Allusions Flashcards
Augean Stables
Any difficult cleanup, actual or figurative. (Hercules had to clean out the Augean Stables, which hadn’t been cleaned in 30 years.)
Artful Dodger
Any skillful crook. (The nickname of Charles Dickens’s character Jack Dawkins, who was the head pickpocket in Fagin’s gang. )
belling the cat
Having the courage to stick his neck out for his friends despite putting himself at risk. (A mouse suggests putting a bell around a cat’s neck as a warning to show it was near, but the question of who would have the courage to bell the cat was a difficult one because of the inherent danger.)
Big Brother is watching you
Big Brother now refers to any government or ruler that tries to eavesdrop, dictate, or gather personal information on its citizens. (Orwell’s 1984 warns that government could invade our privacy.)
Bligh
Any person who is cruel, unreasonable, and tyrannical is called a Captain Bligh. (Captain Bligh was a tyrant.)
Brahmin
Any socially prominent and intellectually refined individual. (The author Wendell Holmes and his friends in nineteenth-century Boston formed a close literary, social, and political group and were prolific in their writings and criticisms. Members of this group were called the Boston Brahmins, from the Hindi “Brahman” meaning “of highest class”)
catch-22
Any situation where you lose no matter which decision you make is called a catch-22. (In Joseph Heller’s Catch-22, the protagonist, Yossarian, tried to get out of dangerous jobs in the Air Corps by claiming insanity. The doctors told him anyone who wanted to avoid combat was sane, and if he were really crazy, he wouldn’t be sane enough to apply for a discharge.)
Cheshire cat
People who grin with a large, puzzling smile are said to be grinning like a Cheshire cat. (From Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, the Cheshire Cat grinned all the time and could disappear and reappear at will, leaving only its smile.)
Damon and Pythias
Close friends. (In Greek mythology, Pythias was sentenced to death, but was let out for a parental visit for a specified time if Damon took his place. He got back just in time before they were going to execute Damon, and they were both let go.)
Dantesque
Writing that resembles Dante’s. (Dante wrote with epic scope, vivid detail, and allegory.)
Dickensian
Situations or writings about topics similar to Dickenson’s. (Charles Dickens wrote novels showing the poverty, injustices, and misery of Victorian England.)
dog in the manger
Anyone who tries to spoil something for someone else, even though it is of no use to himself. (In an old fable, a dog prevented an ox from eating hay though he had no use for it himself.)
Don Juan
A playboy or philander. (Tellez’s El Burlador de Seville and Byron’s epic poem Don Juan tell of the life and loves of Don Juan)
Dorian Gray
Someone who clings to youth and is afraid of aging. (In Wilde’s A Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian Gray is a handsome but corrupt man who wanted to stay young and handsome forever, but of course, could not.)
Everyman
All men or every man. (From the play Everyman, in which Everyman represented all men or every man.)
Faulknerian
Work similar to Faulkner’s writings, characters, or settings. (William Faulkner’s characters seemed to be driven by hidden forces beyond their control, and the plots included tragic violence set in the south
Faustian
A Faustian bargain is one where a person sacrifices everything to obtain immediate gratification, but pays for it later on. (Faust sold his soul to the Devil to gain power, youth, and wealth.)
for whom the bell tolls
“No man is an island” and all people share a common fate. (John Donne used the phrase, “never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee” to express this sentiment)
Gatsby
Someone who gives in to his own fantasies and obsessions and represents ostentatious and lavish living. (In Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Gatsby is a crooked but appealing millionaire who deceives others about his past.)
gilded age
The post-Civil War era. (Mark Twain’s novel, The Gilded Age, deals with greed in post-Civil war America.)
heart of darkness
The dark side of the human soul. (In Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness, the character Marlow searches through the jungle for another man.)
Holy Grail
Any difficult or possibly unattainable goal. (The cup that Jesus drank from at the Last Supper. The object of knightly quests in legends of King Arthur and Christian legends.)
Homeric
Anything that is larger than life. (Homer’s epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey were mythological, heroic, and immense in scale.)
Horatio Alger
Anyone who makes good after being born into a life of poverty. (Alger’s stories deal with poor boys who become rich.)
Kafkaesque
Literature or situation similar to Kafka’s writings. (Franz Kafka’s writings, often surreal and bizarre, often presented characters thwarted by red tape and authoritarian bureaucracy.)
Spithead and Nore
Alludes to mutiny. (Spithead and Nore were the two locations of an infamous mutiny concerning British sailors.)
