ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -Hecate was the chief goddess presiding over magic and spells. She witnessed the abduction of Demeter’s daughter Persephone to the underworld and, torch in hand, assisted in the search for her. Thus, pillars called Hecataea stood at crossroads and doorways, perhaps to keep away evil spirits.

Detailed explanation-2: -HEKATE (Hecate) was the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy. She was the only child of the Titanes Perses and Asteria from whom she received her power over heaven, earth, and sea. Hekate assisted Demeter in her search for Persephone, guiding her through the night with flaming torches.

Detailed explanation-3: -Who is Hecate in Macbeth? Hecate is the goddess of witchcraft, and one can view her as the ruler of the Three Witches. In Act 3, Scene 5, Hecate appears before the Witches and demands to know why she has been excluded from their meetings with Macbeth.

Detailed explanation-4: -Upon the stormy heath, the witches meet with Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft. Hecate scolds them for meddling in the business of Macbeth without consulting her but declares that she will take over as supervisor of the mischief.

Detailed explanation-5: -Hecate was a Greek goddess associated with witchcraft and the moon. She was a significant figure for Shakespeare: in addition to this line in Hamlet, he refers to her in Macbeth, King Henry VI, Part 1, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and King Lear.