Concept:Repetition is a literary device in which a word or phrase is deliberately used more than once to create emphasis and rhythm.
Explanation:Look closely at the two lines: "I had not taken the first step in knowledge, I had not learnt to let go with the hands".
The exact phrase "I had not" appears at the start of both clauses.
Repeating the same opening phrase in successive clauses is known as anaphora, which is a specific form of repetition.
This device stresses the speaker's failure, inaction, and lack of progress.
By hearing "I had not" twice, the reader understands that the speaker is still at the very beginning and has not yet let go of old habits.
The other options are incorrect for the following reasons.
Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds, not whole phrases.
Apostrophe is a direct address to an absent person or an abstract idea.
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words.
None of these devices is marked by the duplicated phrase found in the lines.
Answer:C. Repetition