Macbeth Essay #1

Term Paper Title	Macbeth Essay #1
# of Words	1351
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	5.4

Macbeth Essay #1

     In Macbeth, the tragic play by William Shakespeare, many of the
characters are not what they appear to be.  In the play one, of the themes is
"appearances can be deceiving."  Some characters attempt to disguise
themselves and pretend to be something that they are not.  Characters such as
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth appear to be good, loyal members of their country
but they, none the less, are lying tyrant murderers.  Characters such as King
Duncan are easily fooled by these appearances and never suspect anything
else, which would lead him to his untimely death.  Another theme is "fair is foul
and foul is fair."  The witches' prophecies are also fair and foul.  The prophecies
seem to be prosperous and great but are actually tricky and mean.
     Some characters are deceived by a false show of loyalty, love, or
friendship.    King Duncan and his party arrive at Macbeth's castle and are
greeted by Lady Macbeth with false professions of duty and welcome.  Duncan
is easily fooled by a warm thankful Lady Macbeth, "All our service in every point
twice done, and then done double."(act 1, scene 6,lines 17-18)  Duncan thinks
everything's all right, "See, see, our honored hostess!"(act 1, scene 6, line 12)
All Lady Macbeth is thinking about is killing Duncan and her husband being king.
Macbeth urges Lady Macbeth to be particularly attentive to Banquo at the
evening's feast and, though he hints at a dreadful deed to be done that night,
does not tell her of his plan to kill Banquo and Fleance.  Macbeth wants Banquo
to think nothing is wrong.  Macbeth appears to be the friend he has always been
to Banquo, but he is not.  Banquo is deceived by a false appearance of
friendship, "Let your highness command upon me, to which my duties are with a
most indissoluble tie for ever knit."(act 3, scene 1, lines 17-20)  Macbeth
appears to be a friend but is actually a foe, "O, full of scorpions in my mind, dear
wife!  Thou knows't that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives."(act 3, scene 2, lines
40-41)
     There are numerous predictions the witches make that sound propitious
but turn out to be deceiving and fraudulent.  The witches tell Macbeth
prophecies that seem fair but are actually foul.  Banquo and Macbeth first
encountered the witches in the dark foggy forest after the battle.  The witches
foretold the prophecies to Banquo and Macbeth.  The second witch tells
Macbeth, "All hail, Macbeth!  Hail to the, thane of Cawdor!"(act 1, scene 3, lines
52-53)  This prophecy does  come true but the prophecy that the third witch tells
him sounds much better than the first but is actually worse.  "All hail, Macbeth,
that shalt be king here after!"(act 1, scene 3, lines 54-55)  This prophecy sounds
really good to Macbeth.  It seems to Macbeth that the prophecy is fair but it is
actually foul.  It is foul because it gets Macbeth thinking about how to become
king faster and easier.  This leads to Macbeth murdering King Duncan.  Another
prophecy that sounds fair but is actually foul is the one about the symbol of a
bloody child.  The witches told Macbeth about this prophecy in the cave when
the witches were around the boiling cauldron.  "Be bloody, bold, and resolute;
laugh to scorn the pow'r of man, for none of a woman born shall harm
Macbeth."(act 4, scene 1, lines 89-91)  A bloody child symbolizes that no man
born of a woman can harm Macbeth.  This is a very reassuring prophecy when in
Macbeth's position.  Macbeth likes this prophecy intensely.  It is also very
deceiving to Macbeth as well.  In the end Macbeth ends up fighting Macduff as
Macbeth feels safe because he believes that no man born of a woman can harm
him.  He is feeling very confident fighting Macduff, but there is a catch.  Macbeth
finds out that Macduff was untimely ripped from his mothers womb.  So he could
harm Macbeth according to the prophecy.  Now Macbeth is in great fear of losing
his life to Macduff, and that he did.  This prophecy tricked Macbeth.  At first it
seemed great and fair, but it actually was deceiving and foul.
     So...

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