allegoria

Allegoria, or allegory in English, is a narrative technique in which characters, events, and details within a story function on two levels: the surface literal level and a deeper, symbolic level that conveys a broader moral, political, or spiritual message. In a true allegory, most or all elements are designed to represent abstract ideas or real-world issues beyond the plot.

Allegory differs from simple symbolism or metaphor by sustaining a secondary meaning throughout the work, so that the entire narrative serves as a extended representation of a larger point. It can be explicit, with clearly mapped correspondences, or more subtle, inviting multiple interpretations. Parables and fables are related forms, but parables are usually short and focused on a single lesson, while allegories aim at a larger, more complex critique or meditation.

Etymology and use: the term derives from Greek allēgoreia, literally “speaking otherwise,” through Latin allegoria. Allegory has a long history in literature, philosophy, and art, from classical works to medieval allegorical poetry and modern novels and films.

Notable examples and applications: Plato’s Allegory of the Cave is a foundational philosophical allegory about knowledge and reality. In literature, George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a political allegory critiquing totalitarianism and Soviet Communism. John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress uses a Christian pilgrimage as an allegory of spiritual salvation. Dante’s Divine Comedy has been read as an allegory of the soul’s journey toward God, with its many personified figures and landscapes representing moral and theological concepts.

In contemporary usage, allegory remains a common tool for social critique and moral reflection across media, including novels, theater, and film.