Theme Of Deception In Macbeth

Examine how and to what end Shakespeare has explored the concept of deception

“Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” (1.1.11). Deception, deliberately leading someone to believe in something that is not true. The immoral and deceitful actions that one executes, will always come with consequences. Trickery plays a huge role in Shakespeare 's play Macbeth, written in 1606. Main characters such as Lady Macbeth, Macbeth, Duncan, Banquo, the witches and Lennox continuously establish the theme of deception throughout the play. They seem to be good in their appearance, but in reality, they might have dark secrets that they want to hide from everyone else. Shakespeare explores the concept of deception through rhetorical devices such as, dramatic irony, characterization, and the use of symbolism

Dramatic irony is a literary technique, by which the meaning of a character 's words or actions is evident to the audience/reader, yet unknown to the character. This is a literary technique that Shakespeare uses to explore to concept of deception in this play. Shakespeare uses dramatic irony firstly when Lady Macbeth orders Macbeth to kill Duncan to take over the throne. When Macbeth approaches Lady Macbeth with the message that Duncan will visit their castle, she says, “ never shall sun that morrow see”(1.5.67-68). The audience as well as Lady Macbeth know that Duncan will never ‘see the sun again’ because he’ll be murdered that night, but Duncan has no idea what type of a trap he is walking