You might have heard, that "His Achilles' heel", "Forbbiden fruit", or "She had a secret Garden of Eden" or more. These are called allusion figure of speech used by the writers to call something or someone to mind without explicitly referencing them. Moreover, you might have likely heard or read allusions in a book, poem, film, or even in everyday life. There might be some examples of this you have used without realizing it. Thus, to make things crystal clear for you if you are still in doubt, we have shared a blog on this. It encompasses definitions and examples of allusion figure of speech, worksheets and more. So, let’s explore it.
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An allusion figure of speech is used to refer to something whereas a writer uses something well-known things to refer to a famous person, place, story, event, film, or anything without saying it clearly. This helps the audience to glean the meaning and identify the reference by themselves.
Moreover, using allusion in a sentence can make a shortcut to complex ideas. It can help you to understand the meaning, the audience can easily relate and it assists in adding profundity. Also, this adds meaning to a sentence by tapping into the audience's literary knowledge and shared culture.
An allusion is a literary device used in poetry, literature, and everyday conversation. Thus, this was the allusion definition. It could be confusing at the time of learning, but afterwards, you can easily use this. So, here are the examples of allusion figure of speech that will dispel your doubts.
This is an allusion definition and examples to give you an overview of the allusion. Now, let’s explore.
Here are some allusion definitions given by different authorities.
Oxford Dictionary – Allusion figure of speech that is something written or said that mentions or refers to another person, place, film, event, poem, and more in an indirect way.
Cambridge Dictionary – Allusion figure of speech is a statement that talks about something or someone indirectly, without explicitly stating them. While using this, it is predicted that the audience will understand the connection.
Also read - sentence structure
There are many allusions used to refer to something by using some well-known things. However, there are mainly four types but here we have shared all the main types of allusion used in writing or conversation. Thus, here are some of the well-known allusion figure of speech that you must know about.
These are used differently according to the context, so let’s explore these allusion definition and examples through the following sections. So, let’s explore them.
The casual allusion meaning is this discusses the incidental references that work to add a layer without changing the conventional understanding of any concept. Moreover, it shares insights or crafts a subtle connection with readers.
Example: - "Suresh’s always chasing windmills." This is a casual allusion taken from Don Quixote, where the main character idiotically combats imaginary windmills.
The corrective allusion uses a reference that directly opposes or contradicts the common understanding of the sources. Moreover, it delivers a contrasting outlook.
Example - “The new scholarship grant is a quiet Robin Hood, redirecting funds to where they’re needed most.” This is a corrective allusion to Robin Hood, who is the famous hero known for helping poor people.
The apparent allusion definition is used to provoke critical thought by challenging its underlying message with a specific reference.
Example - “Like Romeo and Juliet, they both believed it was love—but it was just chaos in disguise.” Here, the apparent allusion is to Romeo and Juliet from Shakespeare’s tragic play, showing how a classic love relationship becomes impulsive and unhealthy.
The historical allusion provides references to historical events, periods or figures to deepen meaning and provide historical context in a modern scenario.
Example - “The end of her corporate reign was similar to the fall of Babylon.” this historical allusion was compared to the historical collapse that took place in the ancient city of Babylon.
Religious allusion meaning refers to a religious text, tradition, figure, story, concept or event, often biblical. It helps to communicate a deeper lesson or moral.
Example - Anil was like a Good Samaritan when he offered to help me. Here, religious allusion is taken from the Bible, which is used to help a stranger in need, showing empathy and compassion.
The literary allusion references characters, works, or themes to deepen understanding or highlight specific ideas.
Example- “We Frankenstein-ed together the several pieces until they arranged a whole.” Here, literary allusion is taken from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, there a Dr Frankenstein who puts all the human body parts together in the hope of making a new human, ending up making a monster.
The mythological allusion uses mythological figures, motifs or tales to highlight deeper realities or offer insights into human nature.
Examples – “Icarus’s flight has been named as irresponsible, not brave”. Here mythological allusion denotes Icarus, from Greek mythology, who flew too close to the sun, which caused his wings to melt.
Cultural allusion is used to refer to shared cultural elements like a movies, music, arts and more that suggest familiar themes or ideas within a specific culture.
Example - “Make them an offer they can’t refuse.” This cultural allusion is taken from the Godfather movie and is used to ridicule corporate manipulation or robust arm strategies.
Most writers use allusion figure of speech in their writings such as poetry, literature, stories, books, storybooks, and many more things. Here is the reason why
The use of allusion in literature can vary quite and utilized for different purposes, depending on the author’s intent. As you get to know it provides a reference to something that is outside of the context, knowing that readers will recognise, helping them to connect ideas with a wider cultural context. Here are 10 examples of allusion figure of speech in literature.
These are some of the allusions you can use in literature. It plays a crucial role in literature to provide information indirectly by just adding allusion in a sentence. However, using it properly in the sentences is important. Now, solve a worksheet that will help you to know how much you have learned. So, let’s move ahead to the next section.
As you get an overall image of the allusion definition and examples, it’s time to test your knowledge. Therefore, here is the worksheet in which you have to underline the allusion. Also, cross-check your answer from the answer sheet afterwards. So, let’s solve this together.
Questions
Answer key
In short, allusion is a part of the figure of speech that is used to refer to someone or something indirectly without clearly mentioning them. For that, you can use allusions related to a famous person, place, poem, film, event or anything. Moreover, there are many types of allusions used in poems, stories, sentences, or even in our daily conversation. Thus, if you want to learn this and become a master, you can solve the worksheet. If you want more worksheets on figures of speech like metaphor, oxymoron, alliteration, epigram, hyperbole, irony and more. Then, connect to our experts at Gradding.com, they will provide you best worksheet on all the figures of speech.
1. What is an allusion to examples?
Allusion is a figure of speech that refers to an important or well-known piece of writing, person, place, poetry, event, film, or anything without saying it clearly. This helps the audience to identify the meaning and identify the reference by themselves. For example, "She knew the risk, but the opportunity to get away from her stifling life felt like the forbidden fruit” - It is an allusion taken from the biblical story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden
2. When should you use allusion in your writing?
Allusion is a literary device and a useful approach for writers for various reasons, such as
3. When should you avoid using allusion in writing?
You should avoid using allusions in writing, where the purpose of the content is to be
Here you can use idioms or phrases. Thus, using references to well-known people, stories, or events can confuse readers who aren’t familiar with them. In these cases, it is better to use simple, direct language to communicate the message to the reader.
4. Why do authors use allusions?
Authors use the allusion in their writing to deepen meaning and connect to famous stories, events, and cultural references. It enriches a text without lengthy explanations, engaging readers and encouraging them to think critically.
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