Macbeth, Part 5: Figurative Language and Mood (continued) — Quiz
Question 10 • English 2
Read the excerpt from act 4, scene 1 of The Tragedy of Macbeth. Macbeth meets with the witches to ask about his future as king. Macbeth: I conjure you, by that which you profess, Howe’er you come to know it, answer me: Though you untie the winds and let them fight Against the churches; though the yesty waves Confound and swallow navigation up; Though bladed corn be lodged and trees blown down; Though castles topple on their warders’ heads; Though palaces and pyramids do slope Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure Of nature’s germens tumble all together, Even till destruction sicken; answer me To what I ask you. How do the hyperboles in this excerpt most contribute to the urgent mood?
Answer
A
by highlighting the apprehension Macbeth feels about the witches’ prophecies
B
by emphasizing Macbeth’s desperation to learn about his destiny
C
by revealing the anxiousness Macbeth experiences when visiting the witches
D
by showing Macbeth’s concern for nature’s destructive power
Explanation
Macbeth piles up exaggerated images of disaster, from fighting winds and swallowed ships to collapsing castles and palaces. He says that even if the whole world were in chaos, the witches must answer his question. These hyperboles emphasize his desperation to learn his destiny, rather than concern for nature itself.
AI-written and checked against the verified answer.