He is initially fearful of them and approaches them with…

    • 1187 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth Fair And Foul Is Fair Essay
    • 873 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Macbeth Fair And Foul Is Fair Essay

    "Fair is foul and foul is fair." In Macbeth, a play written by William Shakespeare, a mighty warrior named Macbeth receives a prophecy from three witches telling him that he will become King of Scotland. Obsessed by his ambition and influenced by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and steals the throne and is then tormented by paranoia and guilt. Through the supernatural elements in Macbeth, William Shakespeare demonstrates the idea of evil; although driven by the supernatural, ambition plays a key role in Macbeth’s actions. Despite the fact that Macbeth was one to commit many murders, he soon realizes in order to survive he must execute anyone who disagrees with him. When Macbeth first encounters the witches his consumed ambition drives him to assassinate the King. Just before he is about to kill Duncan, he notices a dagger which encourages his ambition further; however after executing the King, Macbeth takes great measures to murder Banquo in order to retain the crown. Once Macbeth realizes that Scotland is in chaos he pays the witches another visit and discovers his fate through the prophecies in which he chooses to ignore.…

    • 873 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More