Which literary device does the following line employ?
"A timorous foe, and a suspicious friend."
"A timorous foe, and a suspicious friend."
Show Hint
- Antithesis
- Antistrophe
- Oxymoron
- Apostrophe
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Define the device.
Antithesis is a rhetorical device where contrasting or opposite ideas are expressed in parallel or balanced phrases to create emphasis.
Step 2: Apply to the given line.
The line contrasts two opposite relationships:
\[
\text{"timorous foe" (fearful enemy)} \text{vs.} \text{"suspicious friend."}
\]
Both parts present paradoxical images, but more importantly, they are set in direct opposition: an enemy versus a friend. This clear juxtaposition of contrasting ideas exemplifies antithesis.
Step 3: Eliminate other options.
\begin{itemize}
\item Antistrophe: Repetition of the same word at the end of successive clauses (not present here).
\item Oxymoron: Combines contradictory terms within a single phrase (e.g., "bittersweet"). Here, "timorous foe" and "suspicious friend" are not internal contradictions but external contrasts.
\item Apostrophe: Addressing an absent or abstract entity (e.g., "O Death!"). Not applicable.
\end{itemize}
\[
\boxed{\text{Correct Answer: Antithesis (A)}}
\]
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