The following quote from “An Ancient Gesture” is an example of what literary element?
“I thought, as I wiped my eyes on the corner of my apron: Penelope did this too. And more than once: you can’t keep weaving all day And undoing it all through the night;”
A. personification
B. metaphor
C. allusion
D. onomatopoeia
C?
Yes.
To determine the correct answer, let's go through the options and analyze the given quote from "An Ancient Gesture" by Edna St. Vincent Millay.
A. Personification: This literary element refers to attributing human qualities or characteristics to inanimate objects or animals. However, in the provided quote, we do not see any inanimate objects or animals given human qualities, so we can eliminate this option.
B. Metaphor: A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unrelated things. It does not use the words "like" or "as." In the quote, we don't find a direct comparison between two different things, so it is not a metaphor.
C. Allusion: An allusion refers to referring to or mentioning another work of art, literature, historical event, or person. Examining the quote, we can see a reference to Penelope, who is a character in Greek mythology and a central figure in Homer's epic poem, "The Odyssey." This reference qualifies as an allusion, making option C a likely answer.
D. Onomatopoeia: Onomatopoeia is a literary device that uses words that imitate or suggest the sound of the object or action they refer to. The quote does not contain any sound-related words, so option D is incorrect.
Based on this analysis, the correct answer is indeed option C. It is an example of an allusion because it references Penelope, a well-known literary figure from Greek mythology.