외양과 실재의 괴리와 ‘맞지 않는 옷’: 『맥베스』

The Theme of Appearance and Reality and ‘ Ill-fitting Garment’ Imagery in Macbeth.

Macbeth’s title, King of Scotland, is “a giant’s robe/ Upon a dwarfish thief,” as Angus mentions in the play. In fact, the title is like an “ill-fitting garment” that does not fit, because Macbeth acquires it by killing the legitimate king. The images of “unmatched robes” and “borrowed robes” turn into the image of “stolen robes” after the murder of King Duncan. The images of the “ill-fitting garment” and “stolen robes” emphasize the illegitimacy of Macbeth as a king, revealing the incongruity between reality and appearance. Macbeth wears a mask to conceal the fact that he is the thief who stole the throne of the king. It is “a hypocrite’s garment” to hide his own reality as a criminal. The three apparitions in the form of babies represent the future which Macbeth tries but fails to control, and their ambiguous prophecies reveal the incongruity between appearance and reality. The prophecies seem to be favorable to Macbeth, but, in fact, foreshadow his destruction. This paper discusses the images of unsuitable robes, masks, and babies that highlight the theme of appearance and reality.