Give an example of an allusion in literature.

English Literary Terms Questions



71 Short 80 Medium 59 Long Answer Questions Question Index

Give an example of an allusion in literature.

One example of an allusion in literature is found in William Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet." In Act 2, Scene 2, Juliet says, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." This is an allusion to the story of "Pyramus and Thisbe" from Ovid's "Metamorphoses," where the two lovers communicate through a crack in the wall and plan to meet under a mulberry tree. The allusion highlights the forbidden love between Romeo and Juliet and foreshadows their tragic fate.