Question

Which of the following is an example of personification? A. Continuous as the stars that shine B. Ten thousand saw I at a glance, C. The waves beside them danced; but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: D. I gazed—and gazed—but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought:

Answer 1

Personification is the attribution of human behavior in something non-human; therefore, the correct option is letter C, as dancing and outdoing are actions that can be done by humans and in this sentence, waves are the doers.

In option A, simile is used. In option B, hyperbole is used and in option D, repetition is used.

Answer 2

The correct answer is C. "The waves beside them danced; but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee" includes personification.

Personification is a literary device that consists in assigning human attributes to a thing, an abstract entity or an animal, or, in other words, to non-human objects. Therefore, personification is a common literary tool and also a form of figurative language.

In this specific case, waves have been given the human quality of dancing. They have been identified with a characteristic of human beings; therefore, the waves have been personified.