Fair And Foul Is Fair In Macbeth

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In the opening act of Macbeth, the Weïrd Sisters conjointly say “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (1.1.12) The interpretation is that things are not always what they appear to be; what presents itself as beautiful might actually be ugly. It surfaces the idea that what seems to be fair and good is actually foul and evil. The placement of this line is no coincidence, Shakespeare doesn’t wait to set the mood of the play. Placed in the very first scene, it allows the witches to convey a theme of deception and selfishness that will pervade in all acts to follow. For instance, not long after this line was spoken we see the betrayal unfold when Macbeth murders King Duncan because of his desire for his position as king. Macbeth saw this murder as something