Mythological Allusions
Beatrice's questions were like an arrow to his heel and he crumbled under the pressure of them.
What is Achilles' heel?
A person with two sides to his/her personality; from a famously two-faced character with a split personality.
What is Jekyll and Hyde?
The poison apple in Snow White could be an allusion to this.
What is Adam & Eve?
A barbaric, rough leader; King of the Huns and the most successful of the barbarian invaders of the Roman Empire.
Who is Attila?
“How could you be so Dr. Evil?”
What is Austin Powers?
There wasn't a mirror Horace couldn't pass without looking longingly into his own eyes. If there were a pool of water in which he could see his face, he would drown in it.
Who is Narcissus?
"I'm a Montague. You're a Capulet. This will never work!"
What is Romeo and Juliet?
In Godfather II, Michael Corleone gives his brother Fredo the “kiss of death” at a New Year’s Eve party, which is an allusion to the kiss that this figure gave Jesus. Unlike Jesus, though, Fredo earned that kiss after betraying his brother in a bid for power.
Who is Judas?
To act together in abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with as an expression of protests or disfavor or as a means of coercion; named after a former British soldier who refused to lower his rents and ejected his tenants and then found himself without any servants, farmlands, service in stores or mail delivery.
What is Boycott?
“So if the devil wear Prada, Adam, Eve wear nada / I’m in between but way more fresher”
What is the film The Devil Wears Prada?
The freshman made a futile attempt to push his rolling backpack uphill to class, only to have it roll back down hill.
Who is Sisyphus?
Scrooge McDuck from Disney is an allusion to this famous novel that is set during the Christmas holidays.
What is A Christmas Carol?
What the future holds; from the Old Testament story of Daniel
What is Handwriting on the wall?
A place of reputed wealth; from the legendary city in South America, sought by early Spanish explorers.
What is El Dorado?
“Got me looking so crazy right now (your touch)/Got me hoping you’ll page me right now, your kiss”.
What is a pager?
Marly felt like they couldn't make a move without their mother's thousand eyes following them.
Who is Argus?
The newest vegan restaurant in town is called "Four Legs Good, Two Legs Bad"
What is Animal Farm?
One who suffers a great deal but remains faithful; from an Old Testament character who loses his family and belongings, but remains patient and faithful.
What is Job?
This term is coined after the Berserkers, a group of champion Norse warriors who possessed incredible strength and entered battle armorless. They would fight in a trance-like fit of fury and rage.
What is Berserk?
“We watch things on VCRs/With me, you talk about big love/I think we’re superstars”
What is a "video cassette recorder"?
Like an angry bird carrying out a vengeful god's punishment, Orville would tear at his brother's confidence then purposefully wait for him to regain it before tearing it down again.
Who is Prometheus?
The famous Dickens novel that is alluded to in this clip from The Simpsons.
What is A Tale of Two Cities?
Humanity’s history is writ large with the ghastly Mark of Cain and in the blood-splattered scripts of every nation and every clime.
What is the story of Cain and Abel?
A decisive or final defeat/setback; source of Napoleon's final defeat.
What is Waterloo?
“Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis/ When I was dead broke, man, I couldn’t picture this”.
What are video game systems?