【8.1】 ALLEGORY:A KEY TO EXTENDED MEANING Allegory is like symbolism in that both use one thing to refer to something else.The term is derived from the Greek word allegrein,which means "to speak so as to imply other than what is said.Allegory,however,tends to be more complex and sustained than symbolism.An allegory is to a symbol as a motion picture is to a still picture; allegory puts symbols into consistent and sustained action.In form,an allegory is a complete and self-sufficient narrative,but it also signifies another series or level of events or conditions of life as expressed in a habit of thought,a philosophy,or a religion.While some works are allegories from beginning to end,many works that are not allegories contain sections or episodes that may be considered allegories. The most famous sustained allegory in the English language is John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress(published in two parts,in1678 and 1684).in Bunyan's book the didactic impulse always latent within allegory is very clear.Pilgrim's Progress is a moral and religious allegory of the Christian soul in search of salvation.It tells the story of an individual,appropriately named"Christian",who sets off in search of the Celestial City (heaven)and along the way is forced to confront obstacles whose names and personalities (or characteristics)embody the ideals,virtues,and vices for which they stand:Mr.Worldly Wiseman,Mistrust,Timourous,Faithful,Giant Despair, the Slough of Despond,the Valley of the Shadow of Death,and so on. Although works of pure allegory like Bunyan's are relatively rare,many works do make occasional use of allegory,not infrequently combined with symbolism.For example,an allegorical reading has been suggested for Hawthorne's My Kinsman, Major Molineux (cf.P.217).