Have you ever read a poem and found a reference from history or previous literature? Of course you have! That, my friend, is an allusion! Allusions can be all types. Whether it is a famous person or a mythological creature, as long as it is previously know, it is an allusions. However, Allusions are not just a reference. Allusions are similar to symbols in how the suggest far more than what is plainly written.

I recently recited the poem “Dover Beach” by Matthew Arnold. I noticed he used an allusion in his poem. As he is describing the scenery and the rough ocean, he references Sophocles and the Aegean. The reason he makes an allusion to Sophocles is to illustrate the speaker’s depressing view of the ocean. Since Sophocles was known for writing tragedies, the speaker is saying the depressing sound of the ocean influenced Sophocles to write such sad tragedies. This example demonstrates how allusions add a deeper meaning to a work.