1. Assassination Attempt:
- Macbeth orchestrates an attack on Macduff's castle but fails since Macduff is in England at the time.
- Macbeth takes it as an affront to his authority and orders the execution of Macduff's wife and children as retribution.
2. Prophecies and Fear:
- Macbeth becomes obsessed with the witches' prophecies, particularly the warning that Macduff poses a significant threat to his reign.
- This obsession feeds his insecurities and paranoia.
3. Witchcraft and Apparitions:
- Macbeth seeks reassurance from the witches and receives further warnings about Macduff.
- The apparitions that appear to him during his second visit to the witches solidify his fear of Macduff.
4. Pursuit of Macduff:
- Upon learning that Macduff has gone to England to join forces with Malcolm, Macbeth sends murderers to pursue and kill him.
5. Confrontation at Dunsinane:
- Macbeth and Macduff eventually confront each other in battle at Dunsinane Hill.
- Despite his formidable military prowess, Macduff exploits the revelation that he was "untimely ripped" from his mother's womb, allowing him to fulfill the witches' prophecy and kill Macbeth.
6. Tragic Consequences:
- Macbeth's handling of the threat posed by Macduff leads to tragic consequences for himself and the Scottish kingdom.
- His actions further isolate him from his subjects, leading to his eventual downfall and death.
In summary, Macbeth's approach to managing the threat posed by Macduff is characterized by extreme measures, cruelty, and a deep-seated fear driven by the prophecies he received from the witches. Ultimately, his paranoia and ruthless actions contribute significantly to his downfall.