ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -After the witches disappear, Macbeth discovers that Macduff has fled to England and decides to kill Macduff’s family immediately. Thunder. Enter the three Witches.

Detailed explanation-2: -The witches disappear as Lennox arrives to tell Macbeth that Macduff has deserted. Macbeth decides to act immediately this time to kill Macduff’s family as retribution. At Macduff’s castle, Lady Macduff is outraged by her husband’s flight, leaving his family unprotected.

Detailed explanation-3: -Macbeth demands to know the meaning of this final vision, but the witches perform a mad dance and then vanish. Lennox enters and tells Macbeth that Macduff has fled to England. Macbeth resolves to send murderers to capture Macduff’s castle and to kill Macduff’s wife and children.

Detailed explanation-4: -Macbeth kills Macduff’s family to punish him and to deter him from fighting against Macbeth. Macbeth orders Macduff’s family killed after he receives the second set of prophecies from the witches. He believes he is basically invincible but heeds the warning to ‘’beware Macduff.

Detailed explanation-5: -Macbeth believes he needs to kill King Duncan because he sees the king’s son, Malcolm, as a threat to the throne. Macbeth has already felt confused about whether he needs to leave the Witches’ prophecy in the hands of fate or do some “dark” deeds to help their prophecies along.