Macbeth Appearance vs. Reality By: Aspen, Benjamin, Lea, Madi

Act 1 Scene 4 Pg. 29 “ Stars, hide your fires; let not light see my black and deep desires. The eye wink at the hand, yet let that be which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.” Appearance: Macbeth wants to conceal his dark thoughts and actions by seeming good. Reality: Macbeth has descended into dark, selfish ways to obtain power.

Act 1 Scene 7 Pg. 45 “False face must hide what the false heart doth know.” Appearance: Macbeth is carefree and doesn’t have anything to hide. Reality: Macbeth knows that he is planning to kill Duncan later but can’t let anyone suspect this.

Act 2 Scene 1 Pg. 51 “Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.” Appearance: A bloody dagger is floating in front of Macbeth. Reality: The dagger is not controlling his actions and isn’t floating. Foreshadow of the murder to come

Act 2 Scene 3 Pg. 67 “Oh, gentle lady, ‘Tis not for you to hear what I can speak. The repetition in a women’s ear, Would murder as it fell.” Appearance: Lady Macbeth is a women which means she should remain pure and abstain from hearing evil things. Reality: Lady Macbeth craves masculinity and is the mastermind behind the first murder.

Act 3 Scene 2 Pg. 93 “Sleek o’er your rugged looks. Be bright and jovial among your guests tonight.” Appearance: Macbeth is a warm and welcoming host. Reality: He is planning with Lady Macbeth to kill Duncan.

Hush. Just smile and wave Act 3 Scene 2 Pg. 93 “And make our faces vizards to our hearts, disguising what they are.” Appearance: Macbeth and Lady Macbeth will appear happy to others. Reality: They are actually putting up a front to disguise the guilt inside from their murders. Hush. Just smile and wave Do you think they know?

Act 4 Scene 2 Pg. 135 “ Sirrah, your father’s dead. And what will you do now? How will you live?” Appearance: Lady Macduff tells her son her father is dead and that they must protect themselves. Reality: Macduff has fled to England but is not dead.

Act 4 Scene 3 Pg. 143 “ Black Macbeth will seem pure as snow, and the poor state esteem him as a lamb, being compared with my confine less harms.” Appearance: Evil Macbeth will appear holy compared to how Malcolm describes himself. Reality: Malcolm isn’t actually evil and was just saying so to test Macduff’s loyalty to Scotland.

Act 5 Scene 5 Pg.179 “ As I did stand my watch upon the hill, I looked toward Birnam, and anon methought the wood began to move.” Appearance: The trees seem to be walking on their own. Reality: The English army is approaching the castle using tree branches as camouflage.

Act 5 Scene 8 Pg. 185 “ And let the angel whom thou still hast served tell the Macduff was from his mother’s womb untimely ripped.” Appearance: Macbeth believes he cannot be harmed by Macduff since he thinks he is born from a women which matches the prophesy. Reality: Macduff was born of a caesarian section so he CAN kill Macbeth!