Allusions and Irony in Romantic Literature

• 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.