Guide to Literary Terms | Allusion
Allusion - a reference, usually brief, often casual, occasionally indirect, to a person , event, or condition thought to be familiar (but sometimes actually obscure or unknown) to the reader. This holds true especially for the characters and events of mythology, legends, and history. Association is an essential part of allusion. The purpose of allusion is to bring a world of experience outside the limitations of a statement to the reader.
The term comes from Latin alludere, which means “to play with,” “jest,” or “refer to.”
...; and what resounds
In fable or romance of Uther’s son
Begirt with British and Armoric knights;
And all who since, baptized or infidel
Jousted in Aspramont or Montalban,
Damask, or Marocco, or Trebisond,
Or whom Biserta sent from Afric shore
When Charlemain with all his peerage fell
By Fontarabbia.
Book 1 : lines 479 – 587
In The Merchant of Venice, when Shylock seeks to compliment Portia for her agreeing that Bassanio must keep his bargain, Shakespeare has Shylock use the biblical allusion:
.....................................................................................................A Daniel come to judgment! Yea, a Daniel.
Act IV, scene i : line 221
這一幕是出賣靈魂給魔鬼的浮士德見到海倫 情不自禁的歌誦美人的名段
The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus
Act V Scene 1
Faustus
Was this the face that launched a thousand ships
And burnt the topless towers of Ilium?
Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a kiss.
And burnt the topless towers of Ilium?
Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a kiss.
Kisses her
Her lips suck forth my soul; see where it flies!
Come, Helen, come, give me my soul again.
Here I will dwell, for heaven be in these lips,
And all is dross that is not Helena.(抑揚五音步)
I will be Paris, and for love of thee,
Instead of Troy, shall Wittenberg be sacked;
And I will combat with weak Menelaus,
And wear thy colors on my plumed crest;
Yea, I will wound Achilles in the heel,
And then return to Helen for a kiss.
Oh, thou art fairer than the evening air
Clad in the beauty of a thousand stars;
Brighter art thou than flaming Jupiter
When he appeared to hapless Semele;
More lovely than the monarch of the sky
In wanton Arethusa's azured arms;
And known but thou shalt be my paramour!
Come, Helen, come, give me my soul again.
Here I will dwell, for heaven be in these lips,
And all is dross that is not Helena.(抑揚五音步)
I will be Paris, and for love of thee,
Instead of Troy, shall Wittenberg be sacked;
And I will combat with weak Menelaus,
And wear thy colors on my plumed crest;
Yea, I will wound Achilles in the heel,
And then return to Helen for a kiss.
Oh, thou art fairer than the evening air
Clad in the beauty of a thousand stars;
Brighter art thou than flaming Jupiter
When he appeared to hapless Semele;
More lovely than the monarch of the sky
In wanton Arethusa's azured arms;
And known but thou shalt be my paramour!
If a picture paints a thousand words,
Then why can't I paint you?
The words will never show the you I've come to know.
If a face could launch a thousand ships,
Then where am I to go?
There's no one home but you,
You're all that's left me too.
And when my love for life is running dry,
You come and pour yourself on me.
If a man could be two places at one time,
I'd be with you.
Tomorrow and today, beside you all the way.
If the world should stop revolving spinning slowly down to die,
I'd spend the end with you.
And when the world was through,
Then one by one the stars would all go out,
Then you and I would simply fly away
Yeats的詩也用海倫的典故比喻他所心儀的Maud Gonne
Then why can't I paint you?
The words will never show the you I've come to know.
If a face could launch a thousand ships,
Then where am I to go?
There's no one home but you,
You're all that's left me too.
And when my love for life is running dry,
You come and pour yourself on me.
If a man could be two places at one time,
I'd be with you.
Tomorrow and today, beside you all the way.
If the world should stop revolving spinning slowly down to die,
I'd spend the end with you.
And when the world was through,
Then one by one the stars would all go out,
Then you and I would simply fly away
Yeats的詩也用海倫的典故比喻他所心儀的Maud Gonne
No Second Troy
Why should I blame her that she filled my days 我何必因他把我弄得愁雲慘霧
With misery, or that she would of late 而埋怨她?或因她近日
Have taught to ignorant men most violent ways, 唆擺無知良民用最大暴行
Or hurled the little streets upon the great, 以窮街窄巷對抗豪門大戶?
Had they but courage equal to desire? 要是他們的勇毅與無知相當就好了
What could have made her peaceful with a mind 究竟什麼能讓她腦海寧靜
That nobleness made simple as a fire, 高貴單純如一簇火焰
With beauty like a tightened bow, a kind 美艷像一把扳滿的弓，那種
That is not natural in an age like this, 不容於當今之世的
Being high and solitary and most stern? 高雅、孤絕、壹志不移?
Why, what could she have done, being as she is? 像她這樣一個女子能做些什麼?
Was there another Troy for her to burn? 會有另一座特洛伊讓她去焚毀嗎?
Leda and the Swan
全詩訴諸感官意象,以性愛描寫貫穿
Leda and the Swan
中文部分參考:西洋文學術語手冊 : 文學詮釋舉隅 = A reader's guide to literary terms
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