An allegory is a device used in literature, rhetoric and art to signiIy a meaning that

is not literal. When a device, a character or a symbol is considered allegory it may

be symbolic oI a concept, like reason or Iortune, it might symbolize a type oI
person, like the 'Everyman, or a worldview.
In literature, allegory is rampant. Sometimes works were speciIically allegorical,
though some are read as both truth and symbol. The apple that Adam receives Irom
Eve is symbolic oI the 'knowledge oI God and Evil and is thus allegorical. The
serpent is oIten read as an allegory signiIying the tempter, or true evil.
In the New Testament, Christ makes Irequent use oI the parable to make statements
about 'people in general. For example, the Good Samaritan is an allegory
representing the right thinking and compassionate person. This is a speciIic
rhetorical use oI the allegory.
In early rhetoric, several key examples oI allegory stand out: Plato`s Allegory of
the Cave , and Boetheus` Consolation of Philosophy. Plato and Boetheus use the
allegory in extended Iormat. Plato`s Allegory describes the state oI the
unenlightened, who cannot even believe that Boetheus, writing in the sixth century
CE, uses allegory to explain the concept oI Iortune. The ensuing dialogue is one oI
an imprisoned Boetheus with Philosophy, Reason and Fortune. His thoughts Iorm
the basis Ior much oI medieval thinking on the way in which the world operates.
SpeciIically, the concept oI Iortune, or chance, is used repeatedly in medieval
literature.
Boetheus` Consolation becomes the inspiration Ior the allegory used by Dante,
Boccaccio, and Chaucer, and as well inspires the Arthurian myths. Dante in
particular uses extended allegory to symbolize the sins. Each description oI a level
oI Hell or Purgatory is matched with a punishment that both represents and Iits the
crimes. Dante is a master at allegory.
Drama in medieval times oIten consisted oI 'morality plays, and the most Iamous
oI these is the play Everyman. The main character, Everyman, is allegory Ior the
plight oI all men in the Iace oI temptation. Later, Bunyan`s Pilgrims Progress will
use allegory in much the same Iashion.
With the development oI the novel, allegory becomes much harder to interpret and
prove. Novels tended to rely on a reader investing in interpreting characters as
'real people, but also viewing the character as symbolic oI something larger. For
example, the gothic novels and later the sensational novels, oIten used the concept
oI women imprisoned or captured by evil. Many Ieminists read these characters as
allegorical representations oI the lack oI Ireedom accorded to women.
In Iact allegory comes down to interpretation in the developing novel and the
modern novel. Literary critics oIten argue as to whether characters are meant to be
allegorical, real or stereotypical. OIten literary characters can be read in multiple
ways.
A return to allegory less disputed is the many Iilms Ieaturing the superhero.
Superman, Spiderman, and Batman, Ior example, are all allegorical representations
oI the everyman. The evils they Iight are the temptations to greed, to violence and
to behavior that will in other ways disrupt society. Superheroes stand as both the
everyman and the guardian against evil.
One oI the most interesting workings oI allegory in modern television was the
series :ffy the Jampire Slayer. Each week BuIIy would Iace a new demon or
vampire that was also allegorical to whatever issues BuIIy Iaced as a high school
and later college student. Use oI allegory in each episode was so strong and
cohesive that even scholars became deeply interested in the BuIIyverse. Multiple
serious conventions oI literature and Iilm majors were held to present scholarly
interpretations oI :ffy.
Allegory in present day adds layers oI depth to artwork, since artistic Iigures or
literary characters can be meant to be both real and symbolic. Looking Ior such
symbolism can be a Iun or challenging process depending upon the artwork.
Typically, modern allegory oIten reveals the artist`s intent or worldview. It is part
oI the subtext that gives the reader, viewer or observer inIormation regarding an
artist`s vision oI not only how the world exists, but also how it might
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Bible Symbolism
Beyond the Parables Jesus used to conceal/reveal God's
Truths...
www.unravelingIalseimages.com
So the world may
believe
II Jesus prayed it, shouldn't we? That all believers be one in
Jesus.
John17-21.org
Sermon Notes
Inspire Your Church With Spirit- Filled Sermons. Instant
access!
www.PreachIt.org/Sermon-Notes
Discuss this Article
anon80691
Post 5
II the Bible is allegory, why do so many Christians treat it like a literal
history?
MistyDawn
Post 4
WGwriter has a point: the author does have a say in the meaning but
not everyone will go with it, believe it, or see it the same, so I agree it
doesn't really matter.
I mean, hundreds oI years Irom now, when the author is dead and
gone and so are the people who Iirst read that book, then we will have
no control over what the people in the Iuture think about it. We
interpret things Irom hundreds oI years beIore us however we Ieel
makes sense. For all we know we're wrong about all that.
We'll never know. I think it's all in how we personally are aIIected by
the work.
I am an artist and I personally like to hear how people interpret my
paintings. A lot oI times it's not what I originally intended, but it's
good to get that other perspective sometimes. It gives you a chance to
appreciate the work in a whole new light and see how it aIIects others.
anon21646
Post 3
It was Tolkien who reIused any allegorical allegations to the world
war as later had critics commented. it was even written in the
beginning oI the Lord oI the Rings about how it is just a story
portraying no other symbolism.
The Chronicles oI Narnia is widely accepted as an allegory. However,
even iI Tolkien was allegorical in his tone it could have not been
relating to the War as it was published much earlier.
Related
Topics
Allegory
Allegory OI The Cave
Allegory Examples
Allegory Art
Whats An Allegory
WGwriter
Post 2
I know that Tolkien argued against his books being considered
allegorical Ior his experiences as a soldier. I think Lewis wouldn't
have made this point because he was clearly trying to tell a
speciIically Christian story; it's absolutely baldIaced at times!
OI course there is a school oI thought that says that what authors think
about their work has no relevance. In some types oI literary criticism,
authorial intent is not even considered. So whatever Tolkien may have
intended or Lewis, maybe in the end it really doesn't matter? Just a
thought.
Thanks Ior your comments tugboats.
Tricia EC

