Question

read the excerpt from hamlet.
hamlet: the fair ophelia! nymph, in thy orisons
be all my sins remember’d.
when hamlet refers to ophelia as a nymph, this is an
example of a(n)
allusion
apostrophe
metaphor
simile

Explanation:

To determine the correct literary device, we analyze each option:

• Allusion: References to external works/figures (not applicable here, as "nymph" is a direct comparison, not a reference).
• Apostrophe: Addressing an absent/dead person (Hamlet addresses Ophelia, but the focus is on the "nymph" label).
• Metaphor: Implied comparison (saying Ophelia is a nymph, no "like" or "as").
• Simile: Comparison using "like" or "as" (not present here).

Since Hamlet directly compares Ophelia to a nymph (no "like"/"as"), this is a metaphor.

Answer:

C. metaphor