8
QuizMultiple Choice

Macbeth, Part 5: Figurative Language and Mood (continued) — Quiz

Question 8 • English 2

Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 6 of The Tragedy of Macbeth. Lennox and another lord are discussing the state of their kingdom. The lord says that a messenger approached Macduff and stated that Macbeth wanted him to immediately return to Scotland, but Macduff refused. [ Lord: ] thither Macduff Is gone to pray the holy king, upon his aid To wake Northumberland and warlike Siward: That, by the help of these—with Him above To ratify the work—we may again Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights, Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lennox: Sent he to Macduff? Lord: He did: and with an absolute "Sir, not I,” The cloudy messenger turns me his back, And hums , as who should say "You’ll rue the time That clogs me with this answer.” What mood does the onomatopoeia of "hums” help create?

Answer
A
scared
B
uneasy
C
melancholy
D
aggressive

Explanation

“Hums” imitates the messenger’s sound as he turns away, giving the moment an ominous, unsettled feel. His imagined words, “You’ll rue the time,” add to the sense that trouble may follow, creating an uneasy mood rather than a melancholy or openly aggressive one.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.

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