AP English Literature and Composition 1.2 Passage Drill 5

Yeah, any time we're faced with a personification question, we're pretty much playing Dr. Frankenstein.

There's something in this poem that is NOT a person, but the author is treating it as

if it IS one.

Let's go through our answer choices and see how everything shakes out...

Is "might" being personified?

Well, it... might. In this case, we're talking about the "power" version of might, not the... "maybe" kind.

The author does call Death "mighty and dreadful" on line 2...

...but, we just kinda answered our own question.

He's using "might" to describe something... so he's not making it a person.

What about pride?

Once again, we won't find the exact word, but we will find a form of it...

...right out of the gate, the poem reads: Death, be not proud...

But again, pride is used as a descriptor here -- not as a person.

C -- Death?

Yup. As often as we've seen Death depicted as the tall creepy guy holding gardening equipment...

...it isn't actually a real person. So, when the poem keeps referring to death like it's

a living, breathing dude -- how ironic... the author is personifying it.

Sleep and Pleasure, while mentioned, are also bogus answers.

C's our guy.

Not that... C is an actual guy...