People throw around the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” and it has become a common phrase used in present times. The frequently used metaphor describes that people should not prejudge or attempt to find the value of something, solely based on its outward appearance. No story is more relevant to that idea then William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Macbeth is riddled with many different references to how outward appearances are contradicting to what the reality of the situation is. Macbeth is the story of the rise and fall of a wacked out man who is mesmerized by the ability to be King of Scotland. His over confidence produced by Lady Macbeth and the three witches is what gets him killed. Macbeth is misleading in appearance to Duncan, but he
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The three witches who give Macbeth the over confidence to start his long road filled with killing the innocent, also are misleading. After Macbeth is haunted by the ghost of Banquo he goes to the witches again seeking more knowledge of his future. The witches use their magic to show Macbeth three apparitions. The apparitions are as follows: beware Macduff; none of woman born shall harm Macbeth, and lastly Macduff cannot be vanquished until Great Birnam wood comes to Dunsinane. Macbeth sees the second and third apparitions as nothingness and only thinks of them as face value. In response to the second apparitions Macbeth says “Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee?” (IV.i.1645). His reaction to the third apparition is similar in tone, he words it as “That will never be Who can impress the forest, bid the tree Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements! good!”(IV.i.1662-1664). There is plenty of arrogance shown in both of Macbeth’s reaction to the apparitions. Macbeth is dumbfounded by the apparitions and is saying that he should not even fear Macduff since no person who was born of women can harm him. Macbeth’s reaction to Birnam wood coming to Dunsinane makes Macbeth laugh at the idea that the roots of the trees would unearth and storm the castle. He then states that since either or those things are remotely possible he will rule Scotland forever. The witches fall right into the same boat as Macbeth since them shroud Macbeth’s vision with impossible prophecy by wording them a certain way, but in reality they are factual prophecy that should concern Macbeth. All of the prophecies shown by the apparitions come true one way of another. Macbeth should beware Macduff because Macduff successful goes to Malcolm to convince him to take back the thrown. Since Macduff was born of caesarean section and not by women, he can and does harm Macduff. Even though
The three witches who give Macbeth the over confidence to start his long road filled with killing the innocent, also are misleading. After Macbeth is haunted by the ghost of Banquo he goes to the witches again seeking more knowledge of his future. The witches use their magic to show Macbeth three apparitions. The apparitions are as follows: beware Macduff; none of woman born shall harm Macbeth, and lastly Macduff cannot be vanquished until Great Birnam wood comes to Dunsinane. Macbeth sees the second and third apparitions as nothingness and only thinks of them as face value. In response to the second apparitions Macbeth says “Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee?” (IV.i.1645). His reaction to the third apparition is similar in tone, he words it as “That will never be Who can impress the forest, bid the tree Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements! good!”(IV.i.1662-1664). There is plenty of arrogance shown in both of Macbeth’s reaction to the apparitions. Macbeth is dumbfounded by the apparitions and is saying that he should not even fear Macduff since no person who was born of women can harm him. Macbeth’s reaction to Birnam wood coming to Dunsinane makes Macbeth laugh at the idea that the roots of the trees would unearth and storm the castle. He then states that since either or those things are remotely possible he will rule Scotland forever. The witches fall right into the same boat as Macbeth since them shroud Macbeth’s vision with impossible prophecy by wording them a certain way, but in reality they are factual prophecy that should concern Macbeth. All of the prophecies shown by the apparitions come true one way of another. Macbeth should beware Macduff because Macduff successful goes to Malcolm to convince him to take back the thrown. Since Macduff was born of caesarean section and not by women, he can and does harm Macduff. Even though