Lord Nelson
Alludes to heroism, particularly military heroism. (England’s most renowned naval hero.)
Montaigne
Allusion to Montaigne evokes his basic philosophy. (He was a philosopher and essayist who believed man can find truth in the universe though he is a victim of customs, prejudices, and self-interest.)
last hurrah
The last speech or function of a prominent person, particularly a politician, before retiring or leaving office; the final action of a person before leaving a career. (The Last Hurrah was based on the life of James Curley, a former Boston mayor.)
leviathan
Anything huge and monstrous. (In the Bible, the Leviathan was a giant sea monster.)
Lilliputian
Anything very tiny that can control something larger than itself. (In Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, the Lilliputians were tiny people who were able to work together to subdue the giants.)
Machiavellian
Anyone who is merciless, clever, and unethical to obtain goals, particularly politically. (Niccolo Machiavelli thought people were basically evil and it was sometimes necessary to use evil means in order to rule.)
man for all seasons
Any respected person who stands up for his ideals under pressure. (Tomas Moore, author of Utopia, was sent to prison and executed because he refused to accept King Henry VIII as head of the Church of England. He was called a man for all seasons for sticking to his beliefs so strongly.)
Moby Dick
A monstrous obsession. (In Melville’s story, Captain Ahab relentlessly pursued Moby Dick, the whale, which had many symbolic meanings.)
Munchkin
Used to describe a physically small person, often affectionately. (In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Munchkins were diminutive, lively people.)
noble savage
An uncultivated person who is really more worthy or sensible than some of his or her “civilized” counterparts. (From Jean Jacques Rousseau’s writings)
Oedipus complex
A child’s powerful erotic attachment to the parent of the opposite sex, creating rivalry with the parent of the same sex. (From mythology and Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, Oedipus unwittingly killed his father and married his mother.)
Orwellian
Anything bleak and oppressive, particularly a political situation. (George Orwell’s novel 1984 expressed his disillusionment with communism, totalitarianism, and bureaucracy.)
pilgrim’s progress
Anyone who has overcome worldly problems has said to have made a pilgrim’s progress. (From Bunyan’s Pilgrims Progress: the character Christian overcomes all obstacles through faith.)
Platonic love
Strong but nonsexual affinity for another person. (The love Plato speaks of is based purely on mental and spiritual closeness.)
Promethean
A Promethean person is someone who is independent, defiant of authority, and willing to make sacrifices to his beliefs. (Prometheus was a Greek god who defied authority and was punished. Allusions may relate to his defiant attitude, to his punishment, or to his heroic display of independence.)
Pygmalion
Any story where a mentor takes on a pupil, remakes the person, and then falls in love with the resulting creation is compared to the Pygmalion myth. (The mythical Pygmalion sculpted a statue of the ideal woman and then fell in love with it.)
Queeg
A petty, incompetent person in a leadership role. (In Wouk’s The Caine Mutiny, Captain Queeg is an erratic, unstable commander who persecuted his subordinates.)
quixotic
Anyone who pursues idealized, impractical goals is called quixotic. (In Don Quixote, Don Quixote sought knightly glory, colliding with everyday reality.)
Rube Goldberg
Any procedure that makes a simple task seem complicated is called a Rube Goldberg contraption. (Cartoonist Rube Goldberg drew fanciful, complex machines that did simple things.)
Runyonesque
Any underworld person or even a personable or likable rogue. (Damien Runyon wrote about the seamier side of New York, and his likeable characters were gamblers and scoundrels.)
Shangri-La
An idyllic place. (From Hilton’s Lost Horizons, a land of eternal youth and peace.)
shot heard round the world
Any dramatic statement or action that begins something important or greatly influences later events. (Ralph Waldo Emerson’s way of describing the first shot against the British in the Revolutionary War.)
silent spring
Ecological calamity. (Rachel Carson wrote about the destruction of our environment by the use of herbicides and pesticides, referring to a silent spring without birds or other creatures.)
Socratic method
A method of teaching using questions and answers rather than lecturing. (Plato’s teacher Socrates used this method.)
Svengali
Anyone who has (or tries to obtain) power over someone else through strength of personality is called a Svengali. (Trilby, George DuMaurier’s beautiful character, fell under the hypnotic spell of Svengali, a musician who was turning her into a singer.)
tabula rasa
Means “blank slate.” (John Locke described a student’s mind as a tabula rasa, meaning the student’s mind was fresh and unsullied, ready to be inscribed with knowledge.)
