What is the meaning of allegory in literature?

The Oxford English Dictionary defines “allegory” as a “story, picture, or other piece of art that uses symbols to convey a hidden or ulterior meaning, typically a moral or political one.” In its most simple and concise definition, an allegory is when a piece of visual or narrative media uses one thing to “stand in for” …

What is an example of an allegory?

An allegory (AL-eh-goh-ree) is a story within a story. For example, the surface story might be about two neighbors throwing rocks at each other’s homes, but the hidden story would be about war between countries. Some allegories are very subtle, while others (like the rock-throwing example) can be more obvious.

What are the two types of allegory?

We can distinguish between two different types of allegory:

• the historical or political allegory,
• the allegory of ideas.

What are the four types of allegory?

Thus the four types of allegory deal with past events (literal), the connection of past events with the present (typology), present events (moral), and the future (anagogical). Rather, it may be called ” polysemous”, that is, of many senses [allegories].

Which is the best definition of an allegory?

1 : the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence a writer known for his use of allegory also : an instance (as in a story or painting) of such expression The poem is an allegory of love and jealousy.

How do you identify an allegory?

An allegory falls in line with the moral of a story. While an allegory is a story, poem, or picture, it’s used to reveal a hidden meaning or message, like the moral. Allegories are exciting because they use characters and events to convey a meaning.

Are there allegories in the Bible?

Medieval scholars believed the Old Testament to serve as an allegory of New Testament events, such as the story of Jonah and the whale, which represents Jesus’ death and resurrection. According to the Old Testament Book of Jonah, a prophet spent three days in the belly of a fish.

What is the most famous allegory?

The most famous allegory ever written, John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, was published in 1678, making it a holdover; allegory saw its artistic heyday in the Middle Ages.

What is the difference between an allegory and a fable?

Fable is a short story—usually with animals as the main characters—that conveys a moral. Allegory is work of art that can reveal a hidden meaning, usually of moral importance.