Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow : (100-105)

O what is that sound which so thrills the ear
Down in the valley drumming, drumming ?
Only the scarlet soldiers, dear,
The soldiers coming.
O what is that light I see flashing so clear
Over the distance brightly, brightly ?
Only the sun on their weapons, dear,
As they step lightly.
O what are they doing with all that gear,
What are they doing this morning, this morning ?
Only the usual manoeuvres, dear,
Or perhaps a warning.
O why have they left the road down there,
Why are they suddenly wheeling, wheeling ?
Perhaps a change in the orders, dear,
Why are you kneeling ?

Which literary device has been used in the expression ‘scarlet soldiers’ ?

The correct option is transferred epithet.

Explanation:
In poetry and rhetoric, a transferred epithet (also known as hypallage) is a figure of speech in which an adjective or modifier is grammatically applied to a noun to which it does not strictly belong, but rather to another noun closely connected with it.

In the phrase "scarlet soldiers", the adjective "scarlet" refers to the color of the coats or uniforms worn by the soldiers, rather than the soldiers themselves being literally red in complexion or skin. Therefore, the epithet "scarlet" has been transferred from the uniforms/clothing to the soldiers themselves.

Let's also look at why the other options do not fit:
- Simile: A comparison between two different things using words like "as" or "like" (not present here).
- Metonymy: A figure of speech in which a thing or concept is referred to by the name of something closely associated with that thing or concept.
- Alliteration: The repetition of identical initial consonant sounds in successive words (e.g., 's' sound in "scarlet soldiers" is present, but given the specific literary emphasis on the red uniform transferred to the men, "transferred epithet" is the intended correct option provided).