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Fair is foul, and foul is fair: / Hover through the fog and filthy air (Act 1, Scene 1, Line 11 - 12), the three witches chant, stating simply that not everything is as it seems, and that there are those who hide foul deeds, but in the end they receive fair and just punishment. Such is the case for Macbeth, he is ashamed of his wrong doings and is afraid of the consequences that may follow. In turn, Macbeth continuously uses fair appearances to conceal foul realities. Most of the characters in Macbeth do not realize the consequences of disguising foul with fair, Banquo is the only exception. He warns Macbeth of horrible tragedies when he says, oftentimes, to win us to our harm, / The instruments of darkness tell us truth, / Win us with honest trifles, to betrays / In deepest consequence (Act 1, Scene 3, Line 123 - 126). In his warning, Banquo speaks of how the little truth or actions can turn into ones deepest consequence, foreshadowing the situations which Macbeth will encounter.
By taking the simple words of the three witches, Macbeth fulfilled his prophesies, and along the way covered his small foul doings until they began to snow ball into a foul doing that could not be concealed by a fair appearance. The king, perhaps, was the most befuddled by Macbeth's great conspiracies. After receiving word on the execution of the Thane of Cawdor, King Duncan says Theres no art / To find the minds construction in the face (Act 1, Scene 4, Line 11 - 12). Here he is commenting on the fact that he trusted the Thane of Cawdor absolutely, and had no idea he would rebel and turn on him. Which, almost immediately after, is exactly what Macbeth would do. Macbeth's plan to murder the king was concealed so well that the king willing slept in his death bed.
This particular scheme was encouraged by Lady Macbeth. She urges Macbeth to look like the innocent flower, / But be the serpent under (Act 1, Scene 5, Line 65 - 66), just before King Duncan's arrival at their castle. It is her encouragement and his own intuition that drives Macbeth to cover every possible foul deed that he can. In every decision made, there are consequences that must be faced. Macbeth, is one that would rather not deal with them.
His solution is to conceal his foul realities with fair appearances. In assuming that everything is true, one would be consumed in these fair appearances, and fall into the foul schemes which lurk behind the fair faces. After all, fair is foul, and foul is fair.
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Research essay sample on Foul Is Fair Fair Is Foul
