Transformation Allusions, Definition, Citation, Reference, Information - Allusion to Transformation

  1. Actaeon surprised Artemis bathing and was changed by her into a stag. [Gk. Myth.: Jobes, 28]
  2. Adonis killed by a boar, he was changed into an anemone by Venus. [Gk. Lit.: Metamorphoses]
  3. Alectryon changed into rooster by angry Ares for neglecting to warn against approach of the sun; doomed forever to announce its arrival. [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 17]
  4. Alpheus hunter pursuing Arethusa is turned into a river. [Gk. Myth.: Brewer Dictionary, 26]
  5. Arachne won weaving contest against Athena, who then changed her into a spider. [Gk. Myth.: Jobes, 116]
  6. Arethusa changed into stream by Artemis to save her from river god, Alpheus. [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 29]
  7. Argus hundred-eyed giant ordered slain by Zeus, changed by Hera into a peacock with a tail full of “eyes.” [Gk. Myth.: Benét, 48]
  8. Ascalaphus turned into an owl by Demeter. [Gk. Myth.: Kravitz, 37]
  9. Atys beloved of Cybele, who changed him into a pine tree as he was about to commit suicide. [Gk. Myth.: Brewer Dictionary, 55]
  10. Bottom, Nick Puck turns his head into that of an ass. [Br. Drama: Shakespeare A Midsummer Night’s Dream]
  11. Breast, The literature professor transformed into a 155-pound breast topped by a football-size nipple. [Am. Lit.: Philip Roth The Breast in Weiss, 55]
  12. Cadmus sows dragon’s teeth that turn into armed men. [Gk. Myth.: Brewer Dictionary, 180]
  13. Callisto nymph that Zeus transformed into a bear. [Gk. Myth.: Walsh Classical, 28]
  14. Ceyx and Halcyone royal couple are changed into sea-birds. [Gk. Myth.: Bulfinch]
  15. Chelone changed into tortoise for refusing to attend wedding of Zeus and Hera. [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 59]
  16. Circe seductive sorceress who turned Odysseus’ companions into swine. [Gk. Myth.: Benét, 201]
  17. Clytie ocean nymph, in love with Apollo, was changed into a heliotrope. [Gk. Myth.: Brewer Dictionary]
  18. Crocus distressed by unrequited love, changed by Hermes into a saffron plant. [Gk. Myth.: Avery, 338]
  19. Cyane turned by Hades into a fountain (or river). [Gk. Myth.: Kravitz, 70]
  20. Daphne turned into laurel tree to escape Apollo. [Gk. Myth.: Kravitz, 75]
  21. Derceto nature deity; became mermaid when Mopsus pursued her. [Philistine Myth.: Jobes, 433; Avery, 389]
  22. Dirce changed by gods into a fountain. [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 88]
  23. Doolittle, Eliza Cockney flower-girl, trained by a professor, gains admission to polite society. [Br. Drama: G. B. Shaw Pygmalion; Am. Musical: My Fair Lady in On Stage, 373]
  24. Duchess’s baby ill-treated infant turns into a pig. [Br. Lit.: Lewis Carroll Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland]
  25. Eurydice transformed into a bacchante to suit enamored Zeus. [Fr. Operetta: Offenbach, Orpheus in Hades, Westerman, 271–272]
  26. frog prince transformed by a witch, he is turned back into a prince by favor of a princess. [Ger. Fairy Tale: Grimm]
  27. Galatea statue of woman fashioned by Pygmalion and brought to life by Aphrodite. [Gk. Myth.: Jobes, 623]
  28. Hermine her body is shrunk to figurine size. [Ger. Lit.: Herman Hesse Steppenwolf]
  29. Hippomenes and Atalanta changed into a lion and a lioness for failing to honor Venus after their legendary race. [Gk. Myth.: Bulfinch]
  30. Hulk, the the monster that David Banner becomes when angered. [Comics and TV: Horn, 324]
  31. Io changed into heifer by Zeus because of Hera’s jealousy. [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 137]
  32. Jekyll, Dr. Henry by means of a drug, changes himself into a repulsive, evil creature. [Br. Lit.: Stevenson Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in Magill I, 214]
