Macbeth: Illusion vs. Reality

Kendall Dawson 1/23/12 Macbeth- Illusion v Reality Thesis: In Shakespeare Macbeth the theme illusion v Reality was an important theme that was displayed throughout the play. The Illusions are what influenced the characters reality. When the illusions were displayed they were interpreted in reality and majority of the time sparked a negative outcome. â€Å"Foul is Fair, Fair is Soul (Act 1. p. 7)† is repeatedly quoted throughout the play. The Interpretation of this quote relates in depth to what seems right in this story actually is not, pertaining to the misleading illusions throughout the essay that caused him to kill people and to be haunted by his sins endlessly. Evidence/Supporting Sentence Witches prophecies were illusions because in reality some were misleading to Macbeth causing him further trouble throughout the play. Their appearance as well is an illusion. â€Å"You appear to have beards, but you also look like women (Act 1). Macbeth should have realized that if he could not believe if their external appearance he should have not trusted in their prophecies. â€Å"It is an accustomed action with her to seem thus washing her hands. I have known her to continue in this a quarter of an hour (Act 5. sc. 1). † Lady Macbeth believes her hands are stained of the blood of those she has slain and she is haunted by it so she continues to wash them even though there is not any blood. False face must hide what the false heart doth know (Act 4). † Macbeth had given this advice to Lady Macbeth who has begun to be haunted by the slaying. He wanted her to mask her discern, as well as black out the haunting nightmares and keep a happy face to the public. At the end of the play Lady Macbeth became very regretful and concerns her for life. She admitted to the crimes her and her husband committed as well as knew she was going to be slain in return.