Question

Read the following poem by William Wordsworth and answer the question that follows.

"Perfect Woman"
She was a phantom of delight
When first she gleam'd upon my sight;
A lovely apparition, sent
To be a moment's ornament;
Her eyes as stars of twilight fair,
Like twilight's, too, her dusky hair,
But all things else about her drawn
From May-time and the cheerful dawn;
A dancing shape, an image gay,
To haunt, to startle, and waylay.

Which figurative language device is present in the bolded text?
O Alliteration
O Allusion
O Hyperbole
O Metaphor

Answer 1

The answer is D. Metaphor

Step-by-step explanation:

got it right on the test

Answer 2

The figurative language device used in the bolded text from William Wordsworth's poem is a Metaphor, which vividly describes the woman's captivating and ethereal qualities.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the poem "She was a Phantom of delight" by William Wordsworth, the figurative language device present in the bolded text is Metaphor. Wordsworth describes the woman not as a literal phantom, but uses the metaphor to convey the ethereal and captivating qualities she possesses.

By comparing her to a 'Phantom of delight,' he emphasizes her alluring and enchanting nature. This metaphor does not exaggerate or align objects in a literal sense, as hyperbole and allusion would, nor does it rely on repetitive consonant sounds as in alliteration.

Instead, it draws a comparison that ignites the imagination and reveals an intrinsic quality of the woman, much like comparing caramel to burnt sugar in the provided example by Laura Kasischke. This approach is a hallmark of Wordsworth's poetry, often layering deeper meanings through figurative language.