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In the play Macbeth, Malcolm says, " Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell. Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace, Yet grace must still look so." What does that mean?​

User RichG
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Hi,

-In the play Macbeth, Malcolm says, "Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell. Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace, yet grace must still look so."

In this quote, Malcolm is reflecting on the idea that even though the most radiant angels can fall from grace, they still maintain their brightness. He is suggesting that even though evil things may try to disguise themselves as good, true goodness will always remain pure and untainted.

To explain further, let's break down the quote:

  • 1. "Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell": This means that even though the brightest angels may have fallen from their original state of grace, they still retain their inherent brightness or goodness. Malcolm is highlighting the fact that a fall from grace does not completely erase the essence of goodness.

  • 2. "Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace": Here, Malcolm is saying that everything evil or corrupt would want to appear good and virtuous. This suggests that evil things may try to disguise themselves as something noble or pure, but their true nature will eventually be revealed.

  • 3. "Yet grace must still look so": Malcolm is emphasizing that despite the attempts of evil to masquerade as good, true grace and goodness must continue to maintain their genuine appearance. In other words, genuine goodness cannot be compromised or altered by the deceitful actions of evil.

Overall, this quote from Macbeth highlights the concept that true goodness and grace will always remain untarnished, even in the face of evil's attempts to mimic or corrupt it. It serves as a reminder that true virtue cannot be disguised or overshadowed by deception.

Let me know if my answer is wrong or not what you were looking for because I would like to help all I can.

If you have any questions let me know and I may be able to help.

I hope that my answer helped you out. :)

User Tomasz Gutkowski
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