Allegory — Definition, Origin, Structure, Types & More

Table of Contents

Definition

An allegory is a symbolic narrative or story that has a hidden meaning behind its surface meaning. In it, the characters, events, and settings represent abstract ideas, such as moral, political and religious etc.

The Origin of Allegory

The word "allegory" is taken from the Greek word "allēgoria", which means "speaking otherwise." Historically, allegory was a common literary and artistic device in ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian cultures, because their myths and legends always had lessons or hidden meanings. Plato and other Greek philosophers used allegories in their works to explain different philosophical concepts. Among the first and most significant examples of an allegory is the "Allegory of the Cave" found in Plato's famous book The Republic.

Structure of Allegory

An allegorical narrative or story has two levels of meaning:

Literal Level: This is the surface or apparent level of an allegorical text. Here, the characters, events, and settings are understood directly as they appear without any additional interpretation.

Symbolic Level: At this level, the characters, events, and settings in the literal story represent the larger hidden concepts and ideas.

Note: In order to enhance their dual nature, Allegories frequently uses certain literary techniques, such as the use of personification, symbolism, and extended metaphors.

Types of Allegory

There are different types of allegory. Each of the types has a unique purpose and conveys different messages.

Moral or Religious Allegory: This is a type of allegory that teaches moral and religious lessons. Dante's epic poem The Divine Comedy is one of the finest examples of this type of allegory, which represents the soul's journey toward God. In it, every phase (Hell, Purgatory, Paradise) symbolizes spiritual lessons and the conflict between good and evil.

Political Allegory: This is another very famous type of allegory, in which a narrative symbolically comments on political structures, ideologies, or historical events. One prime example of this type of allegory is George Orwell's famous novel Animal Farm, which depicts the Russian Revolution and criticizes totalitarianism through a story of farm animals, who overthrow their human owner and create their own oppressive regime.

Philosophical Allegory: This type of allegory is based on existential issues and ideas. For example, Plato's "Allegory of the Cave", which represents the philosopher's journey from ignorance to enlightenment.

Psychological Allegory: A psychological allegory deals with the exploration of the human psyche by portraying internal conflicts or thought processes of the characters. The novella The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is an example of this type of allegory, in which the protagonist Gregor Samsa's sudden transformation into an insect represents alienation, loss of identity and humanity, and economic pressure in modern society.

See Also

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos — The Rhetorical Triangle

Allegory in Other Forms of Art

Although, allegory is generally associated with literary works, but its use is also common in visual arts, music, and films.

Allegory in Visual Arts: From the Renaissance to the Baroque era, many of the artists have used allegories in their paintings to convey different messages and lessons. For example, the group of mythical characters in Sandro Botticelli's famous painting Primavera stands for different ideas and concepts.

Allegory in Film and Television: In contemporary times, allegories are more frequently used in film and television than any other art form. Movies like The Matrix is a well-known example of it, which uses the concept of a simulated reality to represent themes of reality, control, and freedom. Similarly, the famous TV series Black Mirror is an allegory for the dark and harmful side of technology and societal trends.

Allegory in Music: Just like films and television, allegories are also used in the lyrics of music. The American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan in his songs frequently uses allegorical lyrics to address different societal issues, such as civil rights, war, and individual freedom etc.

Conclusion

Conclusively, allegory as a literary device is still relevant today, because it allows writers to present deeper and difficult concepts in an engaging and multi-layered manner.