How is the witches' paradox "fair is foul, and foul is fair" shown to be true in Act 1 of Macbeth?

"Fair is foul, and foul is fair."

The paradox illustrates one of the key themes of Macbeth, especially in Act One. Essentially, what it means is that appearances are deceptive, that things aren't always what they seem. Take the opening scene, for example. The action begins on a bleak heath in the middle of a raging thunderstorm. Most people would describe this weather as foul. But not the Weird Sisters. To these evil witches, this is the perfect backdrop to their diabolical villainy. They live by completely different standards to most people, yet those standards are the ones that will prevail throughout the play.

The character of Macbeth, too, embodies this paradox. At the start of the play he's a noble warrior, a loyal servant of King Duncan. He's just distinguished himself on the field of battle, displaying exemplary courage as he fearlessly slaughtered The King's enemies. On the face of it, all seems well. But once again, appearances are misleading. Macbeth's head is well and truly turned by the witches' prophecy, so much so that he contemplates assassinating The King he's so faithfully served. From now on, Macbeth will do everything he once considered foul in pursuit of power, even though he's unsure as to how things will turn out:

This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill, Why hath it given me earnest of success, Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor. If good, why do I yield to that suggestion Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, Against the use of nature? Present fears Are less than horrible imaginings. (Act I Scene iii).

The evil paradox by which the Weird Sisters live has now seeped into the life of Macbeth, contaminating a soul previously renowned for its honor and nobility. Lady Macbeth has also been infected. She encourages her husband to keep up the appearance of loyalty to Duncan, the better to lull him into a false sense of security that will make her wicked murder plot go off without a hitch. On the surface, all will be fair; Macbeth will warmly welcome Duncan to his castle; but all the while he'll be thinking about his murder. When The King eventually arrives, Lady Macbeth is already showing herself to be highly skilled at hiding her true feelings:

All our service, In every point twice done and then done double, Were poor and single business to contend Against those honors deep and broad wherewith Your majesty loads our house. For those of old, And the late dignities heaped up to them, We rest your hermits. (Act I Scene vi).

How is the witches' paradox "fair is foul, and foul is fair" shown to be true in Act 1 of Macbeth?

"Fair is foul, and foul is fair."

The witches' proclamation illustrates one of the most prominent themes in Macbeth - appearance versus reality. We can infer from the play that what appears to be fair is actually foul. This can be best explained if we take a look at our tragic hero, Macbeth.

At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is depicted as a valiant and loyal warrior, defending Scotland from the Norwegians and the Scottish traitors. He appears to be as one of the most reliable and trustworthy king Duncan's subjects. Nevertheless, after his surreptitious ambition of becoming the king of Scotland is awakened, we see him as disloyal, treacherous, and unscrupulous. Despite the fact that Duncan and Macbeth are related and that Macbeth is Duncan's subject, Macbeth sees him as the greatest impediment to the realization of his ambition and, therefore, kills him and becomes the king himself. This is the moment when Macbeth's tragic downfall begins.

Even the witches describe Macbeth as "wicked" before he appears in front of them to ask them about his future:

 By the pricking of my thumbs,
 Something wicked this way comes.
 Open, locks,
 Whoever knocks!

Although we may first describe the witches as the agents of evil, we realize that Macbeth is, in fact, the one who awakens evil within him and who resorts to committing dreadful deeds. By murdering innocent people in order to establish himself as the untouchable monarch, he rejects goodness and embraces wickedness. This eventually costs him his life.

In what ways is Macbeth both "fair and foul" as stated by the Weird Sisters in Macbeth, act 1, scene 1?

In many ways, Macbeth begins the play relatively "fair" and ends the play quite "foul."  The Weird Sisters discuss him in Act 1, Scene 1, but the very next time his name is spoken is in reference to his "brave[ry]" because Macbeth

Disdaining Fortune, with his brandished steel,Which smoked with bloody execution,Like Valor's minion, carved out his passageTill he faced [Macdonwald]; Which ne'er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him,Till he unseamed him from the nave to th' chops, And fixed his head upon our battlements.  (1.2.19-25)

This is quite an image: Macbeth resolutely hacking through men, carving a path for himself through their bodies, meeting his enemy, slicing Macdonwald from his belly to his chin, and then plunging a spike through his head to serve as a warning to others.  Duncan, the king, describes Macbeth as "valiant" and quickly decides to honor him with a new title by way of reward: Thane of Cawdor. 

Further, Lady Macbeth, when she receives Macbeth's letter, describes his nature as "full o' th' milk of human kindness" (1.5.17).  She doesn't exactly mean it as a compliment, but readers can understand that Macbeth, prior to and just at the start of the play, was a pretty decent guy.

By the end of the play, however, Macbeth has committed regicide, ordered the killings of Macduff's innocent wife and children while he was away, ordered the killings of Banquo and his son, Fleance, and run the country into the ground.  To Malcolm, Macduff says that

Each new mornNew widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrowsStrike heaven on the face, that it resoundsAs if it felt with Scotland, and yelled outLike a syllable of dolor.  (4.3.5-9)

Macbeth has, in his greed and dishonor, ruined the country he sacrificed so much -- his self-respect and immortal soul -- to rule.  Macduff says that there is so much sadness in the land that those sorrows hit heaven in the face and cause heaven to cry out as though it sympathized with Scotland.  Even the Weird Sisters now refer to Macbeth as "something wicked" (4.1.45).  He may begin the play pretty "fair," but he certainly ends it utterly "foul."

In Macbeth, what is the relevance of the witches' chant "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" in act 1, scene 1?

In the opening scene of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the witches chant the lines that

Fair is foul and foul is fair.

Hover through the fog and filthy air. (10-11)

These lines – especially the first – are relevant in various ways to the action, tone, meaning, and symbolism of the play. The first line, in particular, is relevant in some of the following ways:

• Macbeth is a play about ambiguity – about the difficulty of knowing anything for sure, either about others or about oneself. Macbeth, for instance, is not sure whether he should kill his king or remain a loyal subject; his lack of moral self-knowledge appears very quickly in the play once he receives the witches’ prophecies. Macbeth is an ambiguous, ambivalent character, and the same is true, in a different way, of his wife: at first she seems quite determined that the king should be killed, but by the end of the play she seems a tormented, almost pathetic creature.
• Macbeth is a play about deception – particularly about Macbeth’s deception of the king, the king’s courtiers, and even his friend Banquo. The idea that fair and foul are interchangeable, that appearances can be deceiving, is obviously relevant to this play.
• In particular, the idea that what seems beautiful and attractive may actually be ugly and disgusting is relevant to this work. This idea is particularly relevant to Lady Macbeth, who at first seems uglier on the inside than any other character in the play, but the idea is also relevant to Macbeth as well.
• The alliteration of the line – with its repeated f sounds – contributes to the chant-like, musically haunting quality of the witches’ speeches.
• The fact that the witches state such a paradox with such absolute assurance implies that they are highly confident of the knowledge they possess (they do not chant “Fair may be foul, and foul may be fair”). They are themselves mysterious figures, and they begin the play by chanting mysterious but ominous messages.

