Read the following lines and identify the figure of speech used:
To shut those dark glowing eyes,
Violet fringed with golden amber.
It is the tail that has to blink
For eyes that are always open.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Imagery
Imagery is the use of vivid, descriptive language that appeals to the senses, so that the reader can see, hear or feel what is described. The lines paint the eyes in colour and light: "dark glowing eyes", "violet fringed with golden amber". These words create a clear picture in the reader's mind.
Example: The poem's imagery of golden fields and blue skies brings the village to life.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Metonymy — Incorrect. Metonymy is calling something by the name of something closely linked with it. No such substitute name is used in these lines.
Example: In "the Crown has approved the law", the Crown is a metonymy for the king or queen.
Option 3: Pun — Incorrect. A pun is a play on words that uses two meanings of a word, or two words that sound alike, usually for humour. No word in these lines carries a double meaning.
Example: The joke about the baker who kneads dough because he needs money is a pun.
Option 4: Simile — Incorrect. A simile compares two different things using "like" or "as". Neither word is used in these lines.
Example: The soldier fought like a lion.