This question is based on General Literature Principles and Literary Appreciation.
‘I die, yet depart not,
I am bound, yet soar free;
Thou art and thou art not,
And ever shall be!’
‘The City of Dreams’ by Robert Buchanan. The literary device consciously used in the above extract is
- metaphysical conceit
-
paradox
- oxymoron
- meiosis
The correct answer is: B
Explanation
A paradox is a statement that appears self-contradictory or illogical but may reveal a deeper truth upon reflection. In the lines from The City of Dreams by Robert Buchanan:
"I die, yet depart not,"
"I am bound, yet soar free;"
"Thou art and thou art not,"
Each statement presents a contradiction. The speaker claims to simultaneously experience opposing states—dying but not departing, being bound yet free, and existing while not existing. These contradictions challenge conventional logic, making the passage a clear example of a paradox.