Appearance Verse Reality

Brooke Soper                                                British Literature

3/20/1997                                                   Period F

      The way people act on the outside and who they really are on the inside may be two totally different things.  Some may change because they feel they don't fit in. Others pretend to be something they truly aren't.  No matter which way you look at it, if you try to act like someone your not, the truth will always appear in the end.  That is exactly what happened in William Shakespeare's play, MacBeth.  Banquo, MacBeth, and Lady MacBeth each project an image, but as time passes. The realities of their true personalities begin to emerge.

      As an honorable man, Banqou tends to hold back his true feelings in order not to offend others around him.  At one point in the play, Banqou and MacBeth find themselves in the presence of three weird sisters who make three absurd predictions.  MacBeth leans toward believing them while Banqou says, "And oftentimes, to win us to do our harm, the instruments of darkness tells us truths, win us with honest trifles, to betray's in deepest consequence". (Act I, Scene 3)  A thoughtful yet skeptical Banquo speaks his words here very carefully to MacBeth in order to remain honorable.  He doesn't want to come right out and tell MacBeth to be cautious in his actions, so he tries to soften his words so that MacBeth might contemplate his future movements.  However, MacBeth does not take heed of Banquo's warnings. Because of the witch's predictions and his impatience, MacBeth kills in order to get what he expects is coming to him.  When Banquo takes time to contemplate what has been going on, he turns his thoughts to MacBeth.  He expresses his feelings about the situation in Act II, Scene 1.  Banqou feels that MacBeth might have something to do with the murders, but he never stands up for his thoughts or listens to his conscience until MacBeth comes to him one day.  When MacBeth asks to talk privately to Banquo, Banquo states; " So I lose none in seeking to augment it, but still keep my bosom franchised and allegiances clear, I shall be counseled."  (Act III, Scene 1)  Banquo means that he will talk to MacBeth, just as long as MacBeth knows that he is loyal to the King.  This is the only time that Banquo sets his foot down against others to stand up for his morals.

      Just like Banquo, MacBeth's appearance differs from his true self.  MacBeth portrays himself to be strong and wise, but inside he is truly weak.  When he first faces the witch's predictions, he says; " Come what come may, time and the hour runs through the roughest day."  (Act I, Scene 3)  Basically he says that any good fortune that may come to him in the future, will come on it's own.  He wants to appear collected, strong, and noble, but in the end, he completely contradicts his statement by greedily killing men to get what he expects is his for the taking.  This shows his extreme weakness because he believes what three weird strangers tell him.  Not only is he weak with the three weird sisters, but he is also weak with his wife.  MacBeth goes to his wife right after he planned to kill Duncan, and proclaims; "If we should fail?" in order to receive some reassurance from his beloved wife.  He turned to his wife for strength and she replies; "We, Fail!"  Even though his actions appear strong, his reasons are very weak.  The largest portrayal of MacBeth's feebleness comes when Banquo's ghost appears before MacBeth's eyes.  "Hence, horrible shadow!  Unreal mockery, hence!", MacBeth exclaims as he sees Banquo's ghost.  Why would a King be afraid of shadows?  A very weak man, MacBeth crumbles under pressure and guilt.

      Just like her husband, Lady MacBeth paints herself as a very potent woman. But the murders and guilt beat at her conscience until she too crumbles.  At one point in the play, Lady MacBeth says,

I have given suck and no how tender tis to love the babe that milks me; I would, while it was smiling in my face, have plucked the nipple from his boneless gums, and dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this. (Act I, Scene 7) 

The latter shows that Lady MacBeth appears strong and heartless in her actions toward others.  Even when her husband stands before her having a nervous breakdown in the banquet scene, instead of trying to help, she orders her poor delirious husband to bed so that he won't create a scene.  In both of the above cases, her husband turns to her for help, but she speaks harsh words to him to keep her appearance strong.  However, she is not strong at all.  The whole time she was acting strong, her insides were tearing apart at the seams.  One night a gentlewoman comes to a good doctor for help about her mistress.  Lady MacBeth had been sleep walking for the last few nights; mumbling words and pretending to wash her hands from a translucent blood that she feels is lingering on her hands.  The good doctor says she is not physically ill, but mentally ill.  The whole time Lady MacBeth had put up a defense to appear potent, but in reality, she is just as weak as her husband is.

      Banquo, MacBeth, and Lady MacBeth all paint a vivid picture of their personalities on the outside; but as proven, they are totally different people on the inside.  No matter what, reality will conquer appearance.  Whether it is slow like MacBeth and Banquo's change; or whether it is abrupt like Lady MacBeth's, the truth will emerge in the end.