The Facts on File Dictionary of Allusions - Green Valley High School

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Vader, Darth See darth vader.
Valentine’s Day massacre See saint valentine’s
day massacre.
Valentino (valbnteeno) A handsome, sexually
attractive male, especially one who has such
qualities to excess. <strong>The</strong> allusion is to movie star
Rudolph Valentino (Rodolfo di Valentina
d’Antonguolla; 1895–1926), who became a heartthrob
for silent- movie audiences through such
fi lms as <strong>The</strong> Sheikh (1921) and Blood and Sand
(1922) before his early death from peritonitis. “I
don’t care if he looks like Rudolph Valentino and
goes in every bistro in the country every night of
the year” (Alice T. Ellis, Pillars of Gold, 1993).
vale of tears Life as a series of misfortunes and
sadnesses. <strong>The</strong> image of life as a vale of tears is
believed to have biblical origins, being derived originally
from the Valley of Baca (the Hebrew bakah
meaning “weeping” ) mentioned in Psalm 84:5–6.
Baca trees are balsams that exude gum in tearlike
drops. “I excused myself and dropped to the rear of
the pro cession, sad at heart, willing to go hence
from this troubled life, this vale of tears, this brief
day of broken rest, of cloud and storm, of weary
struggle and monotonous defeat” (Mark Twain, A
Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, 1889).
vale of Tempe See tempe, vale of.
Valhalla (valhalb) <strong>The</strong> afterworld, where the souls
of the brave go after death. According to Norse
mythology, Valhalla is situated in Asgard and is
connected to Earth by a rainbow bridge. It consists
of a vast banqueting hall with walls of gold
and a roof made of warriors’ shields. Here the
souls of heroes slain in battle spend eternity engaging
in mock battles, feasting with Odin and
recounting their exploits. <strong>The</strong> wounds they sustain
in combat are magically healed each day. In modern
usage Valhalla may denote any place (real or
otherwise) to which only the bravest or most distinguished
of persons may be admitted in recognition
of their achievements. “At fi rst it looked like a
vast blue fort or Valhalla; but when they began to
tuck the coarse meadow hay into the crevices, and
this became covered with rime and icicles, it
looked like a venerable moss- grown and hoary
ruin” (Henry David Thoreau, Walden, or Life in the
Woods, 1854).
Valkyrie (valkiree, valkbree) A formidable
woman, especially one of statuesque proportions
and Nordic appearance. In Norse mythology the
Valkyries were the 12 beautiful blond handmaidens
of Odin who roamed battlefi elds on fl ying