Macbeth, Part 4: Figurative Language and Mood — Quiz
Question 2 • English 2
Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 4 of The Tragedy of Macbeth . Lady Macbeth attempts to redirect Macbeth after he sees Banquo’s ghost. Lady Macbeth: [Privately, to MACBETH.] Are you a man? Macbeth: Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that Which might appal the devil. Lady Macbeth: O proper stuff! This is the very painting of your fear; This is the air-drawn dagger which, you said, Led you to Duncan. What does Lady Macbeth mean by the line "This is the very painting of your fear”?
Answer
A
Macbeth tends to hallucinate when troubled rather than seeing what is real.
B
Macbeth creates paintings as a means of relieving his anxieties and fears.
C
Macbeth has an overactive imagination that negatively affects his work.
D
Macbeth again sees a ghostly dagger beckoning him to commit murder.
Explanation
Lady Macbeth calls the ghost “the very painting of your fear,” meaning it is an image created by Macbeth’s frightened mind, not something real. She compares it to the air-drawn dagger he imagined before killing Duncan. This supports the choice that Macbeth tends to hallucinate when troubled.
AI-written and checked against the verified answer.