How does Act 1, Scene 6 contribute to the "fair is foul" theme in Macbeth?

King Duncan has invited himself to dinner at Macbeth's castle at Inverness. As he approaches the castle, he notes how beautiful it is there:

This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air

Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself

Unto our gentle senses.

Banquo agrees and adds his own observations about how peaceful and sweet the castle and the surroundings seem. Then Lady Macbeth prances down to greet them with fair and loving words:

All our service

In every point twice done, and then done double,

Were poor and single business to contend

Against those honors deep and broad wherewith

Your Majesty loads our house. For those of old,

And the late dignities heap'd up to them,

We rest your hermits.

What could be more hopeful, more loving and more fair: a beautiful place and a lovely hostess. Fair, fair fair.

Yet, within mere hours, this delicately sweet environment will be turned in a place of unnatural, bloody murder by the very woman who greets the king so sweetly and by her equally gracious husband and duplicitous. Foul, foul foul.

So, what seemed so fair to the innocent senses of an old and kindly king, will soon be turned into the putrid jaws of hell. Fair is foul, and foul is fair... indeed.

How is "fair is foul, and foul is fair" exemplified in act 4 of Macbeth?

[eNotes editors are only permitted to answer one question per posting. Additional questions should be posted separately.]

The theme "fair is foul, and foul is fair" appears first in Act One when the witches plan to meet Macbeth.

ALL:

Fair is foul, and foul is fair.

Hover through the fog and filthy air. (I.i.11-12)

"Fair is foul, foul is fair" means that things that appear to be good ("fair") are often actually bad, and things that at first look bad can actually be good. This paradoxical statement seems to be self-contradictory: how is it possible something could be bad and good at the same time? We find it is possible, and it is a truth Shakespeare weaves throughout the play.

Note Macbeth and Banquo's discussion in Act One, scene three.

MACBETH:

So foul and fair a day I have not seen. (39)

This seems an impossible statement. However, Macbeth is saying that the weather is bad ("foul"), but the outcome of the battle (their victory in the fight) makes it good ("fair").

By the start of Act Four, Macbeth has murdered his King, and his best friend, and will soon order the murders Macduff and his family. It is, in fact, Macduff who is the object of the witches' first prophecy when Macbeth visits them for help.

In Act Four, scene one, the witches have created a spell that will give Macbeth misleading information—information that will at first glance seem positive ("fair"), but will eventually prove to be Macbeth's undoing ("foul") because he takes what he hears and sees at face value. (He also has a "false sense of security" that will create in him a mindset that he cannot be defeated.)

The first apparition is an "armed head" (which means a head with armor—a helmet—on it). The apparition delivers a prophecy:

Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware

Macduff;

Beware the Thane of Fife... (78-80)

The "armed head" represents Macduff. The warning seems unimportant to Macbeth. He does, however, have has his doubts about Macduff because he did not attend Macbeth's feast when called.

The second apparition is a "bloody child." The prophecy it delivers is:

Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to

scorn

The power of man, for none of woman born

Shall harm Macbeth. (87-90)

This piece of information is especially enticing to Macbeth ("fair") because he is convinced that anyone that is born by a woman (which he sees as the only way a man may be born) cannot harm him. This is misleading ("foul") because the prophecy literally means that the only person that can defeat Macbeth is a man who was not born in the traditional way. Macduff was a Caesarean-section baby (C-section); this means he was not born in the traditional way, and he, therefore, can kill Macbeth.

Macbeth does not consider any of this, however, for it is trickery on the part of the witches. He should know better than to trust the witches because they serve the devil; but he is naive enough to believe they speak the truth. At first he dismisses Macduff's potential threat; but then—just to make sure—he decides to kill Macduff anyway.

The third apparition is the sneakiest. It shows "a Child Crowned, with a tree in his hand," and intones:

Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until

Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill

Shall come against him. (103-105)

Macbeth is told he cannot be defeated unless the woods move. This seems impossible ("fair"); however, when Malcolm ("a Child Crowned") attacks, his men are carrying tree branches, and Macbeth is defeated ("foul").

How does the paradox "fair is foul, and foul is fair" manifest in act 5 of Macbeth?

The witches' words, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" is a recurring motif throughout Shakespeare's Macbeth as reality and fantasy merge for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.  For, this line points to the discrepancy between reality and illusion.  Macbeth's world is a world where nothing is what it seems.  He wonders at a dagger, the ghost of Banquo, and finally the Birnam Forest. 

Ironically, what Macbeth imagines cannot happen, does.  In Act V, Scene 3, he tells the doctor to bring him his armor after him, declaring, 

I will not be afraid of death and bane
Till Birnam Forest come to Dunsinane. (5.3.68-69)

Then, in Act V, Scene 5, a messenger arrives to report that Birnam Wood appears to be moving toward Dunsinane--"nothing is what is not"; "fair is foul, and foul is fair" and the witches' prophesy that Macbeth need fear nothing until "the Wood of Birnam rise" is apparently and fatally true.

What does the line "fair is foul, and foul is fair" mean in Macbeth?

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the line "Fair is foul, and foul is fair," is first said by the witches in Act 1.1, and then echoed by Macbeth in Act 1.3.

Literally, the line means that what appears to be fair, is actually foul, and vice-versa when Macbeth echoes it.

Figuratively, though, the line accomplishes much more than the revealing of the literal meaning.  It introduces and contributes to themes revealed in the play, and also immediately reveals a connection between Macbeth and the witches.

At the time Macbeth utters the line, he is literally referring to the weather, as are the witches when they use it.  Macbeth at this point in the play is a war hero and loyal protector of his king.   The witches are grotesque and crass.  Yet, the separate speakers of the line are connected when Macbeth uses it.  This foreshadows their relationship.

