Частное
общеобразовательное учреждение
«Крымская
республиканская гимназия-школа-сад Консоль»
Аллюзия
Allusions
(лингвистика)
выполнил:
Смирнов Михаил
ученик
10 класса
научный
руководитель:
Дмитриенко
С.М.
учитель
английского языка
Симферополь,
2021
Contents
1.
Introduction
…………………………………………………………………. 3
2. What
is an allusion?
..........................................................................................4
3.
The role of an allusion, its difference from other literary devices …………….5
4.
An allusion: its characteristics and its types. ………………………………….7
5.
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………….11
1.
Introduction
This study focuses on the
linguistic and cultural analysis of the stylistic use of allusion in
English-language dictionaries of various types, as well as in fiction and non-fiction
texts.
Any literary text presents stylistic devices used in other texts, for
example they can be metaphors, similes and etc. Their
use is conditioned by the author’s intend, as texts with repetitive elements
may be stylization, interpretation or parody of other people’s texts. Alien and
author’s text interact at different levels and this interaction is called an
intertext. The general properties of the text, represented by a group of links,
are commonly referred to as intertextuality. Stylistic allusion
is the most common way to implement intertextuality in a single work of art.
The object of this research is the literary device “allusion”. This
device has been widely used for a long time both in the media and in fiction,
however, content, mechanism and specificities of this literary device are still
poorly understood.
The subject of this research is the study of the typology of allusions
based on the analysis of English fiction and non-fiction texts.
The relevance of this
research is due to the increased interest in the study of intertextual links
in a literary text as well as due to the importance of allusion as a unit with
a rich semantics, the analysis of which makes it possible to reveal the peculiarities
of the relationship between the language and culture of the English-speaking
community.
The aim of this work is a
comprehensive analysis of the stylistic device of allusion and the study of its
typology.
This aim led to the
solution of the following tasks:
·
study the concept of allusion as a stylistic device;
·
analyze allusion classifications based on allusion dictionaries;
·
explain the mechanism of functioning of allusions;
·
reveal the features of implementation of allusions in
English-language texts.
Methods of
research:
·
analysis
of literature;
·
comparison;
·
generalization
of research results
2.
What
is an allusion?
What is an
allusion?
Longman
Dictionary of Contemporary English says that an allusion (derives from the Latin noun allusionem "a playing with, a
reference to," from alludere "to play, jest, make
fun of," a compound of ad "to" + ludere "to
play.") is “something said or
written that mentions a subject, person etc indirectly.”
In Cambridge dictionary we could find this definition:
“Allusion is something that is said or written to make you think of a
particular thing or person.”
The Oxford dictionary defines an allusion in the following way:
“Allusion is an
indirect or passing reference to some event, person, place, or artistic work,
the nature and relevance of which is not explained by the writer but relies on
the reader's familiarity.”
Having learnt
other sources of information, I have come to the conclusion that an allusion is
the presence of elements in the text, the function of which is to indicate the
connection of this text with other texts or to refer to certain historical, political,
literary, cultural and biographical facts. Such elements are called markers, or
representatives of an allusion, and the texts and facts of reality to which
reference is made are called denotations of the allusion.
It is known that
the term "allusion" appeared in many European languages as early as
the 16th century. But, despite the long tradition of using this word in foreign
literary criticism and linguistics, the phenomenon began to be actively studied
only at the end of the 20th century. While allusions are intended for literary
use, they actually occur every day, often in television, music and spoken
speech.
Speaking of
allusion, people understand the reader's reference to a certain well-known
literary character, event or phenomenon that has already been described before,
has a clear understanding and image. Why would the author once again describe
who Jesus or the goddess Venus is, if you can immediately apply these common
nouns that are known to everyone and have clear images that do not require
explanation?
It is easy enough
to say "Strong as Hercules" rather than using a large set of words to
describe what strength is. Hercules is a mythical hero who possessed the
greatest strength and was able to move and lift any objects, no matter how
heavy they were. No one could match his strength, as an ordinary person was not
given such natural abilities. When we hear such
a comparison "strong as Hercules", we understand that a person is
really very strong.
