Elements of Elements of PoetryPoetry

AllegoryAllegory

What is an AllegoryWhat is an Allegory An allegory is a form of An allegory is a form of

extended extended metaphormetaphor, in , in which objects, persons, and which objects, persons, and actions in a narrative, are actions in a narrative, are equated with the meanings equated with the meanings that lie outside the that lie outside the narrative itself.narrative itself.

The underlying meaning The underlying meaning has moral, social, religious, has moral, social, religious, or political significance, and or political significance, and characters are often characters are often personificationspersonifications of abstract of abstract ideas as charity, greed, or ideas as charity, greed, or envy.envy.

“Allegory of an American

Christmas”

How to Read an AllegoryHow to Read an Allegory An allegory is a story An allegory is a story

with two meanings, a with two meanings, a literal meaning and a literal meaning and a symbolic meaning.symbolic meaning.

Allegories tend to be Allegories tend to be filled with stock filled with stock characters who characters who symbolically represent symbolically represent personality types or personality types or aspects of personality.aspects of personality.

The setting and The setting and situations these situations these characters tend to find characters tend to find themselves in represent themselves in represent a microcosm of the a microcosm of the world/society at large.world/society at large.

Three Examples of Three Examples of AllegoriesAllegories

Moby Dick

Lord of theFlies

The Allegoryof the Cave