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tugboats
Post 1
Then there are some stories, like The Chronicles oI Narnia, that seem
an awIul lot like allegories, but that the author protested against. I
think it was those that he said were not an allegory oI the Christian
liIe. Or maybe it was the Lord oI the Rings. I Iorget but both oI those
authors were Christians and both books seemed much like allegories,
but one oI the authors said that they were in no way an allegory, but
just a story.
* Post your comments
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riday, November 20, 2009
Tbe Faerie Queene as an Allegory
dmund Spenser stands among the greatest writers oI the lizabethan period
whose valuable contributions Iashioned a new tradition in English literature.
Nowadays he is hailed to be one oI the chieI initiators oI the Renaissance
movement in English literature. Spenser's rich and vigorous imagery, and careIul
treatment oI metrical structure leIt a proIound inIluence on the succeeding poets
and ensured his place as one oI the seminal literary artists in the Ilamboyant Iield
oI English literature.

Spenser reached the highest pinnacle oI his art and invention with his romantic tour
de Iorce The Faerie Q:eene. It has been hailed as Spenser`s masterpiece, the
supreme triumph oI the poetic art in English literature. The poem is an allegorical
romance symbolising the moral and spiritual journey oI an individual through
innumerable temptations oI sins towards the ultimate attainment oI glory and truth.
The poem thus has a serious purpose behind its IanciIul characters, settings and
events. All the characters in The Faerie Q:eene have allegorical signiIicance since
they represent abstract ideas. The title character, the airy Queen (Gloriana)
herselI, is meant to represent Queen lizabeth. The Red Cross Knight who is
appointed by the airy Queen to assist Lady Una in releasing her parents Irom
the prison oI Dragon is the embodiment oI Holiness, piety, and true religion
(Protestantism). Lady Una stands Ior truth, goodness and wisdom. Her parents
symbolise humanity held by Evil represented by the Ioul Dragon. The mission oI
Holiness is to champion the cause oI Truth and regain the right oI human race, held
by subjection by the mighty Iorce oI Evil.

