Question

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

Answer 1

Answer:

C.  simile

Explanation:

A simile consists in comparing people or things with the help of special comparison words like or as.  

Romeo compares the brilliance of Juliet's beauty and the way she stands out in the night to the brightness of a "rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear."