Summarize the three prophecies that the apparitions give Macbeth. How does he react to them? What does this reveal about Macbeth's state of mind? How does he react to the show of eight kings? Once Macbeth "conjures" the witches, he demands them to answer his questions, but when the witches appear his way of addressing them is uncompromising. Macbeth's defiant act is to hear the prophecy of his future not from the Witches but from their masters, but as soon as Hecate head witch appears she disappears again and allows the three weird sisters to show him the prophecies. The...
are all the children of Fleance, at this point he realises that the future line of kings is without any trace of Macbeth or Macbeth's children. The Witches confirm the inevitability of what Macbeth has seen: "Ay sir, all this is so." There can be no changes, no argument, with Fate.

Macbeth immediately seems to forget the final prophecy, as he returns to the practicalities of what is increasingly a battle for his own political survival. On being informed that Macduff has fled to England, he announces his intention to wreak a terrible revenge on Macduff's wife and children