This question is based on RAIDER OF THE TREASURE TROVE. The poetic device in the expression "Rage is chief" is ___

Analyze the question

You're asked to name the poetic device in the expression "Rage is chief." This comes from Raider of the Treasure Trove (Lade Wosornu's poetry collection, a JAMB set text).

Explain the concept

• Oxymoron: two contradictory words placed together (e.g., "bitter-sweet", "deafening silence").
• Simile: an explicit comparison using "like" or "as".
• Metaphor: a direct statement that one thing is another, without "like" or "as". It often gives an abstract idea (such as rage) a role or identity (such as a chief or ruler).
• Hyperbole: deliberate exaggeration for effect.

Solution

1. "Rage is chief" has no contradictory pairing, so it is not an oxymoron.
2. It has no "like" or "as", so it is not a simile.
3. It does not exaggerate a fact. It states that rage holds the position of a leader, so it is not hyperbole.
4. It says rage is a chief, speaking of an emotion as if it were a ruler. That is a direct, implied comparison, which makes it a metaphor. (It also carries a touch of personification, but among the given options, metaphor is the best fit.)

Answer: C. Metaphor

Exam tip: Look for the linking word. If the sentence uses "is/are" to equate two unlike things, think metaphor. If it uses "like/as", it is a simile. Eliminate the others first and the answer becomes clear.