Trojan horse
A seemingly innocent maneuver that is designed to harm an adversary. (In Virgil’s epic Aeneid, the Greeks conquered Troy by filling a large wooden horse with soldiers and tricking the Trojans into letting it through the city gates.)
Tweedledum and Tweedledee
Two things that are hard to tell apart. (In Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass, they are quarrelsome identical twins. In John Byrom’s poem, they are two competing schools of musicians.)
Ugly American
Overbearing American policies or behavior in foreign countries. (The protagonist of The Ugly American was an American operative abroad who got his nickname because he was physically ugly.)
utopia
A utopia—the term meaning “nowhere” in Greek—is a perfect place, state of being, or government. (Thomas Moore depicted an ideal society in Utopia.)
Walter Mitty
A person who fantasizes about unrealistic, brave deeds. (In The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Walter Mitty is a quiet, unassuming man who daydreams of grandeur and heroic episodes.)
Willy Loman
A person who is working hard to try to earn a living, but is not being very successful and therefore a pathetic figure. (Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” has a protagonist named Willy Loman, a salesman whose life was crumbling and eventually committed suicide.)
Abraham and Isaac
Abraham and his wife Sarah had an only son, Isaac, whom God asked that Abraham sacrifice as a burnt offering. Abraham said he would, and at the last minute, God provided an animal for sacrifice instead. This shows that if you have faith and are willing to give up anything God asks, he will bless you later.
Adam and Eve
First two humans. Eve persuaded Adam to eat from the forbidden tree of knowledge of good and evil, beginning the sins of man. God banished them from the Garden of Eden and made them work and grow their own food forever.
Twelve Apostles
An apostle is a person sent by God with a message for the people. Jesus’ twelve apostles Matthew, Peter, James, John, Judas, Matthias, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, James, Simon, and Thaddeus.
Armageddon
Fierce confrontation resulting in mutual destruction. (A scene in Revelation of a battle between forces of good and evil, ending the world.)
Cain and Abel
The mark of Cain refers to the stigma of anyone who has committed a crime or is an outcast by societal standards. (Cain and Abel were the twin sons of Adam and Eve. Cain killed his brother, and God put a mark on Cain so everyone would know he was a murderer, but also under God’s protection.)
city on a hill
A place that would be a shining example and model to others. (From the Sermon on the Mount: Jesus described “a City on a hill that cannot be hid,” a place that was “the light of the world.”)
Daniel in the lion’s den
A person confronted with difficulties and is encouraged to hold up in the face of adversity or persecution. (Daniel was a prophet who went through many trials and tribulations in Babylon. Had four visions of the end of the world.)
Ham
The youngest son of Noah. Because Noah’s descendants bear the curse of servitude, Ham can be used as an allusion to this condition.
Elijah and Jezebel
A Jezebel is now a wicked or shameless woman. (Wife of Ahab, King of Israel, was opposed to Elijah’s monotheistic views and forced him to leave Phoenicia. Thrown out of a palace window, killed, and eaten by dogs, as Elijah predicted.
Esther and the King of Persia
Esther and her foster father, Mordecai, help deliver Jews from persecution by the King of Persia.
feet of clay
The flaw of an otherwise strong and admirable person. (Nebuchadnezzar dreamed of someone with a gold head, silver arms, brass belly, iron legs, and feet of clay. Daniel predicted the feet of clay were weakness and foretold the fall of Nebuchadnezzar’s empire.)
four horsemen of the apocalypse
Any four men of ill repute or those who will bring catastrophe or destruction. (St. John saw four horses (white, red, black, and pale) representing the horrors of war: conquest, slaughter, famine, and death.)
Good Samaritan
Anyone who does the right or courageous thing. (Samaritans were at odds with the other Jews. Jesus told a parable of a Samaritan who did the right thing even under pressure from others.)
Jacob and Esau
Arguing or greedy family members. (Twin brothers: Esau, a hunter, and Jacob, a shepherd, who fought over the promise of spiritual privileges and birthright.)
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth, son of Mary and God, became a religious teacher and leader. His followers founded Christianity.
Job
“The patience of Job” (Job’s family was killed, he was stricken with illness, and deprived of his worldly goods. Kept his faith though the suffering, but still complained. Shows that God does not punish people because they sin, and that no one was immune for suffering, not even the pious and guiltless. )
Jonah and the whale
Jonah was a prophet. Tried to escape God’s command to preach in Assyria. God sent a storm to his ship, the crew threw him overboard, and he was eaten by a whale. Later the whale vomited Jonah up, and then Jonah went to Assyria and preached. Shows God’s love for both Jews and Gentiles.
