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They act without consulting her. This is because she is totally irrelevant to the plot, being a later addition probably after Shakespeare's death. So irrelevant is Hecate that her character is systematically cut out of every professional production of this play.

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7y ago
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9y ago

Well, you are likely to get some debate as to whether they are or not. Since the scenes with Hecate in them are generally acknowledged to be by some playwright other than Shakespeare (probably Middleton) who was giving the play a makeover, and because they are dramatically uninteresting, they are never performed as a part of a professional performance of this play. Never. According to whoever is arguing that Hecate is the greatest threat to Macbeth, every single acting company removes the most significant aspect of the play from the performance. Clearly then, such a person is a tiny minority. Such a person would probably argue, first, that the prophecy of the witches is what starts Macbeth down the path to murder and insanity and second, that it is Hecate's idea to use those prophecies to mislead Macbeth and control his actions to drive him toward disaster. This makes a certain amount of sense on a superficial level, but the fact is that the witches' prophecy that Macbeth would be king hereafter would have had no effect without the burning ambition of Lady Macbeth. Further, Macbeth can be clearly seen as starting to become the monster he becomes immediately after the murder when he kills the grooms, long before he gets the second set of prophecies.

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7y ago

By acting on their own without consulting her. Hecate is apparently a bureaucrat.

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Q: How is Hecate and the witches the greatest threat of Macbeth?
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How did Banquo die?

Macbeth killed banquo. Because Macbeth heard the witches say he will also be king. so Macbeth saw him as a threat to the throne and lets just say did something bad to banquo (killed him)


Why did Macbeth want Banquo and Fleance dead?

To make sure that Banquo's son wont become king as the witches prediccted.


Describe Macbeth's first meeting with the witches?

The first meeting of Macbeth and the three witches serve as an important element for the play and it is from there that Macbeth's decline starts.In fact the third prophecy acts as an instigator for Macbeth and that leads to his downfall.The super hero Macbeth turns into a weakling only after this.It is here that the seeds of overambition gets hold of Macbeth.Had it not been for this meeting Macbeth itself wont be thereIn Shakespeare's Macbeth, the meeting between Macbeth and the three witches serves as the catalyst for the drama. The witches introduce the idea of his being king to Macbeth, or at least make the idea concrete for him. They put fate or destiny on his side.In other words, it is possible that Macbeth had entertained thoughts of being king before he meets the witches. It may even be likely, though there is no concrete or absolute evidence of this. But the witches give him corroboration for his thoughts, if he was having them, and, more importantly, tell him that it is his destiny to be king. That's all Macbeth, and his wife, for that matter, need to begin devising a plan and putting it into action. And this plan, of course, involves killing the present king.The meeting, in foul weather and filled with mysteries (the weird sisters seem to vanish, for example), also furthers the themes of appearance and reality and fair and foul. Throughout the play, people and circumstances are often not as they seem. The theme of the supernatural is also furthered.The problem Macbeth has throughout the play with Banquo is developed here, too--since Banquo is present, he knows the predictions made by the witches, and will therefore naturally suspect Macbeth of treachery when Duncan is killed. And Macbeth knows it. This makes Banquo a threat to him, which will lead Macbeth to order his killing, which leads more and more people to suspect Macbeth.


Why does Macbeth kill macdonwald?

Macbeth didn't think Macduff was a threat because the witches said "None of woman born shall harm Macbeth." Macbeth welcomes this good news and, assuming Macduff was born the natural way, Macbeth thinks he has nothing to fear.


Why didn't Macbeth kill macduff?

No, Macbeth killed Macduff's family but not Macduff. Macduff kills Macbeth after telling Macbeth that he wasn't born of a woman; he was born of a C-section or "untimely ripped" from his mother's womb as it says in the play. After Macduff reveals this it appears that Macbeth gives up on fighting because he realizes that it is his destiny to die at the hands of Macduff and then he makes an effort to die an honorable fighting death. Macduff kills and beheads Macbeth off stage, and then he brings Macbeth's head on a pole and presents it to Malcolm the new and rightful king of Scotland.

