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Macbeth Appearance Vs Reality Research Paper

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Recommended: Explore how shakespeare presents ambition in macbeth

Jazlyn Wardeh
Ms. Cataneo
English 3 Honors
29 March 2023
Appearance Versus Reality
William Shakespeare develops the theme of appearance versus reality in his play The Tragedy of Macbeth. Ambition and greed motivate Macbeth, the protagonist, who ironically becomes morally misaligned as he demonstrates fealty to the Weird Sisters rather than his rightful king. The Weird Sisters function as symboloic evil and become a catalist for his inner conflict. The author employs tyrannical diction as the witches deceive Macbeth with their vague but tempting apparitions. Lady Macbeth encourages Macbeth—who presumes the witches apparitions—to usurp King Duncan’s throne, and supports her huband’s plan of regicide, even when he doubts himself or begins to feel guilty. The motif of feigning one’s emotions with metaphorical masking is prevelent—no one’s true intentions are revealed on the surface. Even Malcolm puts on a false face and creates someone who …show more content…

Macbeth, debating what is the right path to follow, believes a dagger is in front of him. The imaginary dagger, ultimately used to kill King Duncan, causes Macbeth to second guess the witches. Macbeth falsely believes the bloody dagger is dragging him to the room to perpetrate the regicide: “Is this a dagger which I see before me… / I have thee not, and yet I see thee still… / A dagger of the mind, a false creation / Proceeding from the heat-oppressèd brain? / I see thee yet, in form as palpable / As this which now I draw” (Shakespeare. II. i. 44, 47, 50-53). During this soliloquy, Shakespeare is demonstrating Macbeth’s uncertainty of whether or not the dagger is real or a figment of his imagination. Shakespeare foreshadows the guilty effect Duncan’s murder will have on the Macbeths after commiting the treasonous actions. The motif of hallucinations represents the blood and guilt Macbeth and his wife are going to encounter. For

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Macbeth, by Shakespeare, is a story of a great warrior named Macbeth who was told by three witches that he would become king. This prediction makes him think it is justified to kill the current king and once he is king he believes that he is invincible. In Macbeth, many symbols are used such as a dagger that isn’t there, hallucinations of blood, and ghosts to show the overwhelming guilt that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have over the murders to highlight the theme that guilt can drive people to insanity when kept in secret. First of all, Macbeth is alone and has decided that he is going to kill King Duncan. All of a sudden he sees a dagger but can’t feel it and says, “I have thee not, and yet I see thee still” (Shakespeare 2.1.35).

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Appearance vs. reality happens every day to everyone with just a look. Just a glimpse of someone's facial expression in the hall and you can tell you how things appear, but the reality could be monumentally different from the appearance. What I'm trying to convey is how no one knows someone's true feelings and thoughts by looking at the surface, their deepest desires, secrets, and struggles are locked away from the naked eye. Someone could easily be smiling but be dying on the inside, or someone can seem sane but truly be psychotic. An example of appearance vs. reality in Macbeth is how Macbeth appears to be a loyal friend to Banquo, but in reality he's plotting to eliminate him for his own benefit.

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