Question

Read the excerpt from act 1, scene 3 of The Tragedy of Macbeth. Macbeth and Banquo have just encountered the three witches, who greet Macbeth as the thane of Cawdor and tell him he will be king one day.

Macbeth. Into the air, and what seem’d corporal melted
As breath into the wind. Would they had stay’d!

How does the simile in these lines contribute to the fantastical mood in this part of the text?

A. It suggests that Macbeth would like to spend more time with the witches.

B. It implies that Macbeth is terrified by the witches’ sudden departure.

C. It indicates that Macbeth believes that the witches flew away in the wind.

D. It emphasizes that Macbeth saw the witches fade away slowly, like a dream.

Answer 1

D. It emphasizes that Macbeth saw the witches fade away slowly, like a dream.

Step-by-step explanation:

It emphasizes that Macbeth saw the witches fade away slowly, like a dream, contributing to the fantastical mood of the text by highlighting the surreal and dream-like quality of the encounter.