ISC Class 12 English Drama Macbeth Act 3 Scene 5 Summary, Theme, Explanation along with difficult word meanings
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ISC Class 12 – Macbeth Act 3 Scene 5
By William Shakespeare
Macbeth Act 3, Scene 5 introduces Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft. She scolds the Three Witches for meddling with Macbeth without permission and says she will take control of the plan. She plans to create illusions to make Macbeth overconfident, leading to his downfall at the Pit of Acheron.
- Macbeth Act 3 Scene 5 Summary
- Macbeth Act 3 Scene 5 Summary in Hindi
- Macbeth Act 3 Scene 5 Theme
- Macbeth Act 3 Scene 5 Explanation
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Macbeth Act 3 Scene 5 Summary
In Act 3, Scene 5 of Macbeth, the tone shifts from the human world of politics and murder to the supernatural realm. The three Witches meet Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, who is extremely angry with them. She calls them hags and scolds them for dealing with Macbeth without her permission. Hecate is offended that they acted as the schemer of all harms without involving her, especially since she considers herself the source of their power.
Hecate’s main complaint is that the Witches have wasted their time on Macbeth. She describes him as a rebellious young man, who is selfish and spiteful. According to her, Macbeth doesn’t actually care about the Witches or their craft; he only cares about what he can gain for himself. She feels that the prophecies they have given him so far haven’t truly served the cause of evil, but have only served Macbeth’s personal greed.
To fix this, Hecate commands the Witches to meet her the following morning at the pit of Acheron, a river in the underworld. She knows Macbeth will come there to learn more about his destiny. She tells the Witches to bring their large metal pots, spells, and charms to prepare for a great piece of business. Hecate plans to spend the night creating a powerful magical illusion using a magical dew collected from the moon.
The goal of this new magic is to lead Macbeth to his ultimate ruin. Hecate explains that the illusions will make Macbeth feel unbeatable, causing him to hate fate and death. She believes that feeling too safe or overconfident makes people vulnerable, leading them to reckless acts and downfall. By this, she means that overconfidence is the best way to destroy a human. By making Macbeth feel safe and powerful, she ensures he will stop being cautious, leading directly to his downfall.
Summary of Macbeth Act 3 Scene 5 in Hindi
मैकबेथ के अधिनियम 3, दृश्य 5 में, स्वर राजनीति और हत्या की मानव दुनिया से अलौकिक क्षेत्र में बदल जाता है। तीनों चुड़ैलों की मुलाकात जादू-टोना की देवी हेकात से होती है, जो उनसे बेहद नाराज होती है। वह उन्हें हैग्स कहती है और उनकी अनुमति के बिना मैकबेथ से निपटने के लिए उन्हें डांटती है। हेकेट इस बात से नाराज है कि उन्होंने उसे शामिल किए बिना सभी नुकसानों के साजिशकर्ता के रूप में काम किया, विशेष रूप से क्योंकि वह खुद को उनकी शक्ति का स्रोत मानती है।
हेकेट की मुख्य शिकायत यह है कि चुड़ैलों ने मैकबेथ पर अपना समय बर्बाद किया है। वह उसे एक विद्रोही युवक के रूप में वर्णित करती है, जो स्वार्थी और द्वेषपूर्ण है। उसके अनुसार, मैकबेथ वास्तव में चुड़ैलों या उनके शिल्प की परवाह नहीं करता है; वह केवल इस बात की परवाह करता है कि वह अपने लिए क्या हासिल कर सकता है। उसे लगता है कि अब तक उन्होंने जो भविष्यवाणियां दी हैं, उन्होंने वास्तव में बुराई के कारण की सेवा नहीं की है, बल्कि केवल मैकबेथ के व्यक्तिगत लालच की सेवा की है।
इसे ठीक करने के लिए, हेकेट ने चुड़ैलों को अगली सुबह अधोलोक में एक नदी, अचेरोन के गड्ढे पर उससे मिलने का आदेश दिया। वह जानती है कि मैकबेथ अपने भाग्य के बारे में अधिक जानने के लिए वहाँ आएगा। वह चुड़ैलों को एक महान व्यवसाय की तैयारी के लिए अपने बड़े धातु के बर्तन, मंत्र और आकर्षण लाने के लिए कहती है। हेकाते ने चंद्रमा से एकत्र की गई जादुई ओस का उपयोग करके एक शक्तिशाली जादुई भ्रम पैदा करते हुए रात बिताने की योजना बनाई।
इस नए जादू का लक्ष्य मैकबेथ को उसके अंतिम विनाश की ओर ले जाना है। हेकेट बताता है कि भ्रम मैकबेथ को अपराजेय महसूस कराएगा, जिससे वह भाग्य और मृत्यु से नफरत करेगा। उनका मानना है कि बहुत अधिक सुरक्षित या अति आत्मविश्वास महसूस करना लोगों को असुरक्षित बनाता है, जिससे वे लापरवाह कृत्यों और पतन की ओर ले जाते हैं। इससे उनका मतलब है कि अति आत्मविश्वास मनुष्य को नष्ट करने का सबसे अच्छा तरीका है। मैकबेथ को सुरक्षित और शक्तिशाली महसूस कराकर, वह यह सुनिश्चित करती है कि वह सतर्क रहना बंद कर देगा, जिससे सीधे उसका पतन हो जाएगा।
