Guides: English 2322: British Literature Assignments: Short Research Assignment 2: Engaging Allusions

Assignment

The task:

Allusions are one of the most important, and common, literary devices available to authors. In short, allusions are when an author references a previously written work in order to make a point.

In this assignment you will be picking something we’ve read as a class between Weeks 2 and 9 and exploring the role of allusion in it.

The steps:

Please read the encyclopedia entry in D2L and watch the video in D2L so that you understand fully what allusion is. Please watch the introductory video to this assignment in D2L.
Pick a text and find an allusion: some ideas are provided below, or you can come up with your own topic.
Research the allusion. What is it? Where does it come from?
Think through how the early English author uses the allusion. What changes does he/she/they make to the original?
Reflect on the point of the device. Why did the author use this allusion?

MLA formatting
Length of 800 words or more
Properly cited use of sources
3 paragraphs: 1 summarizing the allusion, 1 explaining how the author uses the allusion/changes made etc, 1 paragraph reflecting on why the author used the allusion

Category	Point Value	Notes
Formatting	10	Heading, header, title Indented paragraphs, double-spaced with no extra spacing Works Cited page In-text citations
Paragraph 1	30	Introduces the allusion: summarizes and provides historical/literary context Well-developed Cites sources properly Transitions between ideas Has a ratio of 3 sentences of student commentary for each quote. Minimum of 200 words
Paragraph 2	30	Explains HOW the allusion is used. Is it developed at length? Does the author make changes to the source text? Is it a short reference? Where does it appear? This is a very basic informational paragraph. Well-developed Cites sources properly Transitions between ideas Has a ratio of 3 sentences of student commentary for each quote. Minimum of 200 words
Paragraph 3	30	Reflects on WHY the author uses the allusion. What is the point? Well-developed Cites sources properly Transitions between ideas Has a ratio of 3 sentences of student commentary for each quote. Minimum of 300 words.