Question

read the excerpt from act 1, scene 2, of the tragedy of macbeth.
duncan. dismayd not this
our captains, macbeth and banquo?
which statement places the words in a more familiar
order, but retains the same meaning?
werent macbeth and banquo dismayed by our
captains?
werent our captains dismayed by macbeth and
banquo?
werent our captains, macbeth and banquo,
dismayed by this?
werent you dismayed by making macbeth and
banquo captains?

Explanation:

The original line “Dismay'd not this Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo?” is a rhetorical question. We need to re - order the words while keeping the meaning.

• Analyze each option:
• Option 1: “Weren't Macbeth and Banquo dismayed by our captains?” changes the meaning. The original is about Macbeth and Banquo (the captains) being dismayed by “this” (an event), not by other captains.
• Option 2: “Weren't our captains dismayed by Macbeth and Banquo?” also changes the meaning. Macbeth and Banquo are the captains.
• Option 3: “Weren't our captains, Macbeth and Banquo, dismayed by this?” re - orders the words correctly. “Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo” is the correct identification of the subjects (Macbeth and Banquo as captains), and “dismayed by this” keeps the original cause of dismay.
• Option 4: “Weren't you dismayed by making Macbeth and Banquo captains?” changes the subject from Macbeth and Banquo (the captains) to “you” and also changes the cause of dismay.

Answer:

Weren't our captains, Macbeth and Banquo, dismayed by this?