Fair Is Foul And Foul Is Fair In Macbeth

“Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” A Shakespearian enthusiast might recognize this paradoxical quote from Shakespeare’s Macbeth, but for many its meaning remains puzzling. How can any sane person claim good is bad, and bad is good? But before writing Shakespeare off as a lunatic, one must take this quote in the context of the story. In Macbeth this quote gives a foreshadowing of the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Macbeth, a Dane turned evil, started as a hero later turning to a ruthless killer, while his wife began as a devious, manipulative witch, and transformed to a woman filled with remorse and regret, Macbeth being the fair turning foul, and Lady Macbeth the foul turning fair. Despite this transformation, many still consider Lady Macbeth a major villain in this play. With the definition in mind, the fact remains Lady Macbeth simply cannot fall under the tile of “villain”. What is a villain? Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a villain as, “deliberate scoundrel or criminal” (Merriam-Webster), but this definition falls short of the truth. Yes, a villain’s actions must be intentional, but the definition requires much more complexity. A villain’s actions must not only be deliberate, but also at its core evil. Their actions must reflect a promotion of self interest, meaning their motives, whether revenge, a struggle for power, or …show more content…
First her actions, while mainly for the promotion of her husband one might construe them as selfish. Secondly, her manipulation was must assuredly intentional and without a doubt evil. The last criterion involves the content of her heart. If at her core lies evil, she deserves the title villain. Though all signs point to a villain, her guilt driven madness exposes the content of her heart as at it’s core good. This small amount of remorse disqualifies her from becoming a part of the “villain