Niki Panayiotou

Jerome McKeever
Honors College Composition I
February 23, 2014
Aphrodite as an Allusion
Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of beauty and love who drew the love from many men, is
used a literary allusion for a beautiful woman that men cant stay away from. Aphrodite was
born from the sea and has an adulterous affair with Ares. She then found love with Adonis and
Ankhises. Aphrodite also killed the women who loved her son, Eros, who was always by her
side. She was a very jealous woman even though she had the affections of many men. Many
companies use Aphrodite as an allusion in their products. One example of a company that uses
Aphrodite as an allusion is Dove. This company puts a dove on all of their products and a dove
was used as a symbol of Aphrodite. This symbol can be found on bottles of their products or
even straight on their bars of soap. So, the company is saying that when you use their product
you will be as beautiful and wanted as Aphrodite was.

http://www.theoi.com/Olympios/Aphrodite.html


Achilles Heel as an Allusion
Achilles, the Greek warrior whose only weakness was his heel, works as a literary
allusion for vulnerability or a fatal flaw. Achilles was dipped in the River Styx as a baby by his
mother Thetis, who was a nymph, to make him invulnerable, but since he was being held by the
heel that could not be dipped in the River Styx. The heel that was being held was vulnerable and
that was his only downfall in life. Achilles was part of the Trojan War, where he was trying to
win back Helen from his brother Menelaus, when he was shot in his heel with an arrow by Paris,
which was the only way to kill him. Achilless heel is used as an allusion in modern day TV
abundantly. An example is Superman and kryptonite. This is an allusion because Superman has
no weaknesses, except when kryptonite is around him. When Superman is presented with
kryptonite, he is vulnerable and can be killed just like Achilles heel was to Achilles.

http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/achilles/g/Achilles.htm


Jekyll and Hyde as an Allusion
Jekyll and Hyde, a story about a man who has a good personality and a bad personality,
represents as an allusion the two sides to every human being. Dr. Jekyll is a respected doctor in
his little. When murders start to happen, a detective starts to look at a friend of Jekylls named
Hyde. The detective then receives a letter saying that Dr. Jekyll took a potion and turned into
Hyde. In a comedy called Me, Myself, and Irene, Jim Carrey portrays a man that has two
personalities. One of them is nice caring man and the other is a rude, very mean man. This is
used as an allusion to Jekyll and Hyde, because it shows that good and bad within each person.

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/jekyll/summary.html

Don Juan as an Allusion
Don Juan, who is a famous lover and has conquered more than a thousand sexual
conquests, is used as an allusion to a male like prostitute. Don Juan is an old Spanish folk legend.
It is about a man who had conquered many sexual partners. But while he was planning on
seducing a young lady, Don Ana, her father caught him. Her father was The Commander and
challenged him to a duel, but Don Juan killed him. Later Don Juan walks by The Commanders
tomb and his voice threatens him. Then that night The Commanders ghost shows up at Don
Juans house and drags him to hell. Don Juan is used as an allusion in a more modern television
show How I Met Your Mother. One of the main characters, Barney Stinson, is known for
sleeping with women every night of the week. He may never be referred to as Don Juan, but his
actions reflect those of Don Juan.


http://tacit.caltech.edu/hell/djplot.html
Poseidon as an Allusion
Poseidon, known in Greek mythology as the God of the sea, represents an allusion of
travel. Poseidon, the brother of Zeus and Hade, was the ruler of the sea. He had married a sea-
nymph named Amphitrite. Poseidon fought with his brothers a lot over ruling the land on Earth.
He also granted wishes to those that needed favors, but when they didnt follow their agreement
he would punish them. Today Poseidon is alluded to in travel agencies. Poseidon traveled the
world by water with his chariot driven by sea horses. So the travel agencies that use his name are
saying that you can travel wherever, just like Poseidon.

http://www.mythweb.com/encyc/entries/poseidon.html

Casanova as an Allusion
Casanova, who is known as a famous lover in history, is used as an allusion of a man who
tries to get all of the ladies. Casanova was born in Italy in the 1700s and was a very smart young
child. He was known for his gambling addiction and sleeping in bed with a lot of women. One
time he slept with two sisters and then years later he slept with one of the two sisters and her
daughter, which was his own daughter. In the story Beauty and the Beast, Belle is trying to be
won over by a man named Gaston. Gaston is loved by all of the women in the town and probably
has slept with a lot of them. He would like to marry Belle and its not really known if he could be
faithful to her. He thinks his charms can win her over, like Casanova does to women.

http://www.walksofitaly.com/blog/background/casanova-the-lover-venice-italy



Merlin as an Allusion
Merlin, a wizard or sorcerer, is used as an allusion to represent wisdom. In Welsh
literature, Merlin is portrayed as a wise old wizard that freely gives his knowledge away to those
that would like to learn. Merlin was the son of a nun and a devil, so he had great powers and
wisdom from both worlds. Merlin would predict future prophecies to kings in order to help them.
Throughout the novel series Harry Potter, Dumbledore, a wizard, is presented as a wise old man.
He uses his magical powers to help those that are in need. In Harry Potter and the Chamber of
Secrets, Dumbledore says, You will always find help at Hogwarts to those that ask for it. This
quote alludes to Merlin and how he always helped those that had asked him.


http://www.timelessmyths.com/arthurian/merlin.html

Pandora as an Allusion
Pandora, the first woman carved out of clay by the gods who was beautiful and
cunning, is used as an allusion of deception. Pandora was sent as a bride to Epimetheus by Zeus
as a punishment. When Pandora was sent, Zeus sent with her a box that was full of evil spirits.
Pandora was told never to open the box, but out of her curiosity she did. These spirits were to
plague mankind forever, but at the bottom of the box was one good thing, hope. In Marry
Shellys Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein out of curiosity built his creation. And in the end of
the story, the creation plagued the whole town, just like Pandoras Box plagued all of mankind.


http://www.theoi.com/Heroine/Pandora.html


Zeus as an Allusion
Zeus, the ruler of the sky and Olympian gods, represents as an allusion power.
Zeus, brother of Poseidon and Hade, is known to throw lightning bolts at those that anger him.
He ruled over storms and could make a natural disaster happen whenever he pleased. Zeus also
makes sure that those gods he rules over follow their duties and if they dont, he punishes them.
When you are watching TV and see thunder clouds rolling quickly over a mountain that is an
allusion to Zeus. In many commercials, you can see this happening. And since Zeus had the
power to control storms and throw lightning bolts, it obvious they are alluding to Zeus.

http://www.greekmythology.com/Olympians/Zeus/zeus.html














Cupid as an Allusion
Cupid, the son of Aphrodite and the mischievous god of love, is used as an allusion to
love. Cupid is often depicted as a child with a bow and arrow, who enflamed love amongst the
gods and men on earth. Cupid is alluded to on a Hallmark holiday known as Valentines Day.
He is portrayed on cards as a baby with an arrow and bow that goes around throwing arrows at
people to make them fall in love.


http://www.theoi.com/Ouranios/Eros.html