Appearance vs Reality in Macbeth

Ever wondered how villains manage to fool everyone around them? Macbeth is the perfect example of someone who becomes a master of deception. The play shows us that appearances can be deadly deceiving.

Lady Macbeth's advice to "look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it" is packed with Biblical imagery. The serpent directly references Satan from the Garden of Eden, which Shakespeare's religious audience would immediately recognise. This suggests that Macbeth's evil transformation goes against the natural order of things.

The fricative sounds in this quote create a hissing effect that mimics a snake, making the line memorable and sinister. Shakespeare cleverly uses sound to reinforce meaning.

Key Insight: The positioning of 'under' hints at hell and reminds the audience that betraying your king (who represents God on earth) leads to damnation.

When Macbeth says "false face must hide what false heart doth know," he's planning the ultimate betrayal whilst appearing loyal. The word 'false' emphasises his complete moral corruption. His heart - traditionally the source of emotions - is described as false, showing how deeply evil has infected him.

The quote "make our faces vizards to our hearts" treats deception like putting on a mask. Macbeth is terrified that people will see his guilt written on his face, so he must constantly perform innocence. This shows how regicide (killing a king) weighs heavily on his conscience, even as he plans it.