In creating works of Russian and Western classics used various means and techniques. At the beginning of the last century, a trend towards symbolism and allegory began to appear in world literature. Such features are not only present in modern prose, but are today the subject of close study of literary scholars. Allusions became the artistic figures to which researchers paid special attention in the 20th century. What it is? What are they needed for? And what forms can allusions have?
Origin of the term
More recently, literary theorists have formulated the definition of allusion. What this phenomenon was, few people thought before, and not because the masters of the word of art did not apply it. Examples of allusions are already found in the poetry of the Middle Ages. Rather, the fact is that until the beginning of the last century, literary criticism did not develop so actively.
In modern philology, this term is used to refer to one of the stylistic devices. Translated from Latin, it means "hint." An allusion is an artistic image that the author borrows in biblical subjects, in ancient or medieval mythology, or in the works of other writers. The purpose of this borrowing is to draw a parallel between his own literary creation and the well-known work already created before him. Thus, we can say that the author, using an existing image, “hints” at his resemblance to the hero, plot or idea of his novel, short story or story.
Types of Allusion
With the help of such stylistic devices, the author can refer not only to a well-known literary work, but also to some historical fact. Various elements from biblical or mythical plots can play the role of allusion. What kind of artistic phenomenon this is is impossible to answer within the framework of one article. Many literary researchers devote their work to this topic, each of whom offers his own interpretation and classification. In order to get a general concept of allusion, several examples from the literature should be given and classified by the main criterion, namely, the source from which it can be borrowed. So, such artistic images can be:
- mythological;
- biblical
- historical;
- literary;
- philosophical and aesthetic.
Allusions are used to plot the story, to reveal the character of the hero or idea of the author. They can be in the title of the work or in its ending. Also, these stylistic figures can occupy a medial position.
"In the first circle"
The allusion in the novel of Alexander Solzhenitsyn is in the title of the work. In his “Divine Comedy,” Dante Alighieri formed the strict structure of the underworld, dividing it into nine circles. The sinful soul, according to the plot of the poem of the Italian author, is in one of them. But each of the circles corresponds to the severity of misconduct committed during life. In the first are the most harmless sinners, whose guilt is highly doubtful: unbaptized babies, virtuous, but unbaptized people. In Solzhenitsyn’s novel, the Dante’s first circle is taken as an allusion. What this allegorical device is and what function it performs can be understood by recalling the author’s words: “The most expensive thing in the world is to realize that you are not participating in injustice.” The heroes of the Russian writer are punished, suffer, like the inhabitants of the first circle of the Italian philosopher, innocently and are victims of a huge terrible system.
Shakespearean allusions
Elements borrowed from the works of William Shakespeare are actively used in the works of modern authors, primarily English-speaking ones. One of these allusions is the image of the black prince from the novel Iris Murdoch. The plot of this work is the background to the legend of the Prince of Denmark.
The English writer John Fowles draws a parallel between the heroes of his novel The Collector and the Shakespearean characters from the tragedy Storm. In both the first and second cases, the characters occupy a medial position.
As for the works of Russian classical literature, a vivid example of an allusion to images from the work of an English playwright is Leskov's novel "Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk County."
Other artistic allusions
The choice of the source of allusions depends on the time in which the author lives, on his ideas. In the novel “The Master and Margarita” there are allegories everywhere, subtle hints of biblical images and plots. Bulgakov's work raises many questions and puzzles. But the links of the author of the cult work of the XX century to Goethe's Faust are obvious. The name of the main character is the main allusion. Bulgakov devoted the main plot line to love and the theme of fleeting happiness, which is also an interesting subject for critics to study due to the abundance of images of the German poet in it.
Reminiscence is a more general concept. The use of various images and elements from a famous work of art can take various forms. The stylistic device to which this article is devoted implies the most unequivocal reading.
Allusion and reminiscence are generally synonymous. Great characters and plots may already have been created. Modern authors can only rethink them and transfer them to our time. And it is worth saying that such artistic techniques are used not only in literature, but also in cinema. An example from Soviet cinema is the film “Children of Don Quixote”. The protagonist of this film does good without expecting a reward. He gives himself to work with all his soul, not paying attention to ridicule. His actions may seem crazy to ordinary people. But these follies are noble. And this is the similarity of the movie character with the character of Cervantes.