Things are never as it seems within the play of Macbeth by Wiliam Shakespeare. The theme of illusion vs. reality is found all throughout the play. The characters encounter all forms of deception leading to a blurred line between illusion and reality. We see the emphasis of the theme in the illusions pictured by Macbeth, the false face Lady Macbeth puts on, and the ambiguous phrases said by the witches.
Macbeth's first illusion is seen as he is on his way to kill the king. He imagines a dagger in front of him either representing his conscience against his decision to murder the king or the foreshadow of his crime. Soon after Macbeth commits the evil deed, we are shown the scene of him washing the blood off his hands. He says how there is no amount of water that can wash away the blood signifying that his actions will forever stain him. The last notable appearance of illusion is at his own banquet, celebrating his new title. Macbeth has become paranoid with the witches' predictions and has sent out murders to kill Banquo. Right after he receives news of the successful assassination of Banquo, Macbeth claims to see Banquo’s ghost at the table. This freaks Macbeth out, leading him to cause a scene in front of all the guests at the banquet which raises suspicions and allows the people of Scotland to doubt the abilities of Macbeth as a leader.
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Lady Macbeth is first introduced in her soliloquy where she is shown as a cruel and evil character. She has witch-like qualities and she showed no hesitation in coming up with a plan to kill the King. Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth to “act like the innocent flower but be the serpent underneath”. This line presents the theme of illusion vs. reality as Lady Macbeth is perceived as an innocent wife in front of the King but underneath, she is vicious and has evil