Joseph
Husband of Mary. A carpenter. A kind husband and father.
Joshua and the battle of Jericho
Joshua succeeded Moses and led Israel in conquering Canaan. The fall of Jericho was a major battle ending in victory for the Israelites.
Judas Iscariot
A traitor. (Betrayed Jesus for a handful of silver coins. Later repented and returned the money, and killed himself.)
Lazarus
Someone who has survived disaster or risen again from apparent defeat. (Lazarus was brought back to life by Jesus.)
Lot and his wife
Lot was Abraham’s nephew and lived in Sodom until God destroyed the city because of its wickedness. Lot escaped, but his wife was turned into a pillar of salt because she looked back at the burning city.
Mary
Wife of Joseph and mother of Jesus, who was conceived without intercourse. Was at the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection.
Moses
Led the Hebrews out of Egypt and through the desert to Canaan. (This is called Exodus). When the Egyptians pursued, God drowned them. Led his people to a sacred mountain, where he was given the Ten Commandments.
Noah and the flood
Chosen by God to survive the flood. Built an ark and was saved, along with two of every creature. Was later guilty of drunkenness, but his sons Ham, Shem, and Japheth become the legendary ancestors of the tribes of the ancient Middle East.
Peter (or Simon or Simon Peter)
The “rock” on which Jesus’ church would be built. A fisherman from Galilee, and a spokesperson for the other disciples. Witnessed the transfiguration and crucifixion. Denied Jesus three times. Saint in the Catholic Church
prodigal son
A young man who is wayward and then is forgiven by his family after he changes his ways and then returns home. (The parable tells the story of a spendthrift son, who upon repentance and returning home, was warmly welcomed by his father.)
Samson and Delilah
A hard-hearted, disloyal woman is called a Delilah, and a well-built, physically strong man is called a Samoso
Sodom and Gomorrah
Any place deemed unwholesome. (Sodom and Gomorrah were cities that God destroyed because their people were so sinful.)
King Solomon
People refer to the wisdom of Solomon when speaking about someone who is fair and astute. (Solomon was the son of King David. Reigned for about 50 years, became rich, write books, and was considered a wise man.)
Thomas
Anyone who doubts or questions things which others believe is called a doubting Thomas. (Thomas was one of the twelve apostles and would not believe Jesus was actually resurrected until he saw the wounds on Jesus.)
Three wise men
The first Gentiles to acknowledge Jesus’ divinity. They were magi who came from the east, guided by a star, to pay homage to baby Jesus in Bethlehem and give him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Aristotle
Great Greek philosopher who may rely upon the heart as well as common sense for direction. (Greek philosopher and student of Plato. Philosopher of moderation and common sense and thought the heart to be the seat of intelligence [sentimentalist]. Not mathematically inclined.)
Queen Bess
Representative of the grandest of all time periods in the modern era in Western civilization–the arts and literature flourished during the Elizabethan era. (Elizabeth of England. Daughter of Henry VIII. Ruled during the grandeur of the English empire beginning with the defeat of the Spanish Armada.)
Hannibal
A daring plot to wage war against a formidable enemy. Despite failing to conquer Rome, Hannibal is remembered for the success in using elephants against Rome. (General of Carthage sworn to eternal enmity with Rome. Crossed the Alps in Italy with elephants.)
Belial
Satan, satanic, devil–evil is connoted (personified as the spirit of evil in the Bible, Belial is evil, the devil, or satan. Ba’al indicates an idolater.)
Pequod
Name usually implies a foreshadowing of doom-extermination, destruction, some kind of complete disaster. ({Also Peqot}, North American Indian tribe along the Connecticut coast near the Mystic River. Tribe was nearly exterminated in 1637.)
Jove
King of all gods, equivalent to Zeus, brother of Poseidon. Represents the all-powerful, the controller of the universe. (Latin for Jupiter. Brother of the god of the sea.)
Narcissus
Excessive self-love and interest in one’s appearance or importance leads to disaster. Vanity corrupts. (Narcissus was a beautiful youth who after Echo’s death pines away for his own reflection in a spring.)
