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Fair and Foul
Context and Language Videos
Act 1,
Scene 3
Line 38

An explanation of "fair" and "foul" in Act 1, Scene 3 of myShakespeare's Macbeth. 

myShakespeare | Macbeth 1.3 Language: Fair and Foul

[Enter Macbeth and Banquo]

Macbeth

So foul and fair a day I have not seen.
Video Transcript: 

DAVINA: This line echoes the witches’ remark in the first scene, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair."

RALPH: Perhaps Macbeth means that the weather, which had been so fair, has suddenly turned foul – not realizing that the change is a sign of the nearby presence of the witches.

DAVINA: Or perhaps he’s just commenting on the contrast between the bad weather and the good outcome of their battle.

RALPH: In any case, these two lines highlight one of the themes of the play – that things which seem to be good may, in fact, be bad; and vice versa.