  33. Jurgen middle-aged pawnbroker turned into a young man ready for amorous adventure. [Am. Lit.: Jurgen in Magill I, 464]
  34. Lawford, Arthur dozing in a graveyard, his body — but not his mind — is replaced by one of the dead. [Br. Lit.: Walter de la Mare The Return in Magill II, 896]
  35. Lot’s wife disobeyed God’s order not to look back; she became a pillar of salt. [O.T.: Genesis 19:26]
  36. Lucius metamorphosed into an ass, has a series of adventures. [Rom. Lit.: Apuleius Metamorphoses or The Golden Ass in Magill I, 309]
  37. Lycaon king turned into a wolf for having served human flesh. [Gk. Myth.: Brewer Dictionary, 570]
  38. Medusa her face was so hideous that any who saw it were turned to stone. [Gk. Myth.: Brewer Dictionary, 596]
  39. Midas everything he touched turned to gold. [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 167]
  40. Myrmidons originally ants, turned into human beings by Zeus to populate the island of Oenone. [Gk. Myth.: Benét, 697]
  41. Narcissus enamored of his own reflection in a pool, he pines away and is turned into a flower. [Gk. Myth.: Benét, 701]
  42. Niobe her children slain, she is turned to stone by Zeus at her own request. [Gk. Myth.: Benét, 717]
  43. Odysseus’ crew turned into swine by Circe. [Gk. Lit.: Odyssey]
  44. Orion slain by Diana, giant hunter becomes a constellation. [Gk. Myth.: Brewer Dictionary, 664]
  45. Orlando born a man in 1588, dies a woman in 1928. [Br. Lit. Orlando, Magill I, 698–700]
  46. Periclymenus had the power to assume any form. [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 199]
  47. Petrouchka clown puppet that comes to life. [Russ. Ballet: Petrouchka in Thompson, 1657]
  48. Philemon and Baucis couple turned into an oak and a linden so that they are together in death. [Gk. Myth.: Brewer Dictionary, 698]
  49. Philomela (Philomena) changed by gods into nightingale. [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 205–206]
  50. Phoulca bogey-beast taking many forms; e.g., horse, bat, eagle. [Irish Folklore: Briggs, 326–327]
  51. Pinocchio changed from mischievous puppet to loving boy. [Ital. Lit.: Pinocchio]
  52. portrait of Dorian Gray becomes more hideous as Gray grows more vicious. [Br. Lit.: Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray]
  53. Proteus has ability to change shape. [Gk. Myth.: Kravitz, 201]
  54. pumpkin turned into coach by Cinderella’s fairy godmother. [Fr. Fairy Tale: Cinderella]
  55. Red Queen shaken by Alice, she turns into a kitten. [Br. Lit.: Lewis Carroll Through the Looking-Glass]
  56. Rhinoceros Berenger discovers that Jean is turning into a rhinoceros like all the other townspeople. [Fr. Drama: Weiss, 394]
  57. Samsa, Gregor young man wakes up one day to find that he has turned into an enormous insect. [Ger. Lit.: Kafka The Metamorphosis in Benét, 663]
  58. Syrinx nymph, pursued by Pan, was changed into a reed, from which Pan made his pipes. [Gk. Myth.: Brewer Dictionary, 876]
  59. tarnhelm golden helmet that allowed its wearer to assume any form or even become invisible. [Ger. Opera: Wagner The Ring of the Nibelung]
  60. Tebrick, Silvia Fox changed from dignified woman into wild fox. [Am. Lit.: Lady into Fox, Magill I, 486]
  61. Tippetarius boy changed into Ozma, Queen of Oz. [Children’s Lit.: The Land of Oz]
  62. Tiresias saw two snakes copulating and was changed into a woman. [Gk. Myth.: Jobes, 1576]
  63. Tithonus unable to remove him from the earth because of his immortality, Eos changes him into a grasshopper. [Gk. Myth.: Brewer Dictionary, 901]
  64. transubstantiation changing of bread to body of Christ. [Christian Theol.: Brewer Dictionary, 1097]
  65. Veretius Welsh king changed into wolf by St. Patrick. [Br. Legend: Brewer Dictionary, 1148]
  66. Zeus assumed many forms to indulge his passions. [Zimmerman, 292–293]