Which figure of speech is used in this excerpt from act 1 of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet?

ROMEO: O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!

It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night

Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;

Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!

A.

oxymoron

B.

allusion

C.

simile

D.

metaphor

E.

pun

C. Simile

Explanation:

Simile is comparing one thing (with inferior quality) to something else (with superior quality) which is different but has some similarity (albeit minor).

For example, he is as brave as a lion.

We can see that lion is considered the braver of the two, but the author is comparing his bravery (which is inferior to lion's bravery) with lion's.

common phrases used for similes are; such as. as ... as, like, similar to, seems etc.

In this excerpt from Act 1 of "Romeo and Juliet" Shakespeare employs similes (by using seems, like) when comparing Juliet's glowing face rich jewels,

"It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night

Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear; "

Metaphor is also comparison of something of less intense quality with something of more intense quality, but it does not use simile words (like, such as, seems, similar to)

For example, he is lion, he is moon.

Allusion is an indirect reference to something without naming it. e. g I am not prince Hamlet is an allusion to confused personality of prince Hamlet of play Hamlet.

Oxymoron is a figure of speech with contradictory words or ideas in conjunction. e. g living death, or dead life.

Pun is a figure of speech which usually humorously exploits different meaning of the same sounding or same word. e. g "Atheism is a non-prophet institution" - George Carlin