Throughout the drama, what appears to be fair is often actually foul.   Duncan says Cawdor appeared to be loyal, just as Macbeth appears to be loyal.  Lady Macbeth warmly greets Duncan when he arrives at her castle, though she is planning on assassinating him.  Macbeth appears to Banquo as his ally, but he orders his death.  Macbeth is king, and appears to be telling the truth when he informs the murderers that it was Banquo, not Macbeth, who wronged them, but he is lying. 

Even when fair is fair, it is suspected of being foul, as when Macduff is suspected of treachery by Malcolm.

Opposites also appear in the play, echoing this quote.  The witches appear to be women, but have beards.  Macbeth, the warrior, feels pity and guilt before and immediately after he kills Duncan, emotions more often associated with females.  Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, asks to be unsexed, turned from female to male.

This single line introduces and contributes to much of what is revealed in the play.

What does the line "fair is foul, and foul is fair" mean in Macbeth?

This quote comes from the end of the first scene of the play.  It is spoken by the witches.  They are, in this case, giving a bit of a prophecy about how the play will go.

What they are saying is that things that seems fair (good) are really foul (bad).  And things that seem foul are really fair.  What this prophecy is supposed to do is to show that morals are going to be lost in this play.  Everything is going to be up for grabs and the events of the play will really be confused and mostly evil.

What does the line "fair is foul, and foul is fair" mean in Macbeth?

Okay, you've got a ton of answers here, but what I believe is the intention behind these words, (the reason the witches say them), is because they are making an incantation. They are not just making an observation about the nature of things as they see them. In theatre, every character is engaged in action. The witches are powerful characters and Shakespeare has them at the beginning of the play for a very specific purpose, which is to set up the atmosphere for the whole of what's to come. The lines we are addressing are deliberately spoken....a state of affairs willed into being....by the witches. We are witnessing the creation by the witches of a reversal in the ordinary nature of things. Here we witness an incantation creating an environment for the whole play that follows, which turns right into wrong, good into bad, and all things bright into gloom. This incantation helps to set the tone and direction for the play.

What does the line "fair is foul, and foul is fair" mean in Macbeth?

I agree with most of the statements regarding this line, but there is one very important element that has been left out. Shakespeare was a dramatist first and foremost and every word he wrote connects to action. The witches are not simply observing something with that line. They are actively doing something, as must always be the case in a successful theatrical text. They are actively affirming that "fair is foul, and foul is fair." When the witch speaks this, she is affirming that this is the case, in the way we speak affirmations to produce what we want to be so. It is neither a rumination nor an observation. It is a statement of 'making.' They are creating a condition by affirming it.

What does the line "fair is foul, and foul is fair" mean in Macbeth?

The scene, in its original setting, a stage with minimal scenery,  seeks to separate the "real" world from the world of the witches, and part of that effort is to establish the barren, wind-blown Scottish heath, the home of the witches.  When they say "Fair is foul and foul is fair," they are contrasting their ideal climate with the climate that the audience, and the other characters, would consider ideal. Paraphrasing:  "What is foul to you is ideal, is 'fair' for us; we like 'foul' weather."  "Our ideal world, where fillet of fenny snake and eye of newt and tongue of bat can be combined to conjure up visions and predictions of the future, may be ugly to you but it's ideal for us and our leader, Hecate."  The phrase also points to the coming imbalance of natural order, the chaos of lost kingships (or thaneships).  It shows that this world is out of order, because of the breakdown of the Great Chain of Being.

What does the line "fair is foul, and foul is fair" mean in Macbeth?

This is one of the last lines in Act 1 Scene 1 when the witches are foreshadowing events to come in the play. With these words, they are predicting the evil that will cloud Macbeth's judgments and that those judgments will appear to Macbeth as fair and just. This line also could refer to the witches believing that things most men consider to be foul and ugly are just and beautiful to them because they embody evil. This gives the reader insight into what actions the witches are going to encourage from Macbeth.

What does "Fair is foul and foul is fair. / Hover through the fog and filthy air" mean in Macbeth?

In the first scene of the play, the Three Witches recite the phrase "Fair is foul, and foul is fair. / Hover through the fog and filthy air" (Shakespeare, 1.1.12-13). The denotative meaning of the phrase is that whatever appears to be appealing is impure and whatever appears to be impure is actually appealing. This phase is known as a paradox, a statement that contradicts itself but includes a hidden truth. It is also a motif, an object or idea that is repeated throughout a literary work in order to help develop a theme. The phrase essentially means that appearances can be deceiving.

There are numerous examples of deception throughout the play Macbeth, which correspond with the paradox "fair is foul and foul is fair." For example, Macbeth is fooled by the Three Witches into believing that the second set of prophecies are positive, which boosts his confidence and leads to his downfall. Characters throughout the play also utilize false appearances to deceive one another. King Duncan is fooled into believing that Macbeth is a friendly ally instead of a malevolent traitor. Macbeth also feigns friendship with Banquo before hiring assassins to murder him. Even Malcolm pretends to be a depraved individual in order to test Macduff's loyalty. Overall, Shakespeare portrays how appearances are deceiving throughout the play and utilizes the motif "Fair is foul and foul is fair" to develop this theme. 

In Macbeth, how is the theme "fair is foul and foul is fair" developed?

The line "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" refers to the tension between appearance and reality. What this means is that things are not always what they seem. Appearance can be rather deceiving, as can be seen in this play.

Our tragic hero Macbeth appears to be a valiant and loyal soldier, who is there to protect and respect his king. At the beginning of the play, everyone admires him, and we can easily notice how respectable and liked he is. He is even promoted by the king himself for his bravery and loyalty. However, once we delve into Macbeth's thoughts, we see that he plans to murder Duncan for the sake of gratifying his unrestrained ambition to become the king. And, not only does he murder the king, but he also makes it clear that anyone else who stands in his way will be eliminated too.

Macbeth embraces evil, and his real character is soon known to everyone in the play.

In Macbeth, how is the theme "fair is foul and foul is fair" developed?

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, one of the witches' first utterances in the play sets the tone for the rest of the play. Once the witches become involved, the theme of "fair is foul and foul is fair" is seen in every corner of the drama. Shakespeare uses this theme to cast doubt on even the most noble of characters, especially in that Macbeth, a seemingly noble and devoted subject (and cousin and friend) to Duncan, is soon blamed for killing the King and of other terrible acts. The witches seem to call up this dark image, perhaps like a spell, and "command" that it hover through the air, where nothing is left untouched.

ALL:

Fair is foul, and foul is fair.

Hover through the fog and filthy air. (I.i.11-12)

When Macbeth enters the scene from the battlefield, he echoes the same words, perhaps showing how closely aligned he actually is to what the witches have planned for him: perhaps he is more willing than even he knows, seen especially in how quickly he accepts their prophecies.

MACBETH:

So foul and fair a day I have not seen. (I.iii.39)

Macbeth himself reflects this theme. He seems so "fair" in that he is such a hero, supportive of Duncan, and loved by Duncan. No one would, at the place's start, question Macbeth's loyalty, yet this quickly changes. He represents what seems fair ("good") and what is really foul ("evil").

When Duncan enters the courtyard of Inverness (Macbeth's castle), he comments upon how lovely it is. He has no way of knowing that what seems so fair will actually be the last place he lives to see. No one would suspect it for the castle and the air are so fine.

DUNCAN:

This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air

Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself

Unto our gentle senses. (I.iv.1-3)

When Macbeth hires the men to kill Banquo, he presents Banquo as "foul," blaming the murderers' disappointments in life on Banquo. The truth is that Banquo is the good one and Macbeth has caused their hardships, but the truth becomes cloudy, as if the air truly is "foggy and filthy."

When Macduff has had enough of Macbeth's treachery, he travels to England, where Duncan's son Malcolm, true heir to the throne, has taken refuge in the court of Edward the Confessor. However, because Macduff has left his family unguarded at home and comes from Macbeth's court, Malcolm distrusts Macduff, who is actually a very good man. Because of Macbeth's behavior, Macduff seems "evil," while he is actually a "faithful" and dedicated citizen of Scotland.

Malcolm, in order to test Macduff, presents himself as an evil man who would destroy Scotland, being a worse King even then Macbeth. In doing so, he pretends to be a threat to his homeland. When Macduff hears Malcolm's words, he believes that Malcolm is not fit to live, let alone to govern Scotland. As Macduff mourns the fate of Scotland, Malcolm realizes that Macduff is a good man. Very soon after, news comes that Macduff's family has been slaughtered at Macbeth's order, and Malcolm is further convinced that the man before him is as just and noble as he claims.

Of course, one would believe that being King and Queen would be wonderful for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, but we soon see that their lives have deteriorated terribly, supporting this theme.

Once the words "fair is foul and foul is fair" are uttered by the witches, this theme works its way throughout the play, and it is not put to rest until the Macbeths are dead and Malcolm returns to the throne, where "God" has "ordained" he should be.

What is the meaning of "fair is foul, and foul is fair," and how does Macbeth echo this?

Macbeth echoes the witches' phrase the first time he speaks in act 1, scene 3. Following the battle, Macbeth and Banquo are traveling on the heath when Macbeth remarks, "So foul and fair a day I have not seen" (1.3.40). Macbeth finds the day "foul" because of the bloodshed and awful violence of the battles but also refers to the day as "fair" because of his impressive performance on the battlefield and notable victories. Macbeth and Banquo then interact with the nefarious Three Witches, who awaken Macbeth's ambition by addressing him as Thane of Cawdor and future king. Once Ross and Angus deliver their message and the first prophecy is confirmed, Macbeth immediately begins to entertain the idea of murdering King Duncan.

Why does Macbeth echo the witches' words "fair" and "foul" in his first line in Macbeth?

Macbeth is a living embodiment of the paradox first announced by the Weird Sisters and goes on to show this after he himself speaks toward the foul–fair paradox. This should be a day of triumph; King Duncan's forces have just comprehensively defeated the Norwegians in battle and Macbeth played a leading role in their crushing victory. Duncan is so grateful for Macbeth's actions that he rewards him with the title of Thane of Cawdor. And yet there's something not quite right. The very fact that Macbeth is drawn to seek out the Weird Sisters and listen to their prophecy indicates that he's still not satisfied, despite all his honors and achievements. Macbeth's ambitious soul is restless, seeking not just the honor and glory of this world—the fair—but also the kind of power that only the forces of darkness can confer upon him—the foul.

Why does Macbeth echo the witches' words "fair" and "foul" in his first line in Macbeth?

It is significant that Macbeth echoes the witches’ lines as his first line.  This ties him to the witches, and demonstrates their influence on him.

When Macbeth first speaks, he seems to repeat the witches’ warning from the first scene.

So foul and fair a day I have not seen. (Act 1, Scene 3, p. 12)

By repeating what the witches say, Macbeth is demonstrating that he is possibly influenced by them.  Later on in the play, Hecate scolds them for messing with him. They seem to already be playing with him.  By beginning the play with the witches, Shakespeare is foreshadowing the dark and supernatural elements.  By having Macbeth echo this line, we see that the witches are at work.

How does Duncan's comment reflect the "fair is foul" theme in Macbeth?

The three Weird Sisters seem to mean that people who look "fair" are often deceiving, and they may be referring specifically to Lady Macbeth. As far as "foul is fair" is concerned, they may be referring to themselves, because they are horrible-looking but are offering honest advice. Duncan is speaking of the traitorous Thane of Cawdor when he says that there is no way of judging a person's character from his appearance. This is at a time when he is about to be murdered by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, who are welcoming him with the utmost cordiality. Lady Macbeth is especially good at hiding her true character and her secret thoughts. She is flattering the King outrageously while secretly planning to murder him that very night.

Is it really true that there is no way of judging people from their appearance? I don't think so, even though wicked people will always try to hide their true natures. We should always be a little suspicious when people, especially strangers, are too friendly. Perhaps Duncan should have been a little more suspicious of his host and hostess, especially after being double-crossed by the Thane of Cawdor. Duncan should have asked himself why Lady Macbeth was acting so exceedingly joyful to see him and to have him as her overnight guest. The audience, of course, knows that her behavior is completely phoney and can appreciate how good she is at dissimulation. But Duncan ought to have been a little smarter. After all, he has lived a long time, and he is the King.

What statements do the witches and Macbeth make about "fair is foul" in Shakespeare's Macbeth?

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the theme "Fair is foul and foul is fair" is expressed throughout the play's five acts.

