Allegory definition: An allegory is a literary device that uses symbolism and metaphor to convey a greater meaning. How to use allegory in a sentence. Meaning of allegory. The fate of allegory, in all its many variations, is tied to the development of myth and mythology. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Allegory is a story or poem which can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. The characters in an allegory often have no individual personality, but are embodiments of moral qualities and other abstractions. Definition of Allegory Etymologically, the word allegory has been derived from the Greek word allegorein, meaning to speak in other terms. Allegory in Literature. Other notable examples of personification allegory are John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress (1678, 1684) and the 15th-century morality play Everyman. The beauty of literature is that it’s jam-packed with rhetorical devices. In literature, allegory represents a figure of language, more precisely a figure of a word of moral character, which leaves aside its merely denotative sense, to put into practice the figurative meaning of words, that is, the duplicity of meanings, or even its multi-signification (multiplicity of meanings). A story, poem, or picture which can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. ‘The Tortoise and the Hare is one best-remembered tales from Aesops’s Fables. Sometimes with allegories, the message is obvious, but more often than not it is hidden and a reader has to dig deep into the poem to try to uncover it. ries 1. a. Literary allegories typically describe situations and events or express abstract ideas in terms of material objects, persons, and actions. Well-known examples of t What is an Allegory? It can be a story or a poem, and the meaning behind it is usually political or moral. One variety of such allegorical interpretation is the typological reading of the Old Testament, in which characters and events are seen as foreshadowing characters and events in the New Testament. We explain what each literary term is and give you an example of how it's used. Allegories are literary devices that are symbolic in nature.When we define allegory, we find that it is a type of extended metaphor that uses a storyline to represent a greater concept. ries 1. a. A symbol, on the other hand, is an object that stands for another object, giving it a particular meaning. It is more complicated than most allegorical works, as it is in the end, an allegory about allegorical writing. You know that truth, falsehood, honesty, goodness, evil, jealousy, laziness, consistency, inconsistency etc. An allegory is a device where the meaning of a greater, often abstract moral or political concept is conveyed with the aid of more material objects or ideas being used as an example. It outlines the … ‘A story is an allegory of real life; the characters are allegories of real people, since you only take the important parts of their lives.’ ‘Lyly's play uses the myth to present a political allegory of Philip of Spain, by giving Midas and his courtiers what was considered by a contemporary English audience to be a specifically Spanish characteristic: the desire for gold.’ Allegory comes from the Latin allegoria, which … The symbolic meaning of an allegory can be political or religious, historical or philosophical. Here’s a quick and simple definition:Some additional key details about allegory: 1. The definition of each, along with helpful hints on how to recognise them, follow. The beauty of literature is that it's jam-packed with rhetorical devices. His “vesture was dabbled in blood” and his face was “besprinkled with scarlet horror”. Allegory definition is - the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence; also : an instance (as in a story or painting) of such expression. It also speaks to what one should avoid in their life. Allegories are works of literature written as a single, unified, rhetorical device. It tells of a prideful, overconfident hare and a determined, wise tortoise and the race the two engaged in. See more. This is a collection of stories from Aesop, a Greek writer who lived 2,600 years ago. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. There is nothing beneath, symbolizing the intangibility and therefore unstoppable nature of the plague. Poe writes of a plague, The Red Death, and the efforts of the rich to confine themselves. It might also be found in symbols or actions, even events occurring in the background can have powerful implications. We charge no subscription fees and accept no commerical advertising. This message usually seeks to remind the reader of a moral obligation or specific religious teaching. Specifically, as defined through the lens of Christianity. Here are some prominent allegory examples. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. The point an author makes sometimes takes on larger-than-life features. An allegory (AL-lih-gore-ee) is a story that has a hidden moral or political message. This poem illustrates the allegorical technique of personification, in which a fictional character—in this case, The Lover—transparently represents a concept or a type. A 20th-century example of political allegory is George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm (1945), which, under the guise of a fable about domestic animals, expresses the author’s disillusionment with the outcome of the Bolshevik Revolution and shows how one tyrannical system of government in Russia was replaced by another. The representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or events in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form. Meaning of allegory. A whole story can be an allegory, and be made up of many metaphors. It is typically an entire book, novel, play, etc. The symbolic meaning of an allegory can be political or religious, historical or philosophical. Never, should one love “man” or “bird” or “beast” more than the other. Tears, Idle Tears by Alfred Lord Tennyson. Animal Farm by George Orwell is a political allegory pertaining to the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the rise of communism. The definition of each, along with helpful hints on how to recognise them, follow. When an author uses an allegory, an idea is explained through well-known figures or occurrences. Rather, they can express it through moving scenes, jarring dialogue, and inventive characters. Allegory is one of the most important literary devices at work in Spenser masterpiece, ‘The Faerie Queene’. Their straightforward embodiments of aspects of human nature and abstract concepts, through such characters as Knowledge, Beauty, Strength, and Death in Everyman and such places as Vanity Fair and the Slough of Despond in The Pilgrim’s Progress, are typical examples of the techniques of personification allegory. Allegory is a literary device in which abstract ideas and principles are depicted through the characters, figures, and events in a story, poem, film, or even in an illustration or painting. Navigate parenthood with the help of the Raising Curious Learners podcast. They have a deeper meaning that the reader should if they are paying close attention, know to decipher. Every single person that visits PoemAnalysis.com has helped contribute, so thank you for your support. An allegory is a literary device used to tell stories on two levels: the literal and the figurative. Definition of allegory noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. In the work, a reader will also come across characters that have very directly been named for the trait they embody. This “truth” or lesson is most likely of a religious, spiritual, or moral nature. Allegories, like many of the literary devices on this list, appear in everyday life without drawing attention. The literal level is the plot, characters and setting. Everything we do (and, yes, I know … Definition. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The allegory is closely related to the parable, fable, and metaphor, differing from them largely in intricacy and length. An allegory is the rhetorical strategy of extending a metaphor through an entire narrative. It allows the writer to deliver a specific, meaningful message. 2. Allegory allows writers to create some distance between themselves and the issues they are discussing, especially when those issues are strong critiques of political or societal realities. Definition: An allegory is a story with (count 'em) two levels of meaning. Brief definition of Allegory. How to use allegory in a sentence. ALLEGORY DEFINITION What is an allegory? are all concepts in our mind. The figurative style known as allegory has nothing to do with alligators — unless you're telling a story where alligators represent evil forces snapping at humanity. Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. Killing one of God’s creatures, putting another’s life behind one’s own, is something the speaker in ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ were contending with. 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