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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
Key Examples in The Nightingale and the Rose
Allusions
Explanation and Analysis—Christianity:
Like many of Wilde's fairy tales, "The Nightingale and the Rose" contains strong allusions to Christianity. For example, the idealist, natural setting of the story immediately references Christianity with its allusion to the Garden of Eden. The garden's associations with both beauty and darkness refer back to the classic battle between virtue and vice detailed in the story of Adam and Eve. In the same way that Eve plucks the forbidden fruit and thus signals the fall of man in the Bible, the Student in "The Nightingale and the Rose" "lean[s] down and pluck[s]" the red rose. Though the rose is not forbidden to the Student, his plucking of it represents a certain carelessness that ultimately spotlights his shallow and flawed worldview.
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Explanation and Analysis—Hans Christian Andersen:
"The Nightingale and the Rose" has clear allusions to Hans Christian Anderson's fairy tale "The Nightingale." Published in 1843, Andersen's "The Nightingale" became one of his most famous fairy tales, all of which were widely read in Victorian England and Ireland and would have been known to Wilde. The tone of "The Nightingale and the Rose" is heavily influenced by Andersen, especially since its fusion of fantasy and social commentary is very similar to what readers might find in Andersen's fairy tales.
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Explanation and Analysis—Helios and Echo:
The "Nightingale and the Rose" contains allusions to classical myths, creating a sense of timelessness and grandeur that elevates the story’s focus on love and sacrifice. When considering her sacrifice and musing on the beauty of life, the Nightingale talks about how pleasant life is, saying:
Unlock with LitCharts A+"Life is very dear to all. It is pleasant to sit in the green wood, and to watch the Sun in his chariot of gold, and the Moon in her chariot of pearl."
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