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Difficulty: MediumPoetic Imagery and Figurative Language

Read the poetic lines below and fill in the blank to complete the analysis statement with the appropriate figure of speech.

"In the deafening silence of the vacant hall,
A sweet sorrow settled over us all."

Which literary device is exemplified by the pairing of contrasting words in the cited extract?

Answer:The expressions 'deafening silence' and 'sweet sorrow' demonstrate the use of 【oxymoron】, a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms are placed side by side for dramatic emphasis.

Answer

oxymoron
The correct answer is 'oxymoron' because the poet combines contradictory words side by side ('deafening' with 'silence', and 'sweet' with 'sorrow') to create a poignant poetic image.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the specific phrases 'deafening silence' and 'sweet sorrow' within the poetic extract.
Each phrase pairs two words with diametrically opposed meanings directly next to each other ('deafening' + 'silence', 'sweet' + 'sorrow').
Identifying the positional relationship and semantic contrast between adjacent words is crucial for analyzing imagery.
2
Classify the figure of speech based on the direct juxtaposition of contradictory words.
The device that pairs contrasting or mutually exclusive terms together in a single phrase is an oxymoron.
An oxymoron compresses contradictory ideas into a compact, striking expression to heighten emotional or sensory impact.

Key Concept

Oxymoron in Poetic Imagery
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Topics

Poetic Imagery and Figurative Language

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