“All that glisters is not gold; often have you heard that told: Many a man his life hath sold. But my outside behold: Gilded tombs do worms enfold.” In Macbeth, the idea that everyone is capable of great deception is explored, which is the main theme of this play Macbeth appearance versus reality, in other words hypocrisy, and facade. Tension, mystery, dread and ambiguity infusses the drama. Using the theme appearance versus reality, this play digs deep into the darker side of humanity and the inner plotting and scheming of the human mind. Elements of supernatural, hallucinations brought on by guilt-driven madness, and statements the characters say portrays the theme of appearance versus reality.
The witches in the beginning of the play set the scene of confusion and illusion. They successfully manage to mislead, cheat and incite evil throughout Scotland by deliberately ambiguous and misleading words.Even their physical appearance is contradictory, and unsettling. When Macbeth meets the witches, they greet him with three title the last states, “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (1.3.51). When Macbeth hears this he doesn 't seem very happy. Banquo questions his reaction saying, “Good sir, why do you start, and seem to fear Things that do sound so fair?” (1.3.52-53). This question comes again to what the witches states, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair,” (1.1.12). This paradox shows how not everything is as it seems because both Macbeth and Banquo are unaware