Macbeth did all this because of the three prophecies of the witches foreshadowing that he could become king if he had the ambition to go out and take it . Shakespeare uses the literary device of a recurring motif, subject, or idea, throughout the play, to emphasize the overall theme he is trying to convey to the audience. Two motifs that Shakespeare illustrates in Macbeth are appearance versus reality and gender role reversal, both of which add to the overall theme of reality based on illusion. In The Tragedy of Macbeth, the motif of appearance versus reality is constantly present in every scene of the film. play. Early on, when the three witches conspire together to meet Macbeth, they say in unison, “What is right is wrong, and what is wrong is right” (1.1.10). This short phrase is perhaps the most famous line in the play and foreshadows the overall theme of the play. In this case, “fair” has a connotation of magnificence, beauty, or attractiveness. Whereas “fault” has an association related to something bad, malicious, or bad. Furthermore, the interchange of these lines signifies the blurring of the choice of what is right and what is wrong, creating chaos inside anyone who might try to do so. From the beginning of Macbeth we are given the idea that nothing is what it seems and that perhaps everything that seems "right" is actually corrupt and dishonest. Since all three witches say this phrase in unison at the end of the first scene of the first act, it leaves the reader with a strange suspicion of the next scene to come. Second, Macbeth, who has just had a victorious day in battle, says, “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” (1.3.38). This line brings back the idea that everything seems to be going one way but is actually quite the opposite. ...... middle of paper ...... eme of reality based on illusion. The vital idea behind the play as a whole is hinted at by the strange sisters in the first act and scene of the play; “What is right is wrong and what is wrong is right.” Throughout this play, the audience sees this idea brought to life by Shakespeare, making it clear that motivation can only be obtained at a price that only some are truly willing to bear. Although some may want to place some blame for Macbeth's downfall on the witches who told him of the prophecies, it must be taken into account that Macbeth was the one who had the ambition to go there and take this who did it. does not rightfully belong to him. In the end, all the prophecies prove true and Macbeth perishes a fairly well-deserved death. Work cited Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. New York: Washington Press, 1992.