Ahab
Swayed by things negative and sinful, Ahab suggests a dark, evil inclination. (Ahab was the seventh ruler of Israel who provoked the evil of Elijah by agreeing to worship Baal and Astarte–gods of the underworld. Ahab was an idolatrous king.)
Pan
From Pan comes the word “panic.” He liked to surprise people in the woods and cause them to “panic.” (Greek mythology, god of pasture and flocks. Usually pictured as half man half goat playing a flute.)
Achilles
Greek war hero of the Trojan war; despite all attempts to make him invincible, he fell victim to one solitary vulnerability (his heel which had not been dipped in the River Styx at birth) and was killed by Paris.
Sisyphus
Everlasting repetition of a task becomes never-ending as a punishment for wrong-doing and deceptions. (A King of Cornith who was punished in the underworld, having to push a huge rock to the top of a hill, only to have it roll back down, and he would begin again.)
John Locke
English philosopher–origin of all knowledge comes from the senses. (Influenced Kant, Voltaire, and Rousseau. Things, events, and conditions perceived by the senses are the origin of knowledge. Piety is a check on the passions.)
Immanuel Kant
German philosopher–knowledge is not derived from the senses–man should avoid the extremes. (Thought men should avoid dogmatism and overestimation, skepticism and underestimation.)
Gabriel
Angel of Mercy. (One of the 7 archangels, God’s messenger and interpreter. He will announce the arrival of judgement day.)
Fates
The Fates control life: there is no free will. (3 goddesses of Greek and Roman mythology who control human destiny and life. Clotho spins the thread of life, Lachesis determines it’s length, and Atropos cuts it off. )
Euroclydon
Refers to a northeaster-a disastrous wind that stirs the waters violently. Such a wind sank Paul’s ship, but all the prisoners survived.
Brahmins
A member of priestly Hindu caste, the word is derived from worship and prayer. Also represents a long established family especially in early New England.
Vishnu
The “Preserver” and second member of the Hindu trinity (Brahma is first, Shiva is third) Krishna is the human incarnation of Vishnu.
Andromeda
A princess or person rescued from a “monster”. (In Greek mythology, an Ethiopian princess who was rescued from a sea monster by Perseus, whom she married.)
Benedict Arnold
American representative of all that a traitor stands for. (An American army officer and traitor who served with Ethan Allen. He was a hero at Ticonderoga, later court-martialed and fled to England, where he lived the rest of his life in disgrace and poverty.)
Morgan le Fay
A deceitful temptress. (King Arthur’s sister. Has a split personality: when she’s good, she’s a magical healer who can fly and shape-shift. When she’s bad, she’s a destructive witch who is an enemy of Camelot and a devious temptress.)
Perceval
A kind, naïve, and uncouth hero. (The most innocent and child-like of the knights. He encounters the Fisher King. He is one of the only three knights who achieve the Holy Grail.)
King Arthur
A Christ-like character who embodies justice. (The great king of Camelot, husband of Guinevere, and captain of the round table. Legend has it that he will return to Britain when it is in dire need.)
Lancelot
A near-perfect hero that has a fatal flaw. (The finest and most handsome knight of the Round Table. His one mistake was falling in love with Guinevere, King Arthur’s wife. This sinful affair kept him from achieving the Holy Grail and contributed to the end of the fellowship of the Round Table. )
Merlin
A powerful magician. (The greatest of magicians. Trained and advised Arthur.)
Galahad
Purity and perfection. (Son of Lancelot. Chaste and pure. Achieves the Grail and is given the Perilous Seat. )
Guinevere
A passionate and independent woman. (Wife of King Arthur, has a famous affair with Lancelot. Ends her days as a nun.)
Gawain
A likable hero made human by his flaws. ( A model of bravery and courtesy. But women tempted him. Had a feud with Lancelot (Lancelot accidentally killed Gawain’s brother) which contributed to the end of the fellowship of the Round Table.)
The Holy Grail
A penultimate achievement. (The ultimate goal of knightly quests, the cup from which Christ drank at the Last Supper)
Camelot
A place of justice, friendship, and chivalry. (The principal court of King Arthur and home of the Round Table.)
Excalibur
The most powerful of weapons; symbolic of strength and justice. (The sword given to Arthur by the Lady of the Lake. In some stories, he had to pull it out of a stone.)
Round Table
Friendship, loyalty, chivalry. (The table of the knights who served King Arthur. One seat (the Perilous Seat) was left empty to represent Judas’ betrayal of Christ. Only the most holy could sit here.)
