Macbeth, Part 4: Figurative Language and Mood — Quiz
Question 5 • English 2
Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 4 of The Tragedy of Macbeth . Macbeth has just learned that Fleance escaped the murderers Macbeth sent. Macbeth: Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect; Whole as the marble, founded as the rock What does Macbeth mean when he says, "I had else been perfect; / Whole as the marble”?
Answer
A
Macbeth reacts to the murderer’s bad news by freezing up like a statue.
B
Macbeth is now cold and solid because he has plotted against his king and country.
C
Macbeth is calm and confident until he learns that the attack on Fleance failed.
D
Macbeth feels like a well-rounded king until he hears the murderer speak.
Explanation
Macbeth means he would have felt secure and complete if Fleance had been killed along with Banquo. Because Fleance escaped, Macbeth’s fear and unease return—his “fit” comes again. So he was calm and confident until he learned the attack on Fleance failed.
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