Allusions Test 1 Semester 2 Origins Flashcards
Stealing Someone’s Thunder
In the 17th century, playwright John Dennis invented the sound effect of rattling a sheet of tin to mimic thunder. He used this effect in one of his own plays, and the play was denounced by other playwrights and critics. However, his sound effect was widely copied. Frustrated, Dennis proclaimed that his rivals would not accept his play but were happy to “steal my thunder.”
Witch Hunt
In 1692, in Salem, Massachusetts, hysteria about supposed witches led to the arrest of many people, and the execution of twenty. Often, the accused were simply social outcasts and were convicted on Elimsy evidence that could neither be proved nor disproved.
Throw Down the Gauntlet
In the days of knighthood and chivalry, if a knight wanted to challenge another knight to a duel, he would throw down his heavy glove, or “gauntlet.” If the challenged knight picked up the gauntlet, this indicated that he had accepted the challenge.
The Muses
In Greek mythology, the Muses were nine goddesses who presided over the arts. They gave inspiration to mortals. Typically, an epic begins with an invocation to the Muse, in which the poet asks the Muses to inspire him as he writes or sings his story.
Kafkaesque
Frank Kafka (1883-1924) was a Czech, German-speaking writer, whose work often dealt with surreal, anxiety producing situations. For example, in The Metamorphosis, the main character awakens to discover that he has been transformed into a giant cockroach.
Tower of Babel
According to the Book of Genesis, Noah’s descendants decided to build a tower that would reach Heaven itself. Concerned that mankind was becoming too powerful, God decided to introduce different languages so that the people could not understand each other and thus could not complete the tower.
Pollyana
Pollyanna is a character in children’s stories written by Eleanor H. Porter. She is a little girl who teaches everyone she meets to play the “glad game,” a game in which a person tries to find something to be glad about in any situation, no matter how bad the situation is.
Pavlov’s Dogs/Pavlovian
Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) was a Russian scientist best known for his research on conditioned response. In his experiments, Pavlov rang a bell while presenting food to dogs. Seeing the good caused the dogs to salivate. Eventually, even without the food, when Pavlov rang the bell, the dogs would automatically begin to salivate because they had been conditioned to associate the bell with the food.
Bedlam
“Bedlam” was the popular nickname for London’s Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem, a mental hospital founded in the fourteenth century. Because the patients were simply housed there with little treatment, they tended to wander the halls talking to themselves or screaming and fighting with each other.
The Handwriting on the wall
According to the Book of Daniel, Belshazzar, the King of Babylon, gave a great banquet, at which the guests praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, wood, iron, and stone. Suddenly, a human hand appeared and wrote a mysterious words on the wall. Daniel translated the writing, saying it prophesied that Belsharrar’s reign was over. That night, the king was killed.
Albatross Around One’s Neck
In “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, a sailor shoots an albatross, a bird considered to be a good omen. As punishment, the sailor is forced to wear the carcass of the albatross around his neck.
Prometheus/Promethean
In Greek mythology, Prometheus was a demigod known for his cunning. Having been tricked by Prometheus, Zeus withheld fire from mankind. In response, Prometheus went to Mount Olympus and stole some fire, which he gave to man. Zeus punished him by chaining him to a rock; each day an eagle came and ate out his liver, which grew back each night. He was eventually rescued by Hercules.
Juggernaut
“Juggernaut” is the name of a Hindu deity (god or goddess). His image is carried in an annual procession on a large cart. According to legend, devotees threw themselves in front of the cart and were crushed, believing this guaranteed immediate entry to Paradise.
Red Herring
There are several explanations for the origin of this phrase, a herring is a fish, and when it is “cured,” or smoked and salted, it turns red and has a very strong pungent smell. One explanation is that British fugitives in the 1800’s would drag a red herring across their trail, thus confusing the hounds and diverting them from following the convicts’ scents. Another explanation is that red herrings were dragged across the ground to train hunting dogs to follow a scent, and later were used to throw the dogs off the trail and thus prolong a foxhunt. A variation of this explanation is that poaches used the herrings to divert hunting dogs so that they could get the game for themselves.
Pharisses/Pharisaical
The Pharisees were Jewish sect that insisted on strict adherence to written law. Jesus rebuked (sharp disapproval) the Pharisees often for being outwardly pious but inwardly corrupt, only observing the law to impress others, but having no true mercy or love for others.
