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Literary Devices
Definition of Allusion
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals, historical events, or philosophical ideas... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to... read full definition
Chapter 2: Commodity
Explanation and Analysis—Aeolus's Bag:
When discussing human-made industry, Emerson alludes to the story of Aeolus’s bag in order to emphasize the raw power of steam:
He no longer waits for favoring gales, but by means of steam, he realizes the fable of Æolus’s bag, and carries the two and thirty winds in the boiler of his boat.
Related Themes:
Chapter 5: Discipline
Explanation and Analysis—The Savior on the Ass:
The simile that Emerson employs, in which he compares nature to the Saviour's ass, is meant to highlight the importance of nature while also setting it up in a subservient relationship to man:
Unlock with LitCharts A+[Nature] receives the dominion of man as meekly as the ass on which the Saviour rode.
Related Themes:
