Macbeth - Fair is Foul "Fair is foul and fouls is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air." The paradox "Fair is foul, and foul is fair," expresses some of the many themes of Macbeth. There are several different ways in which these words can be interpreted. The first time we hear the statement is in the opening scene when the witches say the exact line "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" and …showed first 75 words of 1854 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1854 total…to foul. Similarly, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth call upon the night, or the "dunnest smoke of hell" to hide what they are doing so heaven can't see their evil deeds. Macbeth says "Stars hide your fires, Let not light see my black and deep desires." Here he sees the starlight as being all things fair. He is so ashamed of the foul things he is considering, that he doesn't want anything fair to see.