Interpretation of Shakespeare's MacBeth

As the witches of Macbeth declare in the opening scene, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair," is a theme that runs its course throughout the entire play, being manifested in people and events, and explaining, in a simple fashion, the essential idea behind the work as a whole. While Shakespeare no doubt had other motivations while he wrote Macbeth (ranging from exploring some of the most perverse aspects of nature to merely flattering his king), there is no question that this simple paradox is one of the foremost insights to be gained from an intelligent reading.

One of the first examples of this theme in the play is the traitor Macdonwald. He is first portrayed as "The merciless Macdonwald - worthy to be a rebel," a "most disloyal traitor," and is clearly to be taken as a paragon of the foul (it is good to keep in mind how real a thing treason was in the time of Shakespeare, and how important allegiances were). Yet, in the end, Macdonwald is not intrinsically evil, but merely flawed. "He confessed his treasons, implored . . . pardon, and set forth a deep repentance," as Malcolm himself states. The final judgment passed on Macdonwald is that to give his life as payment for his crimes was the greatest achievement he ever made, and cleared him of his debt. Thus, the one presumed to be foul is revealed as, in truth, fair.

Macdonwald, in the first act, is the figure of treason and deception. Macbeth, on the other hand, is taken for the figure of loyalty and honesty. However, in keeping with the central theme of the play, Macbeth is not what he seems. Ironically, just after Macdonwald is executed for his crimes, his king, Duncan, discloses his belief that, "There's no art to find the mind's construction in the face," especially considering that he trusted the traitor Macdonwald for years (perhaps even decades), and was eventually betrayed. It should come as no surprise, then, with respect to the "fair is foul" theme, that Macbeth, whom Duncan has trusted for years, should also be a traitor, if pulled in that direction (as by the prediction of the three witches).