Related questions

Many characters pose a threat to Macbeth. which characters in the play do you believe pose the greatest threat to him?

Lady Macbeth poses the greatest threat to Macbeth in the play as she is the one who instigates his ambition and pushes him to commit regicide. The Witches also pose a significant threat as their prophecies fuel Macbeth's ambitions and ultimately lead to his downfall. Lady Macbeth's manipulation and the supernatural influence of the Witches are the most potent threats to Macbeth's sanity and power.


How is banquo a threat to Macbeth?

Banquo is a threat to Macbeth because he knows about the witches' prophecy regarding Macbeth becoming king. Banquo's descendants are also destined to be kings, which poses a direct threat to Macbeth's own rule. Additionally, Banquo's loyalty and suspicion towards Macbeth's actions could potentially unveil the truth behind King Duncan's murder, thus exposing Macbeth's guilt.


What does the apparition of the bloody child mean according to the three witches?

The apparition of the bloody child represents Macduff, who was born by Caesarean section and is the only one who can defeat Macbeth. The witches are warning Macbeth of Macduff's threat to his reign, as he is the one destined to challenge and overthrow Macbeth.


How did Banquo die?

Macbeth killed banquo. Because Macbeth heard the witches say he will also be king. so Macbeth saw him as a threat to the throne and lets just say did something bad to banquo (killed him)


What is Macbeth's suspicion in act 3?

In Act 3 of Macbeth, Macbeth becomes suspicious that Banquo poses a threat to his throne. He worries that Banquo's descendants will inherit the crown, as the witches prophesied. This suspicion leads Macbeth to plot Banquo's murder.


How do the predictions from Macbeth's last meeting with the witches come try?

The witches predict that Macbeth should be wary of Macduff, as he is a potential threat. This comes true when Macduff leads an army to overthrow Macbeth. They also predict that Macbeth will not be defeated until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane. This comes true when Malcolm's army uses tree branches from Birnam Wood as camouflage to approach Macbeth's castle.


How ignorance leads to kill banquo?

Ignorance leads to killing Banquo in Shakespeare's play "Macbeth" because Macbeth believes that Banquo's descendants pose a threat to his own reign. Macbeth is misled by the witches' prophecies and allows his fears and ambition to cloud his judgment, leading him to order Banquo's murder in an attempt to prevent the realization of the witches' predictions.


Why doesn't Macbeth confide in Banjo?

Macbeth doesn't confide in Banquo because he sees Banquo as a threat to his ambition. Banquo's descendants are said to be kings according to the witches' prophecy, which poses a risk to Macbeth's position as king. Macbeth becomes increasingly paranoid and seeks to eliminate anyone who might challenge his rule.


What is the first apparition and what does it tell Macbeth?

The first apparition in Shakespeare's Macbeth is a floating head that tells Macbeth to beware of Macduff. It says that Macbeth should be on guard against Macduff because he poses a threat to Macbeth's reign.


Who or what is Macbeth's worst enemy in Act 3?

In Act 3 of William Shakespeare's "Macbeth," Macbeth's worst enemy is arguably Banquo. Macbeth sees Banquo as a threat to his newly gained power because of the witches' prophecy that Banquo's descendants will inherit the throne. Macbeth becomes obsessed with eliminating this potential threat, leading to Banquo's murder.


Why is Macbeth at war with the future which babies and children represents?

Macbeth is at war with the future that babies and children represent because the witches' prophecies predict that Banquo's descendants, not Macbeth's, will inherit the throne. Macbeth sees these innocent generations as a threat to his own power and is willing to commit atrocities to secure his reign.


Why did Macbeth want to kill banquo and his son?

Macbeth wanted to kill Banquo and his son because he feared that they were a threat to his throne. The witches had predicted that Banquo's descendants would inherit the throne, which posed a risk to Macbeth's own lineage. By eliminating Banquo and his son, Macbeth believed he could secure his power.