Which figure of speech features addressing an absent or personified thing?

• A. Anaphora
• B. Euphemism
• C. Metaphor
• D. Apostrophe

Answer: (D)

Apostrophe is a figure of speech where the speaker addresses someone who isn’t present or talks to an inanimate object or concept as if it could respond. This direct turn toward an absent or personified thing is what makes apostrophe distinctive. For instance, speaking to Death as if it could listen—“O Death, be not proud”—treats Death as a listener in the moment, not as a participant in a dialogue. The other options don’t fit this pattern: anaphora involves repeating a word or phrase at the start of successive lines or clauses; euphemism substitutes a milder expression for something harsh or blunt; metaphor draws a comparison between two unlike things without actually addressing the other as a listener. So, the figure described here is apostrophe.