Appearance versus. RealityThroughout their lives, every human being will experience a period in which they are deceived by what appears to be true, when there is an underlying reality of which they are completely unaware. People use words, actions, and emotions to deceive them into believing they are genuine, thus keeping reality hidden. In William Shakespeare's play Macbeth, the dichotomy between appearance and reality is constantly used to intensify the plot of the play. The characters are blinded by what they see as true, making it difficult for them to distinguish what is actually real and what appears to be real. The detachment between appearance and reality throughout Macbeth adds suspense to the play and deepens the drama of the plot. The play Macbeth opens with a messy scene where the three witches are introduced. All together, they say: "What is just is bad, and what is unjust is just" (Act I, scene i, line 11), which gives the bad tone to the play and initiates the idea that appearances are misleading and deceptive. What is considered good and pleasant for witches may be considered horrible and bad for others, and vice versa. Later, when Macbeth learns that he will be king from the strange sisters, he is unable to see the witches' true malicious intentions because he can only think of the good that they say to him. He says, “This supernatural solicitation/Cannot be sick, cannot be good; if I am ill/Why did this give me guarantees of success” (I, iii, 131-133). Macbeth wonders why they would promise him something so magnificent if they are supposed to be so evil. He cannot see the evil will that truly resides in them because he is deceived by their false appearance of virtue. This is the starting point of ...... middle of paper ...... nice and safe for Duncan, the reality is that Macbeth plans to kill him. Duncan is completely unaware of his fate, creating dramatic irony as well as a lot of suspense for the audience. The division between reality and appearance within Macbeth generates much tension and suspense in the plot of the play. The characters' deceptive appearances and immoral intentions make it difficult to deduce their true intentions. The separation between what is real and what appears to be real plays an extremely important role in the play. Without the detachment between appearance and reality, the characters would never be brought to their downfall because they would never be misled as to the honest truth. Thus, the contradiction between appearance and reality is necessary to magnify the drama and anticipation within the plot..