Previous
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
Key Examples in Song of Solomon
Allusions
Explanation and Analysis—Hagar:
Hagar, the young granddaughter of Pilate Dead, bears a biblical name that serves as an apt point of reference for her character. Hagar, from the Hebrew Bible, was an enslaved Egyptian woman who became Abraham's second wife. She bore most of Abraham's children, replacing Sarah, Abraham's first Hebrew wife, who was unable to have children. Hagar is chosen purely for her child-bearing abilities, not out of love or affection. Sarah remains in a place of prominence at Abraham's side, his first and true wife in the eyes of many in the Christian tradition.
Related Themes:
Allusions
Explanation and Analysis—Naming:
Song of Solomon features a wide range of biblical allusions as character names: First Corinthians, Ruth, Pilate, Magdelene. These allusions weave throughout the text, serving as an important connection to the traditions of Black American Christianity. The central mythos in Song of Solomon is somewhat patchwork in nature, including biblical allusions as well as allusions to Greek mythology and other spiritual or religious traditions. In a manner of speaking, this patchwork quilt represents the very real, piecemeal nature of Black American culture.
Unlock with LitCharts A+
Related Themes:
Part 1, Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis—Spinning Gold:
In Chapter 1, the narrator explores Ruth's relationship with a young Milkman, revealing the origins of his strange nickname. Both imagery and allusion are employed in the following passage to illustrate this mother-son relationship:
Unlock with LitCharts A+She felt him. His restraint, his courtesy, his indifference, all of which pushed her into fantasy. She had the distinct impression that his lips were pulling from her a thread of light. It was as though she were a cauldron issuing spinning gold. Like the miller’s daughter—the one who sat at night in a straw-filled room, thrilled with the secret power Rumpelstiltskin had given her: to see golden thread stream from her very own shuttle.
Part 1, Chapter 7
Explanation and Analysis—Circe:
Circe, the supposed woman who lives in the cave Macon and Pilate visited as young children, is named after Circe of Greek mythology—a sorcerer known for turning men into pigs. Circe is one of many mythical, magical figures Odysseus encounters on his epic journey in Homer's Odyssey. Note the following excerpt from Chapter 7, in which the narrator discusses Circe's choice to give shelter to a young Macon and Pilate Dead:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Circe told them to stay with her until they could all figure out what to do, someplace for them to go. She hid them in that house easily. There were rooms the family seldom went into, but if they weren’t safe, she was prepared to share her own room (which was off limits to everybody in the house). It was small, though, so they agreed to stay in a pair of rooms on the third floor that were used only for storage. Circe would bring them food, water to wash in, and she would empty their slop jar.
Related Themes:
