The figure of speech used in "I wandered lonely as a cloud..."?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The figure of speech used in the line "I wandered lonely as a cloud..." is a Simile.
Explanation:
Simile: A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two different things using the words "as" or "like".
Hyperbole: This involves extreme exaggeration for emphasis (e.g., "I've told you a million times"), which is not the primary device here.
Metaphor: A metaphor makes a direct comparison without using "like" or "as" (e.g., "The curtain of night").
Personification: While this poem uses personification later (giving human qualities to the daffodils), this specific line is a comparison of a human to an object, not vice versa.
Comparison in the Text: In this opening line from William Wordsworth's poem "Daffodils," the speaker compares their state of wandering alone to a "cloud" that floats high over vales and hills.
Function: The use of "as" makes the comparison explicit, helping the reader visualize the speaker's aimless and solitary movement through nature.