moralfigurative

Moralfigurative is a term sometimes used in literary and art criticism to describe modes of expression in which moral or ethical content is conveyed primarily through figurative means. The concept can apply to both text and image, and often sits at the intersection of allegory, metaphor, and didactic purpose.

In literature, moralfigurative encompasses devices such as allegory, parable, fable, and extended metaphor, where a narrative or figure embodies moral or ethical lessons beyond the surface story. In visual art, it refers to works that depict moral situations or virtues and vices through recognizable human or symbolic figures, frequently drawing on religious, mythological, or classical iconography.

The term is not universally standardized and overlaps with related ideas such as allegory, didactic art, and moralizing art. Critics debate whether overt moral messaging enhances or diminishes interpretive engagement, and whether such works can sustain ambiguity while remaining morally instructive.

See also: Allegory, Metaphor, Didacticism, Moral philosophy.

Further reading would typically include scholarly discussions of allegory and moral symbolism in both literature and visual culture.