The line ‘Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air’ is spoken by the three witches at the beginning of Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. This phrase is a paradox that sets the tone for the entire play, highlighting the theme of deception and the inversion of moral order.
In this context, ‘fair’ refers to things that are good, beautiful, or just, while ‘foul’ refers to things that are evil, ugly, or unjust. The witches suggest that appearances can be deceiving and that what seems good may actually be evil, and vice versa. This idea is central to the play, as characters often disguise their true intentions, and the natural order is disrupted.
The phrase also foreshadows the chaos and moral confusion that will ensue throughout the play. The ‘fog and filthy air’ symbolize the obscurity and moral ambiguity that will cloud the characters’ judgments and actions. In essence, this line serves as a warning that things are not as they seem and that the world of Macbeth is one where traditional values and perceptions are turned upside down.