The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions (repost)
The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions by Andrew Delahunty, Sheila Dignen, Penny Stock
Publisher: OUP Oxford; 2 edition (10 Nov 2005) | 480 Pages | ISBN: 0198609191 | PDF | 9 MB
Publisher: OUP Oxford; 2 edition (10 Nov 2005) | 480 Pages | ISBN: 0198609191 | PDF | 9 MB
The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions provides concise guidance to thousands of references to literature, mythology and the Bible. If you've ever been puzzled by one, it's a good book to have. The allusions are mostly grouped by theme, while a few key subjects are given extended treatment in their own special entries–Adam and Eve, Hercules and The Trojan War, for example. In most cases, the explanation of an allusion's meaning is accompanied by at least one example of its use. In addition, there's a note of guidance at the head of each theme, and there are plenty of cross-references linking related topics. The entry on Heathcliff, for example, is included under the theme "Beauty: male beauty" and declares: "Heathcliff is the passionate gypsy hero of Emily Bronte's romantic novel Wuthering Heights (1847). He has long, dark hair and a rugged, wild attractiveness." Two examples follow.