Question

read the passage from act 3, scene 1 of the tragedy of macbeth.
macbeth. upon my head they placd a fruitless crown,
and put a barren sceptre in my gripe,
thence to be wrenchd with an unlineal hand,
no son of mine succeeding. if t be so,
for banquos issue have i fild my mind;
for them the gracious duncan have i murderd;
put rancours in the vessel of my peace
only for them; and mine eternal jewel
given to the common enemy of man,
to make them kings, the seed of banquo kings!
what does macbeths use of metonymy in the underlined text refer to?
○ macbeths conscience, which makes him feel guilty for having killed duncan to become king
○ macbeths childless state and the fact that he has no children to inherit his title
○ macbeths marriage to lady macbeth, which has become strained in the wake of the murder
○ macbeths desire to attain power at all costs, even if it means committing a crime

Explanation:

Metonymy here uses "crown" and "sceptre" (symbols of kingship) to stand for Macbeth's royal lineage. The terms "fruitless" and "barren" directly tie to his lack of children to inherit his title, which he explicitly laments in the following lines about no son of his succeeding, while Banquo's descendants will be kings.

Answer:

Macbeth's childless state and the fact that he has no children to inherit his title