Malcolm And Macbeth Foil

“Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” (I. 1. 11). This is one of the most infamous quotes in history. It is from Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. It represents a common theme throughout the play that everything is not always as it seems. Good is bad, and bad is good. You cannot have or recognize one without the other. This is where foil characters come in to play. Malcolm serves as a foil character for Macbeth, and their contrasts help to represent the theme that everything is not always as it seems through their opposing character development throughout the play.

The first way in which Malcolm and Macbeth contrast each other is in intelligence. This is evident after Duncan’s body is found. Malcolm feels his life is in danger. He says to Donalbain

After Malcolm’s father is murdered, most people assumed that Macolm and Donalbain were guilty because “They were suborn’d:/ Malcolm and Donalbain, the King’s two sons,/ Are stol’n away and fled, which puts upon them/ Suspicion of the deed.” (II. 4. 31-34). Most people did not suspect Macbeth of the murder initially and assumed he was innocent. However, the audience knows that Malcolm is innocent, despite his assumed guilt, and Macbeth is guilty, despite his assumed innocence. Other characters eventually realize this like when Lennox sarcastically said “What pious rage, the two delinquents tear,/ that were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep?/ Was that not nobly done?” (III. 6. 12-14) about how convenient it was the Macbeth killed Duncan’s murders. This opposing character development is a direct reflection of the theme “fair is foul, and foul is

Malcolm lies to Macduff about being a bad person and telling him “It is myself I mean, in whom I know/ All the particulars of vice so grafted/ That, when they shall be open’d, black Macbeth/ Will seem as pure as snow,” (IV. 3. 57-60) to seem more relatable and trustworthy to Macduff. He does this to get Macduff to help overthrow Macbeth, so Malcolm can become king. On the other hand, Macbeth does the opposite and lies about being a good person to earn trust and loyalty as king. After Duncan’s body is discovered, he kills the guards that were framed for the murder before they could be questioned. He does this to cover his tracks but when asked why he blames it on “Th’ expedition of my violent love/ Outrun the pauser, reason. ” (II. 3. 89-90) to make it sound like he was avenging Duncan. This shows the deception in the theme that everything is not as it