Paul Revere’s Ride

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Listen, my children, and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five:
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.

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Question
Use the first three stanzas of the poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to answer the question.

What is the intended effect of the metaphor of a “phantom ship” in stanza three?

(1 point)
Responses

to suggest that the ship appeared suddenly
to suggest that the ship appeared suddenly

to show how the British ship reflects the water
to show how the British ship reflects the water

to show that the British ship is dangerous
to show that the British ship is dangerous

to indicate that the moon is not bright over the bay

1 answer

The intended effect of the metaphor of a “phantom ship” in stanza three is to suggest that the ship appeared suddenly. This metaphor conveys a sense of unexpectedness and eeriness, highlighting the surprise element of the British arrival.