The Weird Sisters (the witches) introduce the theme in the very first scene:

ALL:

Fair is foul, and foul is fair.
Hover through the fog and filthy air. (I.i.11-12)

At the play's beginning, the audience cannot be certain of the quote's meaning. We can assume that since witches are evil (something the Elizabethan audience believed completely), and they're preparing to meet with Macbeth, their words do not bode well. 

As Macbeth and Banquo come upon the scene, Macbeth refers to the fairness and foulness of the day: something that at first seems to refer to an impossible situation—for how can a day be fair (good) and foul (bad)?

MACBETH:

So foul and fair a day I have not seen. (I.iii.39)

The audience can infer that Macbeth is referring to the greatness ("fair") of the day because they have beaten the Norwegians in battle; when he comments that the day is "foul," he could be referring to the terrible weather or perhaps more likely, the many lives lost in the battle.

Soon after the witches deliver their predictions to Macbeth and Banquo, Macbeth receives the title of Thane of Cawdor, as the witches had predicted. Macbeth (at this point in the play) has sense enough to question what is happening.

MACBETH:

This supernatural soliciting
Cannot be ill, cannot be good. (141-142)

This comment appears to echo the "fair is foul..." theme: how can it be bad to be named the Thane of Cawdor (a gift from the king for Macbeth's valor on the field of battle)? At the same time, how can it be good in that the witches are involved? Nothing associated with witches is anything but evil.

In Act One, scene five, Lady Macbeth repeats the theme when she tells Macbeth to offer a "welcome" to Duncan in his speech and manner, but hide his true and deadly intent from sight. In other words, be as beguiling as a lovely flower, but as deadly as the snake that hides beneath it.

LADY MACBETH:

...bear welcome in your eye,
Your hand, your tongue; look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under't. (I.v.69-71)

In this way, Lady Macbeth warns Macbeth not to give any clue to anyone that they are plotting Duncan's murder.

The theme remains throughout the play. In Act Four, scene one, the witches tell Macbeth that he will be safe until the woods move to the hills, and that no man born of a woman can harm him. These promises are intentionally misleading, and Macbeth does just what the witches intend by misinterpreting their words as guarantees of his success. The predictions appear "fair" (good), but in Act Five, scene four, when Malcolm's soldiers use branches from Birnam Wood to camouflage themselves as they move to Dunsinane Hill, it appears as if the woods are moving—the once seemingly impossible situation by which Macbeth can be vanquished.

In Act Five, scene five, facing Macduff, Macbeth believes he cannot be beaten because all men are born of a woman; this "fair" (positive) fact gives Macbeth a false sense of security. However, when he discovers that Macduff was born by Caesarean section (C-section), which would not have been considered a natural birth, he realizes the promises the witches made were intentionally misleading ("foul").

In the end, Macbeth is undone by his belief in superficial appearances.

What statements do the witches and Macbeth make about "fair is foul" in Shakespeare's Macbeth?

In the first act, the witches declare "Fair is foul and foul is fair" (Act 1, scene 1)and Macbeth remarks how the weather is "So foul and fair a day I have not seen" (Act 1, scene 3).  The witches are telling the audience that whatever good is bad and whatever bad is good.  This would set the tone for the rest of the play.  As for Macbeth's line, this is a example of foreshadowing.  He says this line before he and Banquo sees the witches and echoes what the witches say.  Also this line reminds us how the weather can mirror what is happening on stage.  In various parts of the play, characters will remark on the weather and it often reflects the state of the character or Scotland.

How does the statement "Fair is foul and foul is fair" relate to the witches' prophecies and the theme of appearance versus reality in Shakespeare's Macbeth?

"Fair is foul and foul is fair" establishes one of the main themes of the play and goes far deeper than simply trusting or not trusting in physical appearances. On one level, Shakespeare does say that we should not trust people simply based on their appearance. This is a major flaw in Duncan's character: he is too trusting and not able to discern enemies in his midst. This makes him susceptible first to Macdonwald's treachery and then to Macbeth's. But a deeper question the play asks is how to get to the reality that lies beneath appearance. Duncan, seemingly, has every reason to trust Macbeth fully: he is his cousin, and he has fought valiantly and beyond the call of duty to defeat Macdonwald and protect Duncan's reign. Why would Duncan have the least reason to suspect treachery? On the surface, none. However, had he gotten to know Macbeth beyond surface appearances, Duncan might have caught glimmers of the depth and hunger of Macbeth's ambition—his dark side—and known to take precautions.

The most important incident of "fair is foul" is Macbeth's taking of the throne. This act looks "fair" (desirable) to him. It is everything he has ever dreamed of, the culmination of all his ambitions. Yet, that seemingly "fair" prize turns out to be "foul." Macbeth derives no joy, but only pain, fear, and a deadening of conscience from achieving his ambition. As is said early in the play, just getting the outer garments of a position, such as a crown, doesn't make a person inwardly fit to rule. The play suggests that having a moral compass helps us to discern between fair and foul and that we should not be deceived by temptations from the dark side. What should have alerted Macbeth to the foulness of the witches' prophecies was not their outward appearance but their connection with the supernatural power of darkness and the way they dangled before him his deepest desire.

How does the statement "Fair is foul and foul is fair" relate to the witches' prophecies and the theme of appearance versus reality in Shakespeare's Macbeth?

"Fair is foul and foul is fair" relates to the witches' prophecies because it is a statement of paradox and inversion. The prophecies are true, but only in part, and end up being to MacBeth's detriment and final demise. MacBeth believes the prophecies to entirely be true, but doesn't get the fact that foul is fair and fair, foul. He takes the prophecies as literally true. He doesn't see that he is the foul one, and that when the witches say "something wicked this way comes," they're talking about what he's become. You have it mostly correct, however. The statement is about appearances and reality, but also about how these two can change. MacBeth is heroic soldier at first, but becomes "foul." Lady MacBeth is strong and vicious at first, but becomes mad later.

Who are the speakers and what is the context for the quote "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" in Macbeth?

The witches speak this line, in the first scene of the play. They have just announced their intention to "meet again," specifically with Macbeth, after the "battle's lost and won." We do not know what they have planned, but we can tell that they do not mean well, and that their meeting with Macbeth portends great evil. They fly away through a storm, chanting the rhyme mentioned in the question. This sets the stage for the play in an important way. The idea that things are not as they appear--that what appears to be fair is actually foul--is a running theme in the play. Macbeth's apparent loyalty to Duncan disguises his treachery, his ascent to the throne is built upon the murder of a most fair monarch, and Lady Macbeth casts aside her femininity--an act that would have been viewed as "foul" to Shakespeare's audiences--to plot the murder of Duncan. Moreover, the witches themselves offer up prophecies that seem very good for Macbeth, but are in fact ruinous.

