Literary notes about allusion (AI summary)
In literature, "allusion" functions as a nuanced device that enriches a work by hinting at broader contexts—be they historical, mythological, or personal—without overt explanation. Authors often employ allusions to evoke entire networks of meaning with economy and subtlety; for instance, a brief mention may implicitly reference a character’s social standing or hidden past [1, 2], while a cleverly embedded remark can draw on classical myths or significant political symbols to deepen thematic resonance [3, 4]. Such indirect references invite readers to make connections beyond the text’s surface, engaging them in a playful, intellectual discovery that enriches both character development and narrative depth [5, 6, 7].
- And in her simple words there seemed to Alexey Alexandrovitch an allusion to his position.
— from Anna Karenina by graf Leo Tolstoy - He perfectly understood this allusion to the considerations that had hitherto restrained me in my communications with him.
— from David Copperfield by Charles Dickens - [ 13 ] Pallas .--An allusion to the birth of Pallas, or Minerva--grown and armed--from the brain of Jove.
— from Fables of La Fontaine — a New Edition, with Notes by Jean de La Fontaine - The allusion is to the story of Diana and Endymion.
— from Spenser's The Faerie Queene, Book I by Edmund Spenser - " In his brief letter to her he had made no allusion to M. Riviere's visit, and his intention had been to bury the incident in his bosom.
— from The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton - “We will resume this question by mere allusion to the revolting details of the surgeon examined at the inquest.
— from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 1 by Edgar Allan Poe - What reason then can anyone give for his praising Penelope so enthusiastically and making not the slightest allusion to those famous women?
— from The Works of the Emperor Julian, Vol. 1 by Emperor of Rome Julian