For a Christian to be holy, he must have true Iaith. So Holiness must be grounded
in Truth in order to remain pure and immaculate in the world. As long as Truth and
Holiness are united no evildoer can stand against holiness. The power oI truth
invigourates Holiness. The plot oI ook I mostly concerns the attempts oI evildoers
to separate Red Cross Irom Una to decrease his strength. Most oI these villains are
meant by Spenser to represent one thing in common the Roman Catholic
Church. The poet Ielt that, in the nglish Reformation, the people had deIeated
'Ialse religion (Catholicism) and embraced 'true religion
(Protestantism/Anglicanism).So Red Cross must deIeat villains who mimic the
Ialsehood oI the Roman Church. In the course oI his mission he and Una come
upon various maniIestations oI evil. The Iirst encounter is with monster rror.
The monster Error allegorically stands Ior all sorts oI mistakes which every
individual makes in the course oI his liIe. The Iight oI the Red Cross Knight with
the monster Error symbolises the conIlict between Protestantism and Catholicism.
The books and papers vomited by Error allude to the oIIensive pamphlets directed
against Queen Elizabeth by the Roman Catholics.

The Red Cross Knight may able to deIeat these obvious and disgusting errors, but
until he is united to the truth he is totally lost and can be easily deceived. This
deceit is arranged by Archimago, who symbolises the hypocrisy oI Papacy. When
Truth and Holiness are separated, Hypocrisy gets the chance to mislead Holiness.
The separation oI Truth Irom Holiness symbolises the danger oI the English
Church against the hypocrisy and plots oI the Roman Catholicism.

Once separated, Holiness is susceptible to the opposite oI truth or Ialsehood. Red
Cross may able to deIeat the strength oI Sansfoy or Iaithlessness through his own
native virtue, but he Ialls prey to the tricks oI Falsehood herselI Duessa. Duessa
also represents the Roman Church, both because she is 'Ialse Iaith, and oI her
rich, purple and gold clothing, which, Ior Spenser, displays the greedy wealth and
arrogant pomp oI Rome. Historically Duessa stands Ior Queen Mary who was a
Roman Catholic by Iaith. Having been separated Irom Truth, the Holiness becomes
weak and Ieeble. He cannot withstand the Iierce attack oI Falsehood and becomes
a prey to Duessa. Red Cross becomes a veritable puppet in the hands oI Duessa. In
the similar manner Truth also becomes weak and in order to protect her virtue she
gets aid and succour Irom Lion which stands Ior Courage. But subsequently the
hypocrisy oI Archimago makes her an easy victim Sans Loy who stands Ior
lawlessness. She is later saved by Sir Satyrane who is a symbol oI the Natural
Iorce. The implication here is very clear and concrete. Truth cannot be subjected to
Lawlessness Ior long. It has a natural Iorce which would assuredly impel it to
reassert itselI against all hindrance. The humility, symbolised by the Dwarf,
inIorms Truth the story oI the suIIerings oI Holiness. Then Truth goes in search oI
Gloriana, the Fairy Queen and Holiness is led to the palace oI Divine Grace by
Truth. There he recovers his Iormer strength. He is now ready to Iight against the
malignant Iorces oI nature.

Thus at the end Spenser represents the triumph oI Holiness and Truth. They may
be separated by various evildoers but ultimately they are united again to bring
about the redemption and moral salvation oI human race.


