Question

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”?

A. Macbeth is now cold and solid because he has plotted against his king and country.
B. Macbeth feels like a well-rounded king until he hears the murderer speak.
C. Macbeth reacts to the murderer’s bad news by freezing up like a statue.
D. Macbeth is calm and confident until he learns that the attack on Fleance failed.

Answer 1

The answer is D. Macbeth is expressing regret about his current state, stating that he had previously been 'perfect' and 'whole as the marble'. This suggests that he was once calm and confident in his reign as king, but the news of Fleance's escape has shaken him and caused him to lose his sense of security.

Step-by-step explanation: