Elizabethan Literature
LITERARY GENRES
Lesson 1: Simile,
Metaphor, Allegory, Personification
Brief Introduction (Simple
Explanation in 150-200 words):
This lesson explains some
of the important
literary devices
used by Elizabethan writers to enhance the imaginative quality and meaning of their works. Simile, Metaphor, Allegory, and Personification are figures of speech that add beauty, depth,
and symbolism to poetry and drama.
·
A Simile
compares two different things using the words "like" or "as" to create vivid imagery.
·
A Metaphor
directly states that one thing is another, implying a deeper resemblance.
·
An Allegory
is a narrative in which characters and events symbolically represent abstract
ideas or moral qualities.
·
Personification gives human qualities to non-human
objects or abstract concepts,
making them relatable and lively.
These
devices are commonly found in Shakespeare’s plays, Spenser’s poetry,
and other Elizabethan works. Understanding them helps in
appreciating the artistic
beauty and thematic richness of the literature of this period.
📝 2-Mark
Questions (Answer in 50
words)
1. What is a Simile? Give an
example.
Answer:
A Simile is a figure of speech comparing two different
things using "like" or "as".
Example: “My love is like a red, red rose.”
2. What is a Metaphor? Give an
example.
Answer:
A Metaphor is an implied comparison where one thing
is said to be another.
Example: “All the world’s
a stage.”
3. What is Allegory?
Answer:
An Allegory is a story or poem in which
characters, settings, and events represent abstract ideas or moral qualities.
Example: The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser.
4. What is Personification?
Give an example.
Answer:
Personification gives human qualities to non-human
things.
Example: “The wind whispered through the trees.”
5. Name two Elizabethan works
that use Allegory.
Answer:
1. The Faerie
Queene by Edmund Spenser.
2. Everyman (earlier medieval, but influential during Elizabethan
times).
📝 3-Mark
Questions (Answer in 75
words):
1. Explain Simile and give an
example from Elizabethan literature.
Answer:
A Simile directly compares two different
things using "like" or "as". It creates vivid imagery and helps
readers understand a concept by relating it to something familiar.
Example: In
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, he uses a simile
to compare his beloved to a summer’s day:
"Shall I compare thee to a summer's
day?"
2. Explain Metaphor with an
example from Shakespeare.
Answer:
A Metaphor compares two unrelated things by
stating that one thing is
another. Shakespeare uses metaphors frequently.
Example: “All the world’s
a stage” from As You Like It, where
life is compared to a theatrical play, and people are actors.
3. What is Allegory? Explain
with an example from Spenser.
Answer:
An Allegory is a narrative that operates on two
levels: literal and symbolic. Edmund
Spenser’s The Faerie Queene is an allegory representing
virtues. The character Red Cross Knight symbolizes the virtue of Holiness,
and the story reflects moral and religious lessons.
4. Explain Personification
with an example from Elizabethan poetry.
Answer:
Personification attributes human qualities to
animals, objects, or ideas.
Example: In Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, time is
personified as “Death brag thou wander’st in his shade”, giving Death the human ability to
brag.
📝 6-Mark
Questions (150 words
with Side Headings):
1. Explain Simile and Metaphor
with suitable examples.
1. Simile:
·
A Simile
compares two different things using “like” or “as”.
·
It helps
create imagery and clarity.
Example: Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 compares a lover to a summer’s day:
"Shall I
compare thee to a summer’s day?"
2. Metaphor:
·
A Metaphor
makes an implied comparison, without using “like” or “as”.
·
It equates
two different things for deeper meaning.
Example: In As
You Like It, Shakespeare says:
"All the
world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players."
Here, life is compared to a drama.
3. Conclusion:
Both devices are common in Elizabethan poetry and drama, adding depth and beauty to
language.
2. Explain Allegory and
Personification with examples from Elizabethan literature.
1. Allegory:
·
Allegory is a symbolic narrative, where
characters and events stand for abstract ideas.
·
Example: The Faerie Queene by Spenser. The Red Cross Knight represents Holiness,
and his journey reflects spiritual development.
2. Personification:
·
Personification gives human characteristics
to non-human things.
·
Example: In Sonnet 18, Shakespeare personifies Death,
treating it like a person:
"Nor shall
Death brag thou wander’st in his shade."
3. Conclusion:
Both Allegory and
Personification help simplify
complex ideas
and add emotional
appeal in
Elizabethan literature.
----------------
Dr. Noojilla Srinivas
Lecturer in English, Government College (Autonomous),
Rajahmundry
Phone: 7981862200
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