How does the theme of "Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air" relate to Macbeth?

In Act 1, Scene 1, the end of the witches' chant delivers a pronouncement that becomes emblematic for the rest of the play:

"Fair is foul, and foul is fair.

Hover through the fog and filthy air" (I.i.11-12).

Macbeth creates a dynamic theme through the interesting dichotomy between fair and foul.  Through the witches' first scene, the playwright suggests that appearances cannot be taken for granted.  Events or people who may seem to have the appearance of goodness cannot be trusted to be "fair," just as things that may be "foul" in appearance could very likely be benign or helpful. 

The witches' own predictions exemplify the theme of "fair is foul, and foul is fair" as their suggestions of Macbeth's rise to power have all the appearance of being wonderful; they cater to his ambition and pride, and suddenly he sees himself rising to the coveted position of Thane of Cawdor and even King of Scotland.  However, in hindsight, the audience or reader can understand that the witches' seemingly "fair" prophecy was actually meant for evil purposes: to tempt Macbeth toward corruption and deceit, leading him to terrible consequences. 

Where does the line "fair is foul and foul is fair" manifest in Macbeth?

When the Battle's Lost and Won

Macbeth is a play based on contradictions and equivocations. There is a contradiction on almost every page. I'm as sure as I can be that Shakespeare planned it that way. Indeed, the witches themselves rely on double meanings and contradictions all the time:

Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.

Not so happy, yet much happier.

Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.

So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!

Banquo and Macbeth, all hail!

Want more? Lady Macbeth asks to be unsexed and Macbeth later says to her:

Bring forth men-children only,

For thy undaunted mettle should compose

Nothing but males.

And she refers to him as a woman:

O, these flaws and starts,

Impostors to true fear, would well become

A woman's story at a winter's fire,

Authorized by her grandam.

More? The porter's speech before answering the knock the door is all contradictions:

Here's a farmer that hanged himself on th’ expectation of plenty...here's an equivocator that could swear in both the scales against either scale, who committed treason enough for God's sake yet could not equivocate to heaven...here's an English tailor come hither, for stealing out of a French hose...But this place is too cold for hell.

More? In Act 4, Scene 3, the entire first part of the conversation between Malcolm and Macduff is equivocation and contradiction. Malcolm is telling Macduff things about himself that are comletely opposite of the truth.

I could give you much more, but just know that the play, Macbeth, is based upon the idea that the world has been turned upside down: good is seen as evil, evil as good, men act like women, women act like men, truth is taken for lies and lies for truth, killing is good and then killing is bad, and so on and so on. "Fair is foul, and foul is fair," for sure and everywhere.

OK, here's one more in parting:

Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell.

Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace,

Yet grace must still look so.

Just open to any page and there they are, like bones that support the body.

Discuss the line "fair is foul and foul is fair" in relation to fate and prophecy in Macbeth.

Shakespeare's Macbeth opens in "a desert place" with three witches. The witches briefly converse with each other, mentioning that they will meet again when they see Macbeth and closing their meeting (and the scene) with this joint statement:

Fair is foul, and foul is fair:
Hover through the fog and filthy air.

There is much that can be discussed about this line. If we want to focus on fate and prophecy, we should first discuss the witches themselves.

The witches clearly have some amount of knowledge. They know who Macbeth is (current thane of Glamis) and know where to meet him at the heath near forest. However, it can be debated to what extent the witches know the future. Do they truly predict the future? Are they simply able to see the future and just telling what they have observed? Are they actively changing the course events through their interactions with Macbeth?

The title character does not appear until scene three, after the audience has already seen the witches a second time. Macbeth's first utterance is:

So foul and fair a day I have not seen.

It is significant that his first line repeats the phrase that the witches said. The day is foul, meaning the weather is bad. There is thunder whenever the witches enter, so we might already start to question the idea of fate. Do the Witches cause the thunder? Are they responsible for the foul day, or do they just like to appear during a storm? The day is fair for Macbeth because he won a great victory; he personally succeeded in battle, but also his side won overall. However, looking back we would name this as the day his troubles began, so perhaps it is not so fair (fair is foul).

At this point, the audience knows that Duncan has named Macbeth the new thane of Cawdor, but Macbeth does not. He hears the witches say this as a "prophecy," but we should wonder if it is truly a prediction of theirs, or if they simply have this knowledge like we the audience do. When Ross tells Macbeth the news, to him it seems as if it is a prediction coming true. He is now more inclined to believe the other things the witches say. The question now is whether those things will automatically come true, or if they are only set in motion by Macbeth's choices the rest of the play. He considers:

This supernatural soliciting
Cannot be ill, cannot be good

His musings play upon the idea of "fair is foul and foul is fair." Is this ill or good? Can it be neither? Can it be both? The prophecies are fair and bring good news to Macbeth (the idea of being King). And yet it is foul, because being King is Macbeth's downfall. We learn later in the play that he is not a good king, and Scotland suffers under his reign. It is foul indeed.

Macbeth: Your children shall be kings.

Banquo: You shall be king.

Repetition is often used to not only emphasize an idea, but set up a comparison. Later, the witches show that Banquo's line will rule Scotland, but Banquo does not act upon this prediction. Macbeth, conversely, does. He murders Duncan so he can be king. We wonder if this is fate, always meant to happen, or if it is a self-fulfilling prophecy: would Macbeth have murdered Duncan had he not come across the witches?

The words "foul" and "fair" are repeated throughout the play:

Away, and mock the time with fairest show

False face must hide what the false heart doth know. (act 1, scene 7)

They appear again later in the play:

Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all,

As the weird women promised, and I fear

Thou play'dst most foully for't. (act 3, scene 1)

How is "Fair is foul, foul is fair" proved in the entire play of Macbeth?

Part of how the line is proven is through the actions of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.  The notion of an inverted set of values is seen when Lady Macbeth begins to plant the seeds of disloyalty and murder in her husband's mind.  This is when we begin to see the counsel of husband at the hands of wife not seek to broaden community or nurture, but actually sever and destroy.  The inversion of values and of morality is present in such a condition.  Throughout the moral depravity of both characters what was seen as horrific and something which could not be done becomes embraced and almost seen as common.  Into this moral abyss, Macbeth plunges himself without any frame of reference or detachment because "fair is foul, foul is fair."

