Fair is foul, and foul is fair

ACT I

SCENE I: A desert place.

[Thunder and lightning. Enter three Witches.]

First Witch: When shall we three meet again

In thunder, lightning, or in rain?

Second Witch: When the hurly-burly’s done,

When the battle’s lost and won.

Third Witch: That will be ere the set of sun.

First Witch: Where the place?

Second Witch: Upon the heath.

Third Witch: There to meet with Macbeth.

First Witch: I come, Graymalkin!

Second Witch: Paddock calls.

Third Witch: Anon.

ALL: Fair is foul, and foul is fair:

Hover through the fog and filthy air.

            For me there is a great meaning of the line “Fair is foul, and foul is fair”. For me, the meaning goes like this: A person has an ugly side and a beautiful side.  Let us first discuss it with relation unto beauty. Fair is described as beautiful while, foul is ugly. So it becomes “Beautiful is ugly, and ugly is beautiful”, where know I can relate it to the play, specially the witches. Filipino belief says that witches are ugly, creepy and very weird persons because of their witchcrafts or magical powers. Then I can infer that witches are ugly. And as what I mentioned earlier, if the three witches are ugly and then they also have this good side.

            The three witches are honest, that is one. Even though they made Macbeth turned into his bad character, from the beginning through its end, they just said what their prophecies are and that is it. Maybe they were just spoilers on Macbeth’s life. If I would be asked, it is Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth who really made the situation worse. If Macbeth just become contented of hearing the happy news just like what Banquo did, and just let it happen, I think he could be in the better situation through the play. There would be no tragic ending and there will be no bloody revenge among the people he hurt. Generally, the witches are ugly yet had this good side. Further, I can say that nobody is perfect.