3. The role of an
allusion, its difference from a quote, metaphor and simile
Why is an allusion
used? It helps to strengthen the image of the hero in question. Since each
reader can understand something different under the words that the author uses,
he gives a reference to the character he compares his own character with. A
parallel is drawn to make it clear to the reader what the author is talking
about. Allusion is often used in literary or oratory speech. It helps the
author to quickly convey his idea without additional explanations. It is worth
using the common name of a certain famous character or a historical fact that
is known to everyone, as listeners or readers will immediately understand what
the author is talking about. An allusion differs from a quote in that it
conveys the meaning of a character or event, rather than retelling what was said.
Although we can use quotes or catchy phrases that can also convey a certain
meaning that the author refers to. The main thing here is the general knowledge
of what the author is talking about. He doesn't use names or name events that
other people don't know about. He applies only those characters and facts that
are known to all people and can even be used by them for comparison or
reference, to strengthen their speech.
Another difference
between a quote and an allusion is that the quote must be understood as it is
pronounced. The person might not have heard it before. However, now he just
needs to understand the information from the quote word for word. Allusion
requires knowledge and erudition from listeners and readers. If a certain
person does not know who Cleopatra is, what she was known for and what she
became famous for, then he will not be able to understand why the author refers
to this image. A person will need to be explained not only the image that is
described by the author himself, but also an explanation of the concept of
Cleopatra in order to understand why it is referred to. Thus, the allusion acts
as a source of knowledge and education of a person who will not understand what
the author is talking about if he is not well-read and erudite.
Let’s look at an
allusion example from Taylor’s Swifts song “Love story”.
“Cause you were
Romeo, I was a scarlet letter
And my daddy said,
“Stay away from Juliet.”
While the song
itself is a more direct reference to the love story of Romeo and Juliet, the
example of allusion is actually “a scarlet letter.” Taylor Swift references
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, “The Scarlet Letter.” She uses the allusion to
imply the speaker in this excerpt, “I” was somehow off-limits or “taboo.” What
is important to note about the allusions that if the reader or audience does
not have a firm grasp of historical references and popular culture, an allusion
may simply seem like nothing more than words. So, if Swift’s audience were
unaware of the Hawthorne reference, they would miss her intention altogether.
Allusion is very similar
to other stylistic devices. There are several
literary devices that involve comparison. Metaphor is one of the most common
devices. In a metaphor, you compare two unlike things. Here are a couple of
examples.
• "All the
world’s a stage" from Shakespeare’s As You Like It
• "He’s not
the sharpest tool in the shed"
A metaphor can include an
allusion. For example, you could say, "Susan is the Da Vinci of pastry
chefs." It’s a metaphor because you are comparing Susan, a pastry chef, to
an artist and inventor. It’s also an allusion to a historical artist. There’s
no need to elaborate to explain that Susan makes beautiful, elaborate pastries.
An extended metaphor is
another rhetorical device. We could elaborate on Susan’s skills by adding more
references to beautiful art.
• "Susan is
the Da Vinci of pastry chefs. The dough is her canvas, the ganache is her paint.
She sculpts statues of cakes."
Similes are similar to
metaphors, but they use "like" or "as" for comparison. A
famous example is from the movie Forrest Gump: "Life is like a box of
chocolates." Like metaphors, similes can include an allusion. We could say,
"Susan, the pastry chef, is like Da Vinci when she bakes."
4. An allusion: its
characteristics and its types
Allusion must have the following characteristics to be
understandable to the reader or listener:
- be recognizable, that is, it must not be too disguised;
- be understandable and clear, or at least the author should
indicate the source to which he refers, so that the full definition can be made
available to the reader himself;
- be embedded in the context correctly, that makes the author
change the structure of his presentation.
We can allude to anything. Depending on how author uses an allusion,
it is possible not only to increase the value of the text itself, but also to
learn the author’s own attitude to the event.
There are different types of allusions:
·
mythological;
·
literary;
·
historical;
·
biblical;
·
philosophical-aesthetic;
·
cultural.
