Discuss the theme of appearance and reality in Shakespeare's play, Macbeth.

In Shakespeare's Macbeth,
appearance vs reality is a theme that
is seen throughout the play.

Macbeth is respected by
everyone, but Macbeth only seems honorable; at heart he is a man
who will do anything to be king. He hides his intent from Duncan
with fine words, while he is planning his murder. Macbeth
says:

False
face must hide what the false heart doth know.
(I.vii.93)

Appearance vs
reality is also seen in the beginning of the play when the witches introduce the
quotation, "fair is foul, and foul is fair," or what seems good is really bad—Macbeth;
and what seems bad is really good—Malcolm flees Scotland when his father dies and looks
guilty, but he is only trying to protect himself.

When the
witches deliver their predictions to Macbeth, he sees only the possibility of being
king, and loses sight of the true nature of the witches: they are
evil, even if they seem to bring good tidings. Lady Macbeth
welcomes Duncan with all due respect, but she, too, is hoping to kill him so
she can be queen.

Macbeth reminds
Banquo about the banquet—"hoping" he'll come, but he is already planning not
only Banquo's death, but that of his son, Fleance, as well. Macbeth convinces
the murderers that Banquo is to blame for the bad fortune they have recently
experienced—that it wasn't Macbeth as they men had believed. He
says:

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Know
That it was [Banquo], in the times
past, which held you
So under fortune, which you thought had been

Our innocent self?
(III.i.81-84)

Banquo is not
the cause; Macbeth says it to turn the men against
Banquo.

The witches' second set of predictions promise
Macbeth a long reign. They tell half-truths to give him a "false sense of security."
Though the first prediction is true ("Beware Macduff"), the other two predictions make
Macbeth believe he can't be killed. The appearance of the
predictions lures him, and the reality behind them destroys
Macbeth.

When Macduff meets with Malcolm in England,
Malcolm believes that Macduff is working for Macbeth; in that Macduff has left his
family alone, and they have been safe from Macbeth, causes Malcolm to be suspicious of
Macduff. The truth is that Macduff has come to ask for for
Malcolm's help to defeat Macbeth.

During this same scene,
Malcolm tests Macduff by saying that if Malcolm ever becomes king,
he will bring more evil to Scotland than Macbeth. He says he is lustful and greedy, but
Macduff believes there are more than enough women to satisfy Malcolm, and enough wealth
as well. However, when Malcolm says that all he wants to do is destroy Scotland, causing
war and discord, Macduff starts to mourn Scotland's imminent
destruction.

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These evils thou repeat'st upon thyself

Have banish'd me from Scotland.
(IV.iii.126-127)

In reality,
none of this is true. When Malcolm knows that Macduff cares so much
for Scotland, he is sure he can trust Macduff.

At the
play's end, appearance vs reality is found in what the witches have told Macbeth
regarding his future success, and the actual manner in which the predictions come to
pass. Because all men have mothers, Macbeth is sure he is in no danger—but Macduff was a
C-section baby; and Birnam wood cannot actually move to Dunsinane
hill, but it appears that way. He knows the witches have
lied:

And be
these juggling fiends no more believed,
That palter with us in a double
sense,
That keep the word of promise to our ear,
And break it to
our hope. The predictions which bring Macbeth great comfort actually lead him to his
death. (V.viii.23-26)