Allegory in Literature

In an allegory, the authors prepare characters, plot and setting as well as they include a lesson or a moral on the big concepts. However, allegory is a comparison or extended metaphor between two things. It usually compared between two things which are unlike. Allegories are not obvious. Here, the ordinary things become symbolic. For instance, space aliens symbolize immigrants. The word ‘Allegory’ comes from the Latin word ‘allegoria’. In allegory, the people and things all have symbolic meaning.

Allegory is a figure of speech and in that, principles and ideas are described by figures, characters and events. It is mostly used in the prose and poetry while describing an idea or principle. It is used in the stories to teach some moral lessons.

However, Allegory is an archaic term and it is used in the literary work. ‘Animal Farm’ written by George Orwell is a great example of Allegory in literature. Here, the animals symbolize the different sections of Russian society, where pigs represent the people who came to power after the time of the revolution. On the other hand, the horse represents the laborer class and the owner of the farm symbolizes the overthrown Tsar Nicholas II.

However, Edmund Spenser’s “Faerie Queen” is a remarkable piece of writing that represents a religious allegory. Here, the bad characters represent the vices and good characters symbolize several virtues. Here, the holiness is represented by the ‘The Red-Cross Knight’ and ‘Lady Una’ portrays the truth. In this poem, ‘The Red-Cross Knight’ epitomizes the reformed church of England that is fighting against the ‘Dragon’ which represents the papacy. Another spiritual allegory is ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’ written by John Bunyan. It represents that the road that goes to Heaven is not easy, rather it is full of obstacles and to reach the place, the person should have faith.

Allegory Examples in Literature:

‘The Lord of the Flies’, written by William Golding comprises many allegories about morality, society, religion, etc.
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘Young Goodman Brown’ depicts the Devil’s staff is used to challenge God. It is about the recognition of evil and it shows corruption as a nature of humanity.
Aesop’s Fables’s the Tortoise and the Hare teaches us that the strong and steady win the race.

Functions of Allegory:

The authors usually use allegory to include different layers of meaning in their work. Allegory is a literal device that makes each character multidimensional and more meaningful than what it refers literally. Allegory allows the authors to represent a moral through their writing. An allegorical writing also represents the writer’s mind as how he thinks and views the world.

Importance of Allegory in Literature:

Allegories have been used in many cultures for centuries. They used to become a part of literature to teach lessons and explain the moral. Additionally, it represents the author’s point view on different situations. An allegory is a specific type of story, as it reflects the truth. It needs to be done properly. The literature done allegorically contains a deeper meaning with more strength.