The appearance of allusion is influenced by where the
character or event comes from. For example, “his nose grows like Pinocchio’s”
is a literary allusion, since “Pinocchio” is a fictional character from a
literary work. Pinocchio’s feature was that he was made of wood, animated and
his nose grew when he lied or cheated.
Consider some examples of allusions:
Biblical or religious allusions: when
a figure of speech refers to the Bible without explicitly saying so: «Good
Samaritan», «Hit one cheek, turn the other», Judas (a traitor), Prodigal Son (a
wasteful son who disappoints his father.)
“There are still many Good Samaritans in our
community.” This alludes to a fictional story in which an unnamed man helped a
man from another culture that was beaten and robbed; the two men did not know
each other.
Historical allusions: is a reference to some historical
events of the period. It makes the reader dive into the ocean of history
and finds some pearls of culture, persons, places, and events and grasps their
importance in the text. In order to understand the historical allusion, the
reader must be aware of its significance and place in history. They have
an important part in literature and give a deeper understanding of an author’s
message. These are just clues to the author’s intention now its reader’s
work, and understanding to get his point and ideas. These allusions help
to develop characters and enhance the frame of storylines. It is also a
source of association with some well-known work. Some historical allusions
are discussed below:
1) Uncle Sam
It
was supposedly used for Samuel Wilson, came into use during the war of 1812.
Samuel Wilson owned a meat packing business with his brother. During the war,
he supplied food for American soldiers. The food barrels had the U.S. on them
for the United States. So this allusion is used for the government of people of
the United States.
Sentence: They owed $3000 tax to Uncle Sam.
2) Benedict Arnold
He
was a successful general for American colonies during the Revolutionary War.
Later he was proved as a traitor and switched the sides. It means someone who
betrays or changes sides.
Sentence: Everyone called him Benedict Arnold when, for money, he
changed his hosting channel and shared some secrets.
3) Sell down the river
During
the early –to- mid 19th century in America slaves were
transported down the Mississippi River for sale to the plantation where the
work was harder than other counties. To sell the person down the river is to
betray him for his own benefit.
Sentence: The company sold its employees down the river by cutting
their bonuses for its benefits.
4) Waterloo
The
battle of Waterloo was a final military action of the French emperor
Napoleon. In the end, his troops were crushed by a coalition of European
forces. Waterloo has become a term referring to a decisive, crushing defeat
of any sort.
Sentence: Susan met her Waterloo in Chess.
Mythological allusions: the
use of heroes, gods’ names, phenomena. For example,
- Achilles’
heel (alluding to the one weakness of Achilles)
- arrow
of love (allusion to Cupid)
- carrying
the weight of the world on your shoulders (allusion to Atlas)
- pushing
a boulder uphill every day (allusion to Sisyphus)
- hot
as Hades (alluding to the god of death / king of the underworld)
- looking
like Venus (alluding to the goddess of beauty)
- Herculean
effort (alluding to the strength of Hercules)
- opening
Pandora’s box (alluding to Pandora’s myth of letting trouble
into the world)
- protean
form of management (alluding to Proteus who could change his shape)
- can’t stop staring at himself (allusion to Narcissus)
Mythological allusions in John
Fowles novel “The Magus”. One of the central myths touched upon in the novel is
the myth of Ariadne and Theseus, and one of the central images is the
labyrinth. The labyrinth is the island of Phraxos in the mind of Nicholas,
where he wanders, trying to unravel all the secrets of the magician Conchis.
Nicholas compares himself to Theseus:
"My heart was beating faster
than it should. Partly because of the thought of meeting Lily, partly because
of something much more mysterious, because of the feeling that I am now in the
strangest maze in Europe. I remembered feeling like Odysseus or Theseus on my
way back to school one morning. Now I was Theseus in the labyrinth; somewhere
in the darkness Ariadne was waiting for me; and the Minotaur»
Literary allusions: As a literary device, allusion is used for
context in a literary work through reference to a well-known or familiar
person, place, event, or other work of literature. In this way, allusions help
develop a relationship between a writer’s creation and its association with
something else that the reader would recognize. This is effective in developing
characters. creating settings, and contextualizing a story. Most literary
allusions are not directly explained to the reader, but instead rely on the
reader’s inferential ability.
