Question

the sea of faith
was once, too, at the full, and round earths shore
lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled.

• matthew arnold, \dover beach\

what is arnold comparing to the sea in this excerpt from \dover beach\?
a. a girdle
b. the shore
c. a circle
d. the earth

Explanation:

The line "Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled" uses the word "like" which indicates a simile. A simile is a figure of speech that makes a comparison. Here, the sea (referred to as the "Sea of Faith") is being compared to a girdle.

Answer:

A. A girdle