Theme of Macbeth Act 3 Scene 5
Overconfidence and False Security
The most prominent theme in this scene is the danger of security, or overconfidence. Hecate famously declares that ‘security is mortals’ chiefest enemy’. She believes that the best way to destroy Macbeth is not through physical harm, but by making him feel invincible. By using magic to feed his ego and make him believe he is above fate and death, Hecate ensures that he will abandon wisdom and caution. This theme highlights a tragic irony: the more safe Macbeth feels because of the prophecies, the more vulnerable he actually becomes to his enemies.
Theme of Evilness
Hecate explores the theme of human versus supernatural evil when she critiques Macbeth’s character. She describes him as a wayward son who only cares about his own ends. This suggests a distinction between the chaos and darkness represented by the Witches and the selfish, greedy evil of humanity. To Hecate, Macbeth is not a true servant of darkness; he is simply a selfish man using dark powers to satisfy his own ambition. This theme raises questions about whether Macbeth was ever truly evil or if he is just a weak man corrupted by the pursuit of power.
Power and Hierarchy within the Supernatural
This scene establishes a clear power structure among the supernatural forces. Until this point, the three Witches seemed to be the ultimate architects of Macbeth’s fate. However, the introduction of Hecate shows that even the Witches are subject to a higher authority. Her anger stems from a breach of protocol, the Witches acted without her permission. This theme of hierarchy mirrors the political instability in the human world; just as Macbeth has disrupted the natural order of kingship, there is a sense of order even within the world of witchcraft that must be respected.
Fate vs. Manipulation
The theme of fate is complicated here by Hecate’s plan to use artificial fairies and ‘magic sleights’. While Macbeth believes he is learning his objective destiny, Hecate reveals that the supernatural forces are actively working to draw him on to his confusion. This suggests that Macbeth’s downfall is not necessarily an unchangeable fate, but a carefully constructed trap. It highlights the theme of appearance versus reality, Macbeth sees the prophecies as a roadmap of his future, while the audience sees them as a psychological weapon used to lead him to his death.
Setting of the Scene
The setting of Act 3, Scene 5 is described as a heath, a desolate, open area of uncultivated land in Scotland, often associated with wilderness and the outskirts of civilization. This choice of location is symbolic; it is a liminal space, meaning a place that exists between the human world and the supernatural realm. By placing the scene away from the castles and courts of the human characters, Shakespeare emphasizes that the witches and Hecate operate outside the laws of man and nature. The isolation of the heath mirrors the moral isolation Macbeth feels as he drifts further away from humanity and deeper into the influence of dark magic. The atmosphere is further intensified by the presence of thunder, a recurring sensory motif in the play that signals the arrival of the supernatural. The stormy weather creates a sense of chaos, suggesting that the natural order of the world is in turmoil because of Macbeth’s crimes. This dark, turbulent environment serves as the perfect backdrop for Hecate’s anger and her plan to distill the moon’s vapor into a fatal illusion. The darkness of the setting reflects the sadness and fatal end Hecate is preparing, making the audience feel that the world itself has become a dangerous and unpredictable place.
Macbeth Act 3 Scene 5 Explanation
Scene 5. A heath. Thunder.
Enter the three Witches, meeting Hecate
Play
First Witch
Why, how now, Hecate! you look angerly.
Hecate
Have I not reason, beldams, as you are,
Saucy and overbold? How did you dare
To trade and traffic with Macbeth
In riddles and affairs of death;
And I, the mistress of your charms,
The close contriver of all harms,
Was never call’d to bear my part,
Or show the glory of our art?