A striking example is the novel by Alexander
Solzhenitsyn «In the circle of the first». There is a clear reference to Dante and his «Divine comedy»,
where all circles of Hell are brightly painted.
In Dante, each circle is designed for certain
sinners, depending on the gravity of their acts. So, in the first circle,
there are the most harmless, whose guilt may seem dubious at all. For
example, Dante placed unbaptized infants, as well as good but unbaptized
adults.
Solzhenitsyn in the title of the novel already
indicates that the characters of his work are people who are not guilty of
anything. They are victims who have fallen under the weight of a vast system. And in fact, the novel
«In the circle of the first» is about scientists who were locked in
«sharashkas» as prisoners and forced to work for the state.
People
often make allusions in everyday conversation, sometimes without the
realization that they are doing so and sometimes without knowing the material
to which they are alluding. Typically, these allusions are in reference to
popular culture, including movies, books, music, public figures, and so on.
Here
are some common examples of allusion in everyday speech, along with the source
material to which they reference:
- His
smile is like kryptonite to me. (Superman’s
weakness)
- She
felt like she had a golden ticket. (Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory)
- That
guy is young, scrappy, and hungry. (Hamilton)
- I
wish I could just click my heels. (The Wizard
of Oz)
- If
I’m not home by midnight, my car might turn into a pumpkin. (Cinderella)
- She
smiles like a Cheshire cat. (Alice in
Wonderland)
- His
job is like pulling a sword out of a stone. (King
Arthur Legend)
- Is
there an Einstein in your physics class? (Albert
Einstein)
- My
math teacher is he who must not be named. (Voldemort from
the Harry Potter series)
- I
want to sound like Queen B. (Beyoncé)
- Today
might be the Ides of March. (Shakespeare’s
Julius Caesar)
- Now
might be a good time to sit in my thinking chair. (Blue’s
Clues)
- I
have a caped crusader costume. (Batman)
- Does
it count if we were on a break? (Friends)
- I’m
listening to the king. (Elvis
Presley)
To understand allusion, it is necessary that the
knowledge and understanding of individual characters and facts are the same
between the author and the reader/listener. Otherwise the reader/listener will not understand what is
being said, will not notice the links, will ignore it. It is also important how
both sides view the same phenomenon or character. The author may express a negative attitude towards the
behaviour of the great conqueror Napoleon, while the reader may feel positive
that the person possessed the intelligence and courage to commit such
historical acts (even though they hurt ordinary people).
Allusion thus becomes necessary to enrich the
text of a speaker or writer. An allusion serves as
a reference to determine the certainty of what one wants to
say; giving more emotion and feeling to what is said; enrichment of the value
of words conveyed by the author.
5.
Conclusion
Allusion
is a literary technique that can be used not only in the writing of texts, but
also in the oratory art. Human beings consider themselves to be educated and
cultural beings who need to know their history and cultural heritage. The more
a person knows and learns, the greater the baggage of words he possesses. It is
possible to refer to historical events or biblical heroes only to name them and
to convey the whole range of feelings or concepts that you want to express.
At
the same time, the author should understand that not everyone can understand
his text. To eliminate this gap, it is necessary to make footnotes,
explanations, at least in a short form. If a listener / reader is interested in
learning more about the event or character to which the link occurred, then they
will be able to get acquainted with it on their own.
Allusion
helps to enrich the author's text, moreover, to present him as an educated
person, to link his text with other well-known texts. A person wants to refer
to catch phrases and famous characters or events in order to strengthen what he
said. After all, if a person uses what is known and has long been accepted, his
words cannot be criticized or evaluated.
Thus,
to some extent, allusion helps to influence the perception of the text without
judgment. And this helps the author to have the desired impact on listeners or
readers. The more well-known and understandable the links are for the audience,
the more the author is understood and agreed with. Listeners/readers are filled
with necessary emotions. And what else does an author need, who is heard,
understood and positively received?!
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