By Miss Ashley Huskey
THE ART OF ALLUSIONS
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Definition…
• Allusion- (noun) “an indirect reference to
some piece of knowledge not actually
mentioned.”
• Allusions usually come from a body of
information that the author presumes the
reader will know.
– Ex: an author who writes, “She was another
Helen,” is alluding to the proverbial beauty of
Helen of Troy, a woman so beautiful that a
war was fought over her.
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Allude- “to refer casually or
indirectly”
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This cartoon contains a pop culture allusion
to Star Trek and direct references to X files
& Knight Rider
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Allusion…
• … in literature, an implied or indirect reference to a person, event, or
thing or to a part of another text which adds meaning to the story.
• Allusion is distinguished from such devices as direct quote and
imitation or parody.
• Some authors, such as T.S. Eliot and James Joyce, deliberately use
obscure and complex allusions that they know few people would
understand.
• Similarly, an allusion can be used as a straightforward device to
enhance the text by providing further meaning, but it can also be
used in a more complex sense to make an ironic comment on one
thing by comparing it to something that is dissimilar.
• The word is from the late Latin allusio meaning "a play on words" or
"game" and is a derivative of the Latin word alludere, meaning "to
play around" or "to refer to mockingly.“
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Types of Allusions…
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Historical
Biblical
Pop Culture
Literary
Other classifications
can be used, such
as Mythological
Allusions
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Historical Allusions at Work
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Pop Culture Allusions
• Can be from TV, movies, politics, music, and any other venue of
popular common knowledge that becomes part of our collective
culture as a recognizable symbol or saying.
• Many pop culture allusions occur within another pop culture icons.
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Popular shows, especially animated
ones, consistently draw from literary
allusions:
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Allusions within Tombstone
• Literary Allusions
– Bird Cage Theatre: During a performance, actors
give a speech from Henry V (Shakespeare) and
performs a scene from Dr.Faustus (Marlowe) in
which Faust makes a deal with the devil
– Doc Holliday quotes “Kubla Khan” by Samuel
Taylor Coleridge in a dramatic scene when
Ringo’s revenge is imminent
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Historical Allusions
• A wagon goes by in the down that states
“Equal pay for equal work regardless of
sex,” alluding to the Equal Employment
Act of the time and the ongoing struggle
for equality of the sexes.
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Biblical Allusions
• In the beginning of the film, a priest is speaking in Spanish
and quoting Revelations: “Behold the pale horse…”
• Doc refers to Kate as the “antichrist,” indicating in one word
that she works for the devil to deceive him and lead his
astray
• After Wyatt pulls off a miraculous feat, Doc says he is
“walking on water,” which is a reference to one of Jesus’s
well know miracles from the New Testament.
Even non-believers have been exposed to these common
elements from Christianity and understand the struggle
between good and evil that is portrayed.
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Other Allusions within Tombstone
• Johnny Ringo and Doc Holliday carry on a
conversation in Latin, which culturally alludes
to the fact that they are both educated men.
• When Doc Holliday is playing piano he
alludes to genres of popular music of the
time.
• When Doc Holliday says Tombstone is “Very
cosmopolitan,” is alluding sarcastically to
what was modern and civilized at the time.
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Meaning
• All of these allusions (and many
more) from the film contribute to the
meaning and power of the story as a
whole.
• Allusions cause people to draw on
their prior knowledge and connect
with the story on a more personal
level.
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