Read the passage.

excerpt from Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Duncan: Dismay'd not this Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo?
Sergeant: Yes;
As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion.
If I say sooth, I must report they were
As cannons overcharged with double cracks, so they
Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe:
Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds,
Or memorise another Golgotha,
I cannot tell.
But I am faint, my gashes cry for help.

Duncan: So well thy words become thee as thy wounds;
They smack of honour both. Go get him surgeons.

How does Shakespeare's use of figurative language in this excerpt affect the play?

A) By alluding to Golgotha, the site of Jesus' crucifixion in the Bible, the Sergeant suggests that Macbeth and Banquo sacrificed themselves nobly and selflessly on the battlefield.
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B) By referencing fast animals like sparrows and the hare, the Sergeant paints a vivid mental picture of the speed with which Macbeth and Banquo fled during the fight.
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C) By describing Macbeth and Banquo as "cannons overcharged with double cracks," the Sergeant depicts the two men as being too zealous and eager when confronting the enemy.
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D) By comparing Macbeth and Banquo to predatory animals like eagles and the lion, the Sergeant clearly conveys the idea that these two men were aggressive and strong in battle.

Respuesta :

Answer: D) By comparing Macbeth and Banquo to predatory animals like eagles and the lion, the Sergeant clearly conveys the idea that these two men were aggressive and strong in battle.

Explanation: figurative language is a literary device that consists in the use of words or phrases that convey a meaning that is different to their literal one. There are many ways to use figurative language, like the use of similes, metaphors, personifications, allusions, etc. In the given excerpt from "Macbeth" by William Shakespeare we can see an example of the use of figurative language (the simile "As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion") to convey the idea that Macbeth and Banquo were aggressive and strong in battle.