Macbeth, Part 6: Figurative Language and Rhetoric — Quiz
Question 2 • English 2
Read the excerpt from act 4, scene 3 of The Tragedy of Macbeth. In this excerpt, Malcolm and Macduff are discussing their beliefs about Macbeth. Malcolm: What you have spoke, it may be so perchance. This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongues, Was once thought honest: you have loved him well. What does Malcolm mean when he uses the hyperbole "whose sole name blisters our tongues”?
Answer
A
He believes that Macbeth will punish them both by causing injuries to their mouths.
B
He thinks Macbeth was once honest but that now only lies come from his mouth.
C
He personally knows the damage Macbeth can do to the people he claims he loves.
D
He feels that Macbeth is so offensive that it hurts his mouth just to say his name.
Explanation
The phrase “whose sole name blisters our tongues” is a hyperbole: Malcolm exaggerates to show how painful and offensive it feels to speak Macbeth’s name. He does not mean that Macbeth will literally injure their mouths. The correct choice is that Macbeth is so offensive that it hurts Malcolm’s mouth just to say his name.
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