An Allegory is a literary device that is used to create a complex, multi-layered narrative. A writer will use material objects, people, and/or actions to express abstract ideas, situations, or events.
Where Do You Find Allegories?
Allegories come in a variety of forms, but the most common are fable, parable, apologue, and satire.
In Modern times, allegory is used to discuss politics ad historical events.
Plato, Cicero, Apuleius, and Augustine were known to use Allegories, but the device did not flourish until the Middle Ages where it was found in sustained narratives.
Examples of Allegories in Literature
The most influential Allegory from the Medieval period is Le Roman de la Rose. This poem is attributed to Guillaume de Lorris, but virtually nothing is known about him.
Absalom and Achitophel by John Dryden (example of a satirical allegory)
Animal Farm by George Orwell (this allegorical narrative is disguised as a fable)
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Divine Comedy by Dante
Everyman it is unknown who authored this morality play
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe
The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Sources
"allegory". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2016. Web. 11 Oct. 2016.
"Allegory." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2016.
