Allusions and Irony in Romantic Literature

    Cards (11)

    • What is an allusion in literature?

      An allusion is an indirect reference to a historical person, event, literary work, character, or passage
    • Why did American romantic writers use allusions in their works?

      they used allusions to add depth and layers of meaning to their stories
    • How does the like “Call me Ishmael“ in Moby-Duck function as an allusion?

      It references the biblical Ishmael, who was cast out but survived, paralleling the novel’s character who is the sole survivor of a whaling journey.
    • What effect can illusions have an a literary work?
      they can add subtlety and connect specific ideas, characters, or events to broader themes
    • Who is Ishmael in the Bible, and how does his story relate to Moby-Dick?

      in the Bible, Ishmael is cast out but survives; in Moby Dick, Ishmael is the sole survivor of the whaling crew, echoing themes of survival and isolation
    • How do writers achieve subtlety with the use of allusions?

      By referencing other texts or stories, they imply deeper meanings that are not directly stated
    • What are allusions commonly derived from?
      Shakespearean, biblical, and mythological sources.
    • What should you mark when reading for allusions?

      Unfamiliar proper nouns.
    • What other elements should you highlight in allusive texts?

      Familiar passages and those that seem incomplete.
    • What is a suitable resource for researching proper nouns?

      An encyclopedia.
    • How can you efficiently investigate vague passages?

      By entering the word or phrase into a search engine.