In act I of Shakespeare's Macbeth, the witches declare, "Fair is foul, foul is fair." This statement is central to appearance versus reality theme of the play.
The witches at first are referring to themselves that they might be ugly but they offer prediction to Macbeth that is beautiful. The witches in the starting of the play lay down the specific purpose of setting. Witches create an incantation which creates an atmosphere for the whole play which turns good into bad, bright things into gloom and right into wrong.
