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Allusion
Explanation and Analysis—Celebrated Alchemists:
In this passage, Lidenbrock utilizes allusions to notable historical thinkers—such as Avicenna, Bacon, Lully, and Paracelsus—to explain the regard in which scholars hold Arne Saknussemm:
“Arne Saknussemm!” he cried, in a triumphant tone.
“Why, that is a name, and an Icelandic name, too; that of a celebrated alchemist, a savant who lived in the sixteenth century.”
I looked at my uncle with a feeling of admiration.
“These alchemists,” he went on, “Avicenna, Bacon, Lully, Paracelsus, were the true, the only savants of their times. They made discoveries which may well astonish us. Why should not this Saknussemm have hidden under this incomprehensible cryptogram the secret of some surprising invention? It must be so. It is.”
The allusions to historical figures that Verne makes in this passage help place Saknussemm (a fictional character) in a context a reader might understand. Avicenna, Bacon, Lully, and Paracelsus are real historical figures. Each of these individuals was well-known for their contributions to various fields like alchemy, philosophy, and science. By aligning Saknussemm with these iconic names, the passage suggests that he was a thinker and innovator of similar importance. This comparison not only contextualizes Saknussemm's importance, but also sets up expectations for the discovery of something extraordinary and groundbreaking within the text that he has left behind. It's a way of imbuing the narrative with a sense of importance and grandiosity.
It's also notable that Axel refers to Professor Lidenbrock as a “savant” several times in the first chapter. The word, in this context, refers to someone who is unusually skilled and knowledgeable. It also has implications of eccentricity or oddness, which—Axel and Lidenbrock both imply—can be excused in a brilliant thinker. It’s essentially a synonym for “genius.” Lidenbrock himself calls Saknussemm a “savant” in the passage, indicating that he holds his work in high regard. However, as the term also describes Professor Lidenbrock, it forges a connection between Axel’s uncle and this lineage of geniuses. This allusion underscores Lidenbrock’s eccentricity and brilliance, painting him as a modern counterpart to these legendary scholars and thinkers.
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