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How has Shakespeare explored the theme of deceptive appearances in Act one of Macbeth
In today’s society appearances are a big part of our lives. We don’t know what everybody is thinking all the time, this is because outward appearances cover up what we are truly thinking. The same thing happened in Shakespeare’s’ time as well especially in the play Macbeth. The basic plot of Act one is that three witches have visited Macbeth and they have influenced him to murder Duncan so he can become king. During Macbeth's actions we see many deceptive appearances occurring.
Act one begins with the supernatural in other words the witches. They end scene one with the phrase,
‘Fair is foul, and foul is fair’.
This line means that appearances aren’t what they seem. This quotation creates the atmosphere of uncertainty, and made the Jacobean audience aware of the theme of deceptive appearances from the very start of the play. All the witches speak this line and in Shakespeare’s time people would be wary of the supernatural.
Duncan is one of the characters who can’t see past outward appearances. The first reference we get about him making a false judgement about someone is in Scene two when Macbeth is pronounced Thane of Cawdor. Duncan states
‘No more that Thane of Cawdor shall deceive our bosom dearest’.
This is ironic because what Duncan doesn’t know is that Macbeth will soon kill him. Then Duncan goes on to say
‘What he hath lost noble Macbeth has won’.
This is also ironic because Macbeth is far from noble. So we can see that right from the beginning Duncan is a very bad judge of character.
In scene three we hear Macbeth almost repeating the words of the witches with the statement
‘ So foul and fair a day I have not seen’.
This is reminding the audience of the witch’s statement at the start of the play. This is preparing the audience that there will be a misjudgement coming. This comes from Banquo when he and Macbeth first see the witches. Banquo says
‘ You should be women, and yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so.’
Banquo is saying that the witches should normally be female but in this case these ones have male qualities. These qualities are preventing Banquo from seeing that the witches are fully women. This is an example of outward appearances being deceptive. Banquo then goes on to make a false judgement about Macbeth because he says
‘Good sir, why do you start, and seem to fear’.
He calls Macbeth well, whereas Macbeth is going to kill him too.
In scene four, Duncan states that you can’t judge someone on appearances alone. He is saying that Macbeth is a man who he trusts.
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