How is "Fair is foul, foul is fair" proved in the entire play of Macbeth?

In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the quote "fair is foul, foul is fair" could be applied to the castle. It sounds like a lovely place - the sort of place where birds feel secure and contented enough to nest in its buttresses, where the weather might always be warm and the atmosphere sweet and welcoming. Welcoming indeed is Lady Macbeth, greeting her husband's guests like the perfect genteel wife and aristocratic hostess. But she is merely putting on a superficial show to gull the guests into a false sense of security and to hide the truth and the real motive. Underneath, everything in the castle is rotten and decaying and the scene for bloodthirsty events.

How is "Fair is foul, foul is fair" proved in the entire play of Macbeth?

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the witches first use the line you ask about in Act 1.1:

Fair is foul, and foul is fair.

Macbeth then echoes them in Act 1.3:

So foul and fair a day I have not seen.

First, Macbeth is identified with and connected to the witches by his echo.  but there is more to the similar quotes than just this.

The line establishes and contributes to the theme of illusion-reality in the play.  In Macbeth what seems to be fair is often foul, and even when the fair isn't foul, it may be suspected of being foul.

This is evident at numerous points in the play.  I'll mention a few.

Duncan tells Malcolm that there is no way to know what is on a man's mind by looking at a man's face, and that Cawdor, the traitor, was a man he had trusted absolutely.

Duncan trusts Macbeth, also, and Macbeth assassinates him.

Banquo is not in the process of rebelling against Macbeth, although he does suspect him of treachery.  Macbeth kills him because he suspects him.

Malcolm is not sure whether or not he can trust Macduff when Macduff comes to England to join Malcolm in a fight against Macbeth, so Malcolm puts him through a series of tests.  Macduff passes.

The witches equivocate and deceive Macbeth.  They tell him things which sound true, but are deceptively untrue.

The theme of illusion-reality is prevelant in the play, and is introduced and contributed to by the idea of the fair and the foul. 

What does "foul is fair, and fair is foul" mean in Macbeth?

Shakespeare puts these words in the witches’ chant as part of setting the mise-en-scene for the play’s unfolding.  They are saying that the natural order of things is upset, that Nature herself is at odds with her own rules, her own “normal,” and  that likewise the human world is out of order and balance.  What should be a loyalty to his king becomes, for Macbeth, an unnatural ambition, and a bloody deed rather than the hospitality implied when Macbeth invites Duncan to Dunsinane, “fair” being turned into “foul.”   All is out of order.  Equivocation, the vagueness of a speech misinterpreted by the hearer, is the upsetting of language, the breakdown between what is meant and what is implied, such as “till Burnim Woods does come to Dunsinane” or “no man born of woman” (because Macduff was born by Caesarean section).  What appears as “A” is actually turned upside down to “non-A.”  “Fair” becomes “foul.”  The witches, with their super-human powers, see that the world is in a state of chaos now.  Shakespeare finds a perfect way and the perfect character to utter this phrase and warn the humans, who of course do not heed the warning.

What does "foul is fair, and fair is foul" mean in Macbeth?

It implies that things are not always what they first appear to be.  You could just about apply this line to any murder mystery that you have ever seen.  The murderer is always the person that you least suspect.  Good is bad, and bad is good.  

Macbeth first appears to be good.  He's honored by King Duncan for his prowess in battle and major contribution to the overall victory.  But as the play continues, it is clear that Macbeth is indeed not nearly as fair as he first appeared.  Conversely, Lady Macbeth is evil at the start of the play.  Some readers even think that she deserves more blame than Macbeth himself.  But I do want to give her some credit.  Her guilt absolutely consumes her.  She doesn't turn from foul to fair and pure as the driven snow, but at least she expresses a hefty amount of remorse.  

The line also implies to the audience that they just shouldn't trust what the witches say word for word.  Macbeth learns that one the hard way when Birnam wood comes marching to his doorstep and Macduff is able to kill Macbeth because Macduff wasn't "born" in the traditional manner.  

What do the words, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" from Macbeth mean? How is this an example of verbal irony?

Verbal irony - wherein the words used convey a meaning different from the literal meaning - abounds in Macbeth, Shakespeare's paradigm of equivocation. Verbal irony achieves its finest expression in the riddling words spoken both by the three witches and Macbeth, himself, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair". These words form a kind of caption to the theme of the play: Nothing is as it seems. The world is topsy-turvy. High is low, and low high. Good is evil, and evil good. When in the  first few lines he remarks to Banquo, "So foul and fair a day I have not seen" (I, iii. 38), Macbeth is really giving voice to the dominant paradox of the world of play, expressed by the witches scant moments before.  "Fair is foul, and foul is fair". (I, i. 11). In other words, disharmony is the new normal. The world of the play is laced with antitheses which cancel each other out: At one point, night is "at odds with morning" so that  it is impossible to tell them apart; a battle's outcome is uncertain, like two swimmers who contend with each other in fatigue, and drink both "provokes" and "unprovokes" lechery. As much as the play tends toward disharmony, so does it 'wind down' toward entropy, not only in the suffering kingdom of Scotland, but in its disordered king whose nearly final words express an ennui unparalleled in Western drama:

It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
(V,v. 26-28)

What is meant by "fair is foul and foul is fair" outside the context of Macbeth?

I have suggested that the three witches in Macbeth are expressing their own perspective because they themselves are about as foul as three women can get. To them whatever is fair is foul because it makes them feel envious and spiteful, whereas whatever is foul seems fair because it is like themselves. This expresses an important and readily observable truth about human nature. People judge others by themselves. Wicked people are always attracted to wicked people, and they tend to despise people who are not as greedy, dishonest, mean-spirited, and treacherous as themselves. Birds of a feather flock together. You can see it all around you. You can see it in your school if you observe. It is a misfortune for a decent, intelligent, honorable boy or girl to fall in with a bad crowd, because they will do their best to corrupt him or her.

In Shakespeare’s King Lear, the Duke of Albany has a quarrel with his wife Goneril and tells her:

Wisdom and goodness to the vile seem vile.

