Examkin

Question

Difficulty: Very hardLiterary Devices and Figurative Language

Read the literary excerpt below:

"The general's victory was a glorious defeat; three thousand brave soldiers lay silent in the dust while the kingdom celebrated the triumph of a dying throne."

In the excerpt above, which pair of literary devices is exemplified by the expressions "glorious defeat" and "lay silent in the dust" respectively?

  1. Oxymoron and euphemismAnswer
  2. B
    Paradox and metaphor
  3. C
    Irony and personification
  4. D
    Antithesis and hyperbole

Answer

The expression 'glorious defeat' is an oxymoron, and 'lay silent in the dust' is a euphemism.
The phrase 'glorious defeat' pairs two contradictory words directly together, creating an oxymoron. The expression 'lay silent in the dust' serves as a soft, respectful alternative phrasing for fallen soldiers who died in combat, making it a euphemism.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the first target expression: 'glorious defeat'.
The two words 'glorious' (triumphant) and 'defeat' (failure/loss) have contradictory meanings and are positioned immediately adjacent to each other.
Placing contradictory terms in direct juxtaposition creates an oxymoron.
2
Analyze the second target expression: 'lay silent in the dust'.
The phrase serves as a soft, indirect way to describe soldiers who died on the battlefield.
Substituting a mild or indirect phrase for a harsh reality such as death defines a euphemism.
3
Synthesize the device pair to determine the correct response.
The devices in order are oxymoron and euphemism.
This matches the correct response choice.

Key Concept

Identification of literary devices in context (Oxymoron and Euphemism)
Rate this question

Topics

Literary Devices and Figurative Language

More questions from this topic