Question

BRUTUS: O then by day Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, conspiracy. Hide it in smiles and affability. Identify the figurative language used in this example. I found out the answer - personification: “mask thy monstrous visage”

Answer 1

Figurative language can, in fact, go beyond personification as it can, too, include metaphors, similes, and hyperbole.  Personification is where human attributes are given to something non-human.  However, “visage” means one’s face, which is already human; thus, there is no personification in masking a human face or masking one’s visage.  In looking at the excerpt, there are no similes because there is no use of “like” or “as” which are needed for a simile, and there is no use of metaphors because no comparisons are being made.  What is present, however, is a hyperbole, which is an exaggeration that is really not meant to be taken at face value.  The hyperbole (figurative language) present is in how Brutus is communicating that somebody’s face is so ugly that there is probably no cave dark enough during the day within which one could hide a monstrous face, so the best bet is probably just smile and/or try “put on” a friendly face.