Act III: Scene 5
Summary
Hecate, the
classical goddess of the lower world who represents the spirit of ancient
witchcraft, calls the weird sisters to her to complain that her own part in
Macbeth's downfall has been overlooked and that she now wishes personally to
make his downfall complete. The scene is unnecessary to understanding the play
and was probably not written by Shakespeare.
Analysis
Hecate's
supernatural spite is intended to echo that of the human dimension. She is a vindictive
female spirit, whose forceful instructions to the Witches reflect the language
of Lady Macbeth to her husband. Although unnecessary dramatically, the scene
reinforces the philosophical question: Is Macbeth entirely to blame for his own
downfall? In Hecate's opinion, he is. She tells the Witches that Macbeth
"loves for his own ends" and prophesies that Macbeth "shall
spurn Fate," recalling the words "disdaining Fortune" from Act
I. Without this line of argument, it would be easier to suggest that Macbeth is
powerless to control his own destiny.
Glossary
beldams (2)
witches
Acheron (15)
Hell
sleights (26)
charms
security (32)
overconfidence
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