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Difficulty: EasyAnalysis of Prescribed African Poems

Read the excerpt below from Niyi Osundare's prescribed African poem *The Leader and the Led*:

"The hyena says the crown is his
But the elephants shudder at his bad breath"

Which figure of speech is primarily employed in these lines to attribute human speech and traits to animals?

  1. PersonificationAnswer
  2. B
    Simile
  3. C
    Oxymoron
  4. D
    Assonance

Answer

Personification is the primary figure of speech used in the excerpt.
The excerpt endows animals with the human capacity for speech and political ambition ('says the crown is his'). Giving human actions, speech, or attributes to non-human creatures is the exact definition of personification.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the attributes and actions described in the poem extract.
The hyena is depicted as claiming a 'crown' and speaking, while elephants react to political flaws described metaphorically as 'bad breath'.
Identifying the nature of the actions helps determine the figurative device.
2
Match the observed device to standard literary definitions.
Giving human capabilities, social ambitions, and speech to animals is defined as personification.
The poet uses personification to create an animal allegory representing political leadership.

Key Concept

Personification in African Poetic Allegory
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Analysis of Prescribed African Poems

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