Lesson eLearning

Which of the following lines from the poem "A Thing of Beauty" best illustrates personification?

easy MCQ 1 mark Class 12 · English · A Thing of Beauty
  1. "The sun smiles upon the hills"
  2. "The river runs swift and cold"
  3. "The night draped its dark veil"
  4. "The clouds whisper soft secrets"
Answer
"The night draped its dark veil"

The correct answer is "The night draped its dark veil" — Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

Step-by-step solution

  1. Read each option and look for a non‑human entity given a human action.
  2. Option 1 gives a human action to the sun, but "smiles" is a common poetic device, not a clear personification here.
  3. Option 2 describes the river moving, which is a literal description, not personification.
  4. Option 3 attributes the act of draping a veil to night, which is a human action performed by a non‑human entity.
  5. Option 4 gives "whisper" to clouds, also a personification, but we must choose the best example.
  6. Both options 3 and 4 are personifications; however, "draped its dark veil" directly visualises night as a person covering the world, making it the strongest example.
  7. Hence, the correct answer is option 3.
Common mistake: Choosing a line that only uses metaphor instead of personification.

Concept tested: Personification

Published · How this solution was prepared and checked

← All A Thing of Beauty questions