AnoLher

Ldmund Spencer ln hls masLerplece Lhe loetle Ooeeo creaLes an allegory 1he
reader musL undersLand Lhe speclflc symbollc meanlng behlnd each characLer and
lLs role ln LhaL long allegory ln Lhe loetle Ooeeo Spencer Lells Lhe sLory of a knlghL
and hls [ourney ln Lhe faerle land and hls flghLs agalnsL Lhe powers of evlls ln Lhe
nexL paragraph l wlll dlscuss Lhe Spenserlan use of allegory ln Lhe loetle Ooeeo ln
canLo l and ll and Lhe Lrue meanlng behlnd each characLer and evenLs ln Lhe
allegory Spencers laerle land symbollzes Spencers Lngland LhaL ls rules by Lhe
laerle Cueen Lhe queen LllzabeLh l Lhe head of Lhe proLesLanL church ln
Lngland Spencer was a proLesLanL and devoLed Lhe loetle Ooeeo Lo Cueen
LllzabeLh as an answer Lo caLhollc propaganda agalnsL roLesLanLlsm and Lhe
queen keJctoss Lhe knlghL Lhe proLagonlsL of Lhe sLory symbollzes a greaL
porLlon of ChrlsLlans of Lhe era of Lhe 8enalssance LhaL goL slck of Lhe 8oman
CaLhollc Church and lLs ownershlp over ChrlsLlanlLy and lLs corrupLlon and avarlce
keJctoss represenLs Lhese ChrlsLlans who search for an alLernaLlve form of
ChrlsLlanlLy and was persecuLed for LhaL by Lhe 8oman CaLhollc Church keJctoss
carrles Lhe bloody cross on hls chesL Lhls cross proLecLs hlm form Lhe evlls Lhe
cross symbollzes hls falLh le Lhe Lrue ChrlsLlanlLy and keJctoss as a Lrue bellever
achleved hls falLh wlLh suffer and Lhe blood on Lhe cross symbollzes lL AnoLher
characLer LhaL sLands ln keJctosss slde ls uoo hls fuLure wlfe and Lhe second
proLagonlsL of Lhe sLory uoo represenLs LruLh whlch keJctoss musL flnd uoo ls
Lhe Lrue ChrlsLlanlLy LhaL keJctoss looklng for hls real ChrlsLlan love and when
uoo was Laken from hlm he ls ln a voyage Lo look for her Lhe only LruLh he musL
be wlLh her Lo achleve LruLh buL Lhe powers of evlls (le Lhe 8oman CaLhollc
Church) are Lrylng Lo prevenL hlm Lo achleve LhaL LruLh and he wlll achleve lL wlLh
greaL suffer ln Lhe beglnnlng of book l Lhe proLagonlsL flghLs agalnsL Lhe Lerrlble
beasL Lrror Lhls 8easL represenLs Lhe CaLhollc propaganda agalnsL Lhe
roLesLanLs and when our knlghL kllls LhaL monsLer lL vomlLs books and papers
Lhese books and papers are Lhe CaLhollc evll propaganda agalnsL Lhe roLesLanLs
and by kllllng Lhls monsLer keJctoss achleves hls flrsL vlcLory over Lhe 8oman
CaLhollc Church we can also undersLand LhaL Lhe beasLs name represenLs Lhe
errors Lhe 8oman CaLhollc Church done and Lhe kllllng of Lhe monsLer ls lLs
punlshmenL AnoLher evlldoer ls tcblmoqo Lhe maglclan and hls ablllLles Lo
change form and lmage and wlLh LhaL he decelves keJctoss tcblmoqo means
arch lmage and he symbollzes Lhe use of lmages and lcons of Lhe CaLhollc
Church a Lhlng LhaL was belleved by Spencer Lo be wrong and done ln a purpose
of decelvlng tcblmoqo Lrles Lo separaLe Lhe knlghL from uoo from Lhe LruLh
and he ls dolng lL Lhrough decepLlon and lusL 1he sorcerer ls a represenLaLlon of
Lhe CaLhollc Church and lLs way Lo decelve Lhe bellevers wlLh false lmages lcons
and falsehood ln purpose Lo prevenL Lhem Lo see Lhe LruLh When we read furLher
lnLo Lhe sLory we meeL more characLer whlch ls also an evlldoer uoesso whlch
also represenLs 8oman CaLhollc Church and lLs aLLempLs Lo separaLe Lhe bellevers
from LruLh uoesso ls presenLed as beauLlful and a LempLlng woman buL her
beauLy ls only a cover for an ugly evll wlLch Lhe same llke Lhe CaLhollc Church LhaL
covers lLself ln gold and beauLy and seems perfecL buL lnslde lLs greedy corrupL
and lmmoral keJctoss flnd lL dlfflculL Lo defeaL uoesso buL when he flghLs and
defeaLs 5oosfoy he acLually defeaLs Lhe church 5oosfoy whlch mean wlLhouL
falLh represenLs Lhe falLhless people lved by Lhe church and because Lhelr lack of
falLh lLs easy Lo beaL Lhem 1he reader of Lhe laerle Cueen as menLloned
before musL undersLand lL noL Lhrough lLs llLeral meanlng buL Lo undersLand Lhe
LruLh behlnd lL Spencer uses Lhe characLer and lLs names as symbols and
meanlngs and each one symbollzes oLher aspecL of Lhe powers and facLors LhaL
were ln LhaL era ln Lhe crlsls beLween Lhe CaLhollc Church and Lhe proLesLanLs lL
ls also obvlous LhaL Lhe laerle Cueen ls a pollLlcal book and Spencer as a
proLesLanL felL obllged Lo proLecL Lhe queen ln addlLlon Spencer also needed a
supporL from Lhe queen whlch was hls paLron
ub||shed CcLober 27 2007

Character List
Redcrosse
1he knlghL of Pollness who ls ln facL a Lall clownlshe yonge man who alone
would Lake Lhe quesL Lo free unas parenLs from Lhe dragon Pls advenLures
represenL Lhe lndlvldual ChrlsLlans sLruggles Lo malnLaln personal hollness whlle
avoldlng prlde ln all lLs forms
Una
una ls Lhe 1ruLhboLh Lhe absoluLe splrlLual LruLh and whaL Spenser consldered
Lo be Lhe Lrue falLh of Lhe roLesLanL ChrlsLlan Church Per encouragemenL and
help keeps 8edcrosse knlghL from doom and helps Lo bulld hlm lnLo a mlghLy
warrlor capable of defeaLlng Lhe dragon LhaL has lmprlsoned her parenLs
Archimago
A sorcerer and decelver Archlmago seeks Lo overcome una Lhrough false
appearances and lles Pe causes 8edcrosse Lo doubL unas fldellLy dlsgulses
hlmself as 8edcrosse ln an aLLempL Lo Lake una and even aLLempLs Lo sLop
8edcrosses beLroLhal Lo una by lnslsLlng LhaL uuessa has a prlor clalm on hlm
Lach Llme hls decepLlon ls uncovered renderlng hlm powerless
Duessa
Duessa is "duplicity," the opposite oI Una ("Truth"). She is Iirst seen as paramour
to the evil knight SansIoy ("Faithlessness") and lies about her identity to Redcrosse
in an attempt to seduce him. She eventually succeeds in winning Redcrosse's Iavor
and dragging him into Orgoglio's dungeon, but her eIIorts are undone by the
intervention oI Una and Prince Arthur.
Duessa appears later in the epic as part oI the negative tetrad oI Blandamour,
Paridell, Ate and herselI. She is put on trial and executed in Book 5.
rgoglio
A besLlal glanL whose name means prlde ln lLalllan Crgogllo defeaLs 8edcrosse
knlghL when uuessa weakens Lhe champlon Crgogllo ls ln Lurn defeaLed by Lhe
vlrLuous rlnce ArLhur who dlsmembers hlm Crgogllos Lorso deflaLes once he ls
defeaLed suggesLlng hls greaL slze resulLed from belng puffed up llke a balloon
full of alr
!rince Arthur
1he ulLlmaLe hero of Lhe eplc rlnce ArLhur ls Lhe younger verslon of klng ArLhur
klng ArLhur already had a place ln Lhe myLhlc consclousness of 8rlLons and
legends had accumulaLed around hls name lncludlng one LhaL he would one day
reLurn from hls long heallng sleep Lo lead 8rlLaln lnLo a new Colden Age Pe ls Lhe
ldeal consorL for Clorlana Lhe laerle Cueene
Guyon
Cuyon ls Lhe knlghL of 1emperance (selfconLrol) alLhough hls role carrles wlLh lL
a Louch of lrony Cuyon above all oLher knlghLs sLruggles Lhe mosL wlLh hls
symbollc vlrLue more Lhan once he comes near Lo kllllng an opponenL ln rage
and once he even LhreaLened 8rlLomarLs old nurse wlLh vlolence noneLheless
Cuyon ls successful ln hls quesL Lo desLroy Acraslas 8ower of 8llss
ritomart
8rlLomarL ls Lhe knlghL of ChasLlLy Per secreL ldenLlLy as a female knlghL makes
her sLand ouL from among her male peers as does her amazlng prowess ln baLLle
(she alds 8edcrosse agalnsL hls enemles unhorses Cuyon and defeaLs ArLegall ln
Lhelr flrsL encounLer) Per femlnlnlLy makes her lmmune Lo Lhe LempLaLlons Lhe
male knlghLs face from sulLry wlLches and lmmoderaLe damsels maklng her Lhe
ldeal of ChasLlLy She ls ln love wlLh ArLegall whom she flrsL saw ln Merllns maglc
mlrror and her quesL ls Lo flnd and wed hlm
Cambell
Cambell ls half of Lhe duo (compleLed by 1rlamond) whlch represenLs lrlendshlp
As lrlendshlp requlres a relaLlonshlp wlLh anoLher Lhls vlrLue ls symbollzed by a
good frlend Lo anoLher knlghL raLher Lhan [usL by a slngle knlghL on a quesL
Cambell forms parL of Lhe posLllve LeLrad made up of hlmself 1rlamond hls slsLer
(and 1rlamonds beloved) Canacee and hls own beloved (and 1rlamonds slsLer)
Cambla
Artegall
ArLegall ls Lhe knlghL of !usLlce Pls name means llke ArLhur Lhus ldenLlfylng
hlm wlLh Lhe ulLlmaLe knlghL ln Lhe eplc rlnce ArLhur Llke ArLhur he falls ln love
wlLh a chasLe and powerful woman (8rlLomarL) and ls an agenL of !usLlce Cn hls
quesL Lo free Lhe lady Llrene ArLegall ls glven an unusual squlre 1alus Lhe man
made of lron 1alus represenLs cold unrelenLlng [usLlce whlle ArLegall musL learn
how Lo properly Lemper [usLlce wlLh mercy
Calidore
Calldore ls Lhe knlghL of CourLesy Pls quesL ls Lo flnd and sLop Lhe 8laLanL 8easL
(or Slander) Pe represenLs proper behavlor ln publlc parLlcularly ln clvlllzed
socleLy Lhus hls quesL Lo sLop Slander carrles wlLh lL Lhe message LhaL a properly
behaved people wlll refraln from glvlng slander freedom Lo work lLs evll among
Lhem
lorimell
llorlmell ls Lhe mosL beauLlful woman ln Lhe eplc (aL leasL ouLwardly) She ls more
fllghLy and less lndependenL Lhan elLher 8rlLomarL or 8elphoebe and spends
much of Lhe eplc runnlng away from someone or someLhlng She represenLs Lhe
fleeLlng naLure of beauLy and Lhe reacLlons of oLher knlghLs boLh vlrLuous and
base shows how easlly mens heads can be Lurned by a preLLy face