Allusion in Frankenstein

7.60K views

I have to find an example of allusion in the “letters” at the beginning of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.  Advice?  I don’t really understand allusion well, or why it’s useful.

0

Mia- In Letter II, there is an allusion to a poem called “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” (he makes mention of killing the albatross).  Some of the underlying themes in this poem are loss of innocence, and the urge to find spiritual growth/enlightenment.  These themes can be paralleled to the themes in Frankenstein, which is why it is useful in this particular context.  Allusion is when an author indirectly refers to (or “alludes” to) a historical event, literary work, person, etc., hoping that the reader will understand the allusion and how it’s importance or meaning is relative.