Paradoxes In Macbeth

Everything in the world is not exactly what it seems. There is a large difference between what something looks like and what it truly is inside. A person may look content on the outside, but might be struggling from depression on the inside. Audibly, a word may sound like one word, but if it is written, it might have a complete different meaning. In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, language is used to develop the plot of Macbeth becoming king and it helps form the themes of the tragedy. In this play, the witches and apparitions use language in the form of paradoxes and equivocation to develop the theme of appearance versus reality. A paradox is a statement that contradicts itself and can have a more profound meaning. Throughout the play, the

They say other people find them as evil, but they think that they are trustworthy and honest. The witches are portrayed as bearded beasts that do not appear as women, making them seem evil, however what they say come true and plays out by the end of the play. In contrast, Macbeth appears as and sees himself as fair and honorable, but orders people to be murdered and murders himself. From his perspective, these steps are necessary for Macbeth to become king and maintain his power, but someone from an outside stance would see these acts as vile and atrocious. Because of the way the witches use language, they suggest that they are fair people, while Macbeth is evil, even though they seem the opposite on the outside. During the first set of prophecies, the witches say that Banquo will be “[l]esser than Macbeth and greater, [n]ot so happy, yet much happier” and that “[t]hou shalt get kings, though thou be none” (Shakespeare 1.3.68-70). These seem contradictory and nonsensical, having no real meaning, yet the witches speak the truth. They are suggesting that Banquo’s offspring will inherit the throne, making him lesser than Macbeth

Scene one of act four has many examples of this that show how the appearance of a phrase can differ from its real meaning. In the second set of prophecies, the witches are casting a spell and they repeat, “Double, double toil and trouble;/ Fire burn, and cauldron bubble” (Shakespeare 4.1.10-11). This chant seems like a spell, but they are telling the audience what will happen to Macbeth. He will get into twice as much trouble for all the horrendous acts he has committed, but this does not seem obvious at first. Once again, the witches are telling what will happen, yet the characters are oblivious to this, even if it is right in front of them. Next, the second apparition tells Macbeth that, “The power of man, for none of woman born/ Shall harm Macbeth” (Shakespeare 4.1.91-92). Macbeth believes that this gives him invincibility because all men are born from women, however this is ambiguous because Macduff, the man who kills Macbeth, was cut out from his mother’s womb, who died during labor. Therefore, she was a corpse and not a woman, so he was not born of woman, allowing him to behead the king. Macbeth does not think deeply about this prophecy, giving him confidence in his survival, but he avoided the reality of the saying and because of it, he was killed. The next apparition tells Macbeth that he will not be defeated until “Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill/ Shall come against him”