What kind of literacy device is "“Amen” stuck in my throat."?

Question

So what kind of literacy device is "“Amen” stuck in my throat"? This quote is found in Shakespeare's Macbeth.
Macbeth says:

But wherefore could not I pronounce “Amen”? I had most need of blessing, and “Amen” Stuck in my throat.

He is treating a word as an object and as if it stuck on this throat. What could this be?

John B. · Accepted Answer

Let's understand what the first sentence means before we look at "stuck in my throat."

But wherefore could not I pronounce “Amen”?

This sentence means (in modern English):

Why couldn't I say "Amen?"

Now, let's look at the second sentence.

I had most need of blessing, and “Amen” Stuck in my throat.

The first part ("I had...blessing") of the second sentence means:

I need God to bless me...

Macbeth needed God to bless him, but "Amen" was "stuck in my [his] throat."  This means that "stuck in my throat" has to be the reason that Macbeth couldn't say "Amen."

Now, we need a little bit of context from Macbeth to figure out why "Amen" is "stuck in my [his] throat."
Macbeth had killed the king, Dunkin, and felt guilty.
When I feel guilty, sometimes it feels as if my throat is closing.  Shakespeare is using this feeling figuratively to explain why Macbeth couldn't say "Amen."  Shakespeare's choice of "stuck in my throat" makes it sound as if Macbeth's throat was actually closing, so the word "Amen" was blocked from reaching Macbeth's mouth and couldn't be spoken.
This is an example of a metaphor (thank you, Kate Bunting, for your assistance).

Note: "Stuck in my throat" could also represent the fact that murdering Duncan was sinful, so Macbeth is separated from God and cannot receive blessings from God.

Dean F. · Answer

Simply put, the speaker is saying that he wants to say the word, But, the word would not come out of his mouthful to some blockage. In this case, it was for a psychological reason or a reason of conscience. For example, “I tried to lie and say that I was having a good time. But the words stuck in my throat.” Or, the phrase could be written to mean that the words would not come out of the speakers mouth for emotional reasons. As in, “I tried to give my beloved father’s eulogy. But, the words stuck in my throat.”
It is similar to the phrase, “tip of my tongue”. As in, “I recognize that person. And, I know that I should recall their name. But, their name is barely on the tip of my tongue.“
In another context, the phrase could be written to mean that the word could not come out for a physiological reason or from lack of familiarity. Such as, “I can read this foreign language. But, when I try to speak it, the words get stuck in my throat.“

What kind of literacy device is "“Amen” stuck in my throat."?

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