And, which is worse, all you have done
Hath been but for a wayward son,
Spiteful and wrathful; who, as others do,
Loves for his own ends, not for you.
But make amends now: get you gone,
And at the pit of Acheron
Meet me i’ the morning: thither he
Will come to know his destiny:
Your vessels and your spells provide,
Your charms and every thing beside.
I am for the air; this night I’ll spend
Unto a dismal and a fatal end:
Great business must be wrought ere noon:
Upon the corner of the moon
There hangs a vaporous drop profound;
I’ll catch it ere it come to ground:
And that, distill’d by magic sleights,
Shall raise such artificial sprites
As by the strength of their illusion
Shall draw him on to his confusion:
He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear
His hopes ‘bove wisdom, grace, and fear:
And you all know security
Is mortals’ chiefest enemy.
[Music and a song within, ‘Come away, come away’.]
Hark! I am call’d: my little spirit, see,
Sits in a foggy cloud, and stays for me.
[Exit]
First Witch
Come, let’s make haste; she’ll soon be back again.
[Exeunt]
Word Meanings
angerly: angrily.
beldams: old hags (witches)
Saucy: impudent.
traffic: deal.
riddles: mystery.
close contriver: secret plotter.
bear my part: to take part.
art: witchcraft.
Wayward: Disobedient, unpredictable, or difficult to control.
Acheron: A river in the classical underworld (Hades), often used to represent hell or the entrance to it.
Vessels: Containers, such as cauldrons, used for mixing spells.
for the air: I go on a journey through the air.
spend Unto: spend the night (creating dreadful things).
Sleights: Tricks or clever deceptions.
Artificial sprites: Man-made or supernatural spirits/apparitions.
Confusion: In this context, it means utter ruin or destruction.
Security: A false sense of safety; overconfidence.
Explanation of the above dialogues— The scene opens on a stormy heath where the First Witch notices that Hecate looks angry and asks her for the reason behind her bad mood. Hecate responds by calling the witches insolent and overbold hags. She demands to know how they dared to deal with Macbeth in matters of death and riddles without her permission. She reminds them that she is the mistress of their charms and the secret architect of all evil, yet she was never invited to play her part or display the glory of their craft. Hecate further complains that their work has been wasted on an unrestrained son who is cruel and angry. She points out that Macbeth does not care about the witches themselves but only uses them for his own selfish goals. However, she commands them to make amends by meeting her at the pit of Acheron the following morning. She notes that Macbeth will surely go there to learn his destiny. She instructs the witches to bring their cauldrons, spells, and charms, explaining that she is heading into the night to prepare a disastrous and fatal end for Macbeth. She claims that a great task must be finished before noon. She describes a heavy drop of vapor hanging on the corner of the moon, which she intends to catch before it falls. Once distilled with magic tricks, this substance will produce artificial spirits and illusions. Hecate explains that these visions will lead Macbeth to his ultimate ruin by making him overconfident. Under their influence, he will defy fate, mock death, and let his hopes outweigh his wisdom and fear. She concludes by reminding the witches that a false sense of security is a human’s greatest enemy. Hearing her spirit calling from a foggy cloud, she departs, and the witches hurry to follow her orders. Hecate realizes that Macbeth cannot be defeated simply by telling him he will lose; instead, he must be convinced he is invincible. By feeding his ego, the supernatural forces ensure he stops being cautious, which leads directly to his military and moral downfall. This scene also introduces a clear power structure among the witches. Hecate’s appearance reveals that they are subordinates. Her anger suggests that there is a set of rules even in the world of witchcraft. The meter changes from the usual heavy, eerie trochaic tetrameter of the witches to a lighter, more sing-song iambic rhythm used by Hecate. This gives the scene an almost theatrical feel compared to the dark, grounded horror of the rest of the play.
Conclusion
Macbeth Act 3, Scene 5 introduces Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, who scolds the Three Witches for meddling with Macbeth without permission and says she will take control of the plan. She plans to create illusions to make Macbeth overconfident, leading to his downfall at the Pit of Acheron. Students can take help from this post to understand Act 3, Scene 5 and also learn the difficult word meanings to get a better grasp of Macbeth. This post includes a summary of Macbeth, which will help students of ISC class 12, to get a quick recap of the play.