Fair Is Foul And Foul Is Fair Essay - 760 Words

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In the tragedy, Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the paradoxical theme of â€Å"Fair is foul, and foul is fair† functions throughout the play. The line is a prophecy which one thing seems like another. It implies especially to the characters that they are not as they seem to be. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The Three Witches are the ones who introduce the paradox that runs throughout the play. The theme affects these characters because although they speak of the future, they do not seem to affect the course of it. They are the agents of fate because they only speak of the truth of what will happen. Macbeth refers to the Witches as the Weird Sisters. In fact the word quot;Weirdquot; comes from an old English word†¦show more content†¦You should be women, And yet your beards forbid me to interpret That you are so.† Macbeth also remarks that they â€Å"seem’d corporal† and yet they vanish like â€Å"bubbles into the air.† nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The paradoxical theme affects Macbeth’s by turning his life upside down. Macbeth is not the person he is as he seems. He is introduced as a warrior hero, whose fame in the battlefield wins him the honor from King Duncan. However, his ambitions are made clear when he reveals his inner emotions and thoughts. One example is when Macbeth says, â€Å"I am settle and bend up Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. Away, and mock the time with fairest show. False face must hide what the false heart doth know.† Macbeth knows that the act of killing Duncan is morally wrong and even agonizes over the idea of killing someone who loves him as much as Duncan does, yet decides that he will do it anyway. Macbeth does not like the fact that Duncan intends to pass the crown to his son Malcolm. The blindness of the Duncan shows when he says, â€Å"To find the mind’s construction in the face. He was a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust,† he greets Macbeth as his â€Å"worthiest cousin.† The effect the paradox has on Macbeth is ultimately his death. When the Witches prophesize that no man born from a woman’s womb can defeat him, he feels invincible. However, Macbeth does not realize that Macduff was born unnaturally. Paradoxically, the more powerShow MoreRelatedFair Is Foul and Foul Is Fair1004 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Fair is foul and foul is fair†. The text Macbeth is asphyxiated in themes of treachery, dishonesty, deception shown by the quote â€Å"Fair is foul and foul is fair†. This quote shows that despite the fact that something appears to be devout and pure it may underneath be treacherous and evil. The text is smothered in lies and betrayal from various characters. Shakespeare portrays this theme through the Witches and Hecate’s meandering of Macbeth’s prophecy which tricks Macbeth in to believing he is insuperableRead MoreMacbeth Literary Essay : Fair Is Foul And Foul Is Fair1297 Words   |  6 PagesMacbeth Literary Essay: â€Å"Fair is foul and foul is fair† In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the characters are often mislead by the impression of reality. The quote â€Å"fair is foul and foul is fair† (Shakespeare 1.1.12), is said by the three witches. This quote is very significant, as it is an elaborate theme throughout the play. Also, the word fair means good, and foul means evil. Fair is foul and foul is fair is a theme that demonstrates how appearances often differs from reality. ThisRead MoreAmerican Paradox : Fair Is Foul, And Foul Is Fair1759 Words   |  8 PagesJessica Patterson Kaci L. West ENGL 1102-8 May 5, 2015 American Paradox: â€Å"Fair is Foul, and Foul is Fair† Shakespeare’s play Macbeth is known for its plot twists and ambiguous words. Throughout the play Macbeth believed the witches prophecy that he would become king. Macbeth obsessed over the idea of becoming king. He began to manipulate his friends and family, and ultimately he killed himself and everyone he loved. The witches were able to influence Macbeth into believing the prophecy was trueRead MoreEssay Macbeth Themes: Fair Is Foul and Foul Is Fair900 Words   |  4 PagesThe theme of ‘Fair is foul, foul is fair’ permeates throughout the play Macbeth. Explain what it means, providing examples from the play to support your answer: One of the most important themes in the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare comes from one of the last lines in Act 1, Scene 1 of the play. The three witches speak this simple line ‘Fair is foul, and foul is fair,’ shortly before they disperse and it becomes a prophecy and an underlying warning for the rest of the play. The connotationsRead MoreThe Theme Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair in Macbeth by William Shakespeare1126 Words   |  5 PagesThe Theme Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair in Macbeth by William Shakespeare The witches in a barren heath are the first to mention Macbeth - thus indicating that he, the main character of the play, has, or will have a very strong tie to them and evil. Shakespeare opens the play with a dark and mysterious atmosphere, setting the mood of the play using a thunderstorm, an example of pathetic fallacy, a device used effectively throughout the play. This opening suggests thatRead More1. (1.1) Witches Fair is foul and foul is fair this quotation is stated in line 10 by the500 Words   |  2 Pages1. (1.1) Witches Fair is foul and foul is fair this quotation is stated in line 10 by the witches in the opening of the play.This quotation is very important because it introduces what the whole play is going to be about. How what is fair to them might not be fair to others. This quote is magnificent because it provides a wonderful example of paradox by letting the audience know that even tough something bad might occur it will benefit someone else. 2. (1.3) First Witch Though his bark cannotRead More Supernatural in Shakespeares Macbeth - Beyond the Fair and Foul1059 Words   |  5 PagesMore to Macbeth than Fair and Foul      Ã‚  Ã‚   The statement Fair is foul, and foul is fair does not thoroughly express the many themes of Shakespeares Macbeth.   The first time this statement occurs is very early in the play, when the witches chant the exact line Fair is foul, and foul is fair(I.i.12) only for Macbeth to repeat it himself two scenes later.   This repetition of the lines shows that the characters themselves believe that there are many foul events taking place.   Firstly, one canRead MoreElucidation Regarding the Stages Set by Fair is foul, and foul is fair (I: i, 10), in William Shakespeares The Tragedy of Macbeth1076 Words   |  5 Pagesutilizes many paradoxes in The Tragedy of Macbeth to provide entertainment for the audience. The people during the Renaissance loved paradoxes because of their unique structure. In the exposition, the paradoxes the witches present, â€Å"Fair is foul, and foul is fair† (I: i, 10), sets the stages of the tragedy because it holds various significant me aning. Literally, the quotation transcends to good is bad, and bad is good; however, it actually implies that one cannot assume anything. The paradoxRead MoreTheme of Fair is Foul in William Shakespeares Macbeth Essay2104 Words   |  9 PagesTheme of Fair is Foul in William Shakespeares Macbeth Fair is Foul is the major theme in Macbeth and is present throughout the play in both the characters and the events. Fair is Foul refers to the contrast of good and evil in the play, since Macbeth commits many evil murders for what seem to be good reasons. There are several false and secretive characters, such as the Witches, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, because of the contradiction of good and evil. Therefore the Read MoreEssay on How Macbeths Character Turns from Fair to Foul2338 Words   |  10 PagesHow Macbeths Character Turns from Fair to Foul Shakespeare’s text ‘Macbeth’ is the tale of a man ruined by his own ambition. The story of Macbeth is an example of power at the expense of everything else, he begins the play as a strong character that is greatly admired, however as the play progresses Macbeths personality and actions become more and more devious which eventually leads to his destruction. His character changed from a ‘brave’ and ‘noble’ person to a ‘dead