Macbeth: The Downfall

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and then Macduff's family. The witches' planted the thought into Macbeth's head but the vision of him being a great king is not exactly what it seems.

Everything is not what it seems is another major theme in Macbeth. In the first scene of Macbeth, we are introduced to the witches. In this scene they are talking about encountering Macbeth and messing with him. The witches, in unison, say, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair." I.i.12. This quote is significant to the rest of the play. It means that whatever you're perceiving can all of a sudden change and mean something else. One example is when the witches say that Banquo will father kings but only after the death of King Macbeth. They never explained that Macbeth would die. Another example is when the apparitions say, " Macbeth shall never vanquish be until / Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill. / Shall come against him." IV.i.105-107. Macbeth thought that the actual woods would have to rise from the ground and come to ...

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