Filths savor but themselves. (4.2)

In Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Caliban, who is a foul, vicious character, meets up with newly arrived Stephano and Trinculo, who are a couple of drunken good-for-nothings, and thinks they are semi-divine creatures. He asks Stephano, “How does thy Honor? Let me lick thy shoe." The whole of Act 2, Scene 2, illustrates how fair is foul and foul is fair and how birds of a feather instinctively flock together.

I don’t believe the witches in Macbeth are predicting what is going to happen in the play but are expressing the feelings of three loathsome creatures about the world they inhabit. Whatever is bad is good and whatever is good is bad—from their warped point of view. They are consumed with hatred because of their ugliness and wretched condition. They are always together.

In our contemporary world a beautiful girl or a handsome boy will often find that some people seem to take an instant dislike to them for no apparent reason. There is a reason, all right.

How do key events in Macbeth relate to the theme "Fair is foul, foul is fair"?

The theme of "fair is foul and foul is fair" runs throughout Shakespeare's play, Macbeth.

Note the appearance of the three witches: first when they meet Macbeth on the heath after the battle with Norway has been won, and later when they conjure apparitions and prophecies for Macbeth. In Act One, scene three, Macbeth introduces the theme:

MACBETH:

So foul and fair a day I have not seen. (39)

Next, the witches give Banquo and Macbeth predictions of what the future holds, but it is Macbeth (with his vaulting ambition—our tragic hero's flaw) who takes these words to heart and ultimately decides to murder his King, Duncan.

The theme applies here because the witches' predictions sound wonderful ("fair" or good), but they are evil—for their intent is to trip up Macbeth to the point that he will sacrifice his eternal soul in not only Duncan's death (for it was a mortal sin to kill a king), but for all the other horrible things he does to keep his place on Scotland's throne (and these things are "foul" or bad).

FIRST WITCH:

All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!

SECOND WITCH:

All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, Thane of

Cawdor!

THIRD WITCH:

All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter! (50-53)

Once the prediction for Cawdor comes true, Macbeth believes that the last one—that he will be king—is guaranteed. Banquo warns Macbeth of the "fair is foul" theme:

But ’tis strange;

And oftentimes, to win us to our harm,

The instruments of darkness tell us truths,

Win us with honest trifles, to betray's

In deepest consequence— (132-136)

Banquo notes that evil "truths" ("fair") can lead to destruction ("foul"). Macbeth ignores the advice. The witches' second set of predictions simply solidify Macbeth's belief that he cannot be vanquished, even though the also decides to kill Macduff and his family—just to be sure.

"Fair is foul" is found with Banquo's death as Macbeth tries to explain it away, noting that it is dangerous to go out at night after dark. In truth, Macbeth ordered Banquo's murder, knowing that Banquo was so ethical that he would never be able to keep his knowledge of the witches' predictions (which would point to Macbeth's part in Duncan's death) a secret. Banquo is a good man ("fair"); he is murdered because of Macbeth's evil intent ("foul").

Fleance's death is an example of "fair is foul" because he (Banquo's son) is completely innocent ("fair"), and he flees for his life—while his father is being murdered. Macbeth tries to blame Fleance for his father's murder—this is "foul."

In Act Three, scene four, lines 5-7, Lennox, a lord in Macbeth's court, speaks to another lord with dripping sarcasm—explaining how Macbeth gives socially acceptable excuses that cover up the truth of what is really going on (and his lies seem "fair"), but the truth is that these murders are visited only upon those closest to Macbeth—or in his way ("foul").

Till the end, Macbeth believes the witches; facing Macduff, he tells his enemy he cannot hurt Macbeth—he is protected by the prophecies:

Thou losest labor. (V.viii.11)

I bear a charmed life, which must not yield

To one of woman born. (15-16)

Ultimately, Macbeth realizes what has happened. While the witches promised him a multitude of desirable things ("fair"), Macbeth realizes the witches' betrayal ("foul"):

MACBETH:

And be these juggling fiends no more believed,

That palter with us in a double sense,

That keep the word of promise to our ear,

And break it to our hope. (23-26) 

What is the significance of the line “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” in Macbeth?

In Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Macbeth, the audience hears the three witches chant these words in unison at the end of Act I, scene I. They have made a plan to meet Macbeth, and by saying "Fair is foul, and foul is fair," they are telling the audience that not everything is as it seems.

One example of something that seems "fair" but turns out to be "foul" is Macbeth himself, a war hero who turns murderer. One example of something that looks "foul" but turns out to be "fair" is the battle that took place as a result of the Thane's rebellion against the king; though the battle is bloody, it gives Macbeth the opportunity to impress Duncan, which makes for a fair situation for Macbeth.

This warning puts the audience members on the lookout for situations that might seem suspicious. This warning also contributes to the mysterious and supernatural nature of the witches, who do not communicate in clear language like the human characters in the play.

Who or what in Macbeth appear fair but are foul, and vice versa, in relation to the "fair is foul and foul is fair" theme?

Before they even meet Macbeth, in act 1, scene 1, the witches declare, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair." That things may be the opposite of what they seem or may embody both good and evil becomes one of the play's central themes.

In terms of people, Macbeth himself is more foul than fair in becoming Thane of Cawdor and later king, as the witches predicted. Although he rises in rank, he does so by giving in to ambition and committing regicide. Lady Macbeth tries to seem fair when King Duncan is their guest; beneath the welcoming surface, she is acting foul in plotting his murder. In fact, according to Duncan's son Donalbain, all people may be foul even though they seem fair: the "daggers" that men hide in their smiles show that they cannot be trusted.

One foul place that seems fair to Duncan is Glamis Castle. Upon his arrival there, he views it as "a pleasant seat." However, he will soon die there. A second place that is both fair and foul is the battlefield, as Macbeth describes the outcome of the war: "So fair and foul a day I have not seen." His victory makes the day fair, but the heavy loss of life makes it foul. In the final scenes, Dunsinane Castle seems fair, because it is apparently completely secured; however, for Macbeth it proves foul as the site of his downfall.

Regarding things, one object that seems foul but is not is the dagger that Macbeth sees before him. He believes it is the murder weapon, but he is just imagining the "fatal vision." The human face can also be foul when it seems fair; Macbeth says that a face is false when it hides what is in "the false heart" inside the person. According to Lady Macbeth, a flower may also seem fair but hide something foul. When Macbeth greets King Duncan, Lady Macbeth says that he should seem “like the innocent flower / But be the serpent” that lurks unseen beneath it.