Choose the most appropriate option to identify the figure of speech in the following lines:-
" The moan of doves in immemorial elms
And murmuring of innumerable bees."
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Onomatopoeia
The lines are from Alfred Tennyson's "The Princess" (the song "Come down, O maid"). "Moan" imitates the low cooing of doves and "murmuring" the steady hum of bees. The many soft "m" sounds add to the humming effect.
| Option | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Metaphor | A metaphor says that one thing is another, without "like" or "as". The lines do not call anything by another name. | Time is a thief. |
| (2) Onomatopoeia (answer) | Onomatopoeia is the use of words whose sound suggests the sound they describe (buzz, hiss, murmur). | The bees buzzed around the flowers. |
| (3) Simile | A simile compares two different things using "like" or "as". The lines have no such comparison. | The soldier fought like a lion. |
| (4) repetition | the use of the same word or phrase again and again for effect. The lines do not repeat a word or phrase for effect. Their effect comes from words that imitate sounds. | Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink. |