The Joy of Poetry in "The Odyssey"

Question:

1. What figure of speech is exemplified by lines 149-151 of the excerpt from The Odyssey, Part III?

A. Simile

B. Metaphor

C. Personification

2. Which of the following is the antecedent for the pronoun THEM in the sentence below?

Penelope and her maids walked towards the suitors and gave them the bow.

A. Penelope

B. Her maids

C. The suitors

Answer:

1. C. Personification

2. C. The suitors

Explanation: Personification is a figure of speech that consists of giving human characteristics to non-human objects. In the lines 149-151 of "The Odyssey," we can see an example of personification when the speaker describes the cord vibrating and humming like a swallow's note, attributing human-like qualities to the cord.

The antecedent for the pronoun "them" in the sentence is "the suitors." In this sentence, Penelope and her maids are the subjects performing the action of walking towards the suitors and giving them the bow. "Them" is used to refer back to "the suitors" to avoid repetition.

Personification in poetry adds imagery and description by attributing human qualities to non-human things. It creates a vivid and engaging reading experience, enhancing the overall impact of the poem.

Antecedent refers to the word or phrase to which a preceding word, especially a pronoun, refers. In this case, "the suitors" is the antecedent for the pronoun "them."