From the given options, select the Figure of Speech (Poetic Device) used in the expression:
"O liberty, what crimes have been committed in thy name?"
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The figure of speech used in the expression "O liberty, what crimes have been committed in thy name?" is apostrophe.
Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which the speaker addresses an absent or inanimate object. In this case, the speaker is addressing liberty, which is an abstract concept. This creates a sense of urgency and emotion, as the speaker is lamenting the crimes that have been committed in the name of liberty.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Personification is a figure of speech in which inanimate objects are given human qualities. Pun is a play on words. Simile is a comparison between two things using the words "like" or "as." None of these devices are used in the expression "O liberty, what crimes have been committed in thy name?".