Question:
Which poetic device is used in the line:
"The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew."
Which poetic device is used in the line:
"The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew."
"The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew."
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When checking for alliteration, focus on the sounds of the letters, not just the spelling.
Consonant sounds repeating at the start of words in quick succession is a definitive sign of alliteration.
Consonant sounds repeating at the start of words in quick succession is a definitive sign of alliteration.
Updated On: Jun 8, 2026
- Personification
- Hyperbole
- Alliteration
- Irony
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Verified By Collegedunia
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks to identify the poetic device used in the line: 'The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew.'
Recognizing literary devices is a core component of reading comprehension and poetry analysis in competitive English exams.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
• Understanding Alliteration: Alliteration is a literary device where two or more words in close proximity share the same consonant sound at the beginning of the words.
• Analyzing the Given Line: In the phrase 'The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew', we can observe two prominent examples of alliteration: the sound /b/ is repeated at the start of 'breeze' and 'blew', and the sound /f/ is repeated at the start of 'fair', 'foam', and 'flew'. This strong repetition of consonant sounds defines alliteration.
• Evaluating Option (A) - Personification: Personification involves giving human qualities to inanimate objects. While the breeze blowing and foam flying are actions, they are natural movements rather than distinctly human traits, so this is not the primary device.
• Evaluating Option (B) - Hyperbole: Hyperbole is an extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or rhetorical effect. There is no exaggeration here; it is a standard descriptive depiction of a ship sailing.
• Evaluating Option (D) - Irony: Irony is a contrast between expectation and reality. This line contains no such contrast and is a straightforward description, making irony incorrect.
• Conclusion: Because of the clear repetition of the starting consonant sounds /b/ and /f/, alliteration is the dominant and correct poetic device.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Thus, the correct poetic device is Alliteration, which corresponds to option (C).
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