Adonis to Zorro: Oxford Dictionary of Reference and Allusion

by Sheila Dignen and Andrew Delahunty

Book Overview

Allusions are a colorful extension to the English language, drawing on our collective knowledge of literature, mythology, and the Bible to give us a literary shorthand for describing people, places, and events. A cunning crook is an Artful Dodger, a daydreamer is like Billy Liar, a powerful woman is a modern-day Amazon - we can suffer like Sisyphus, fail like Canute, or linger like the smile of the Cheshire Cat. This absorbing and accessible A-Z explains...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 019956745X
• ISBN13: 9780199567454
• Release Date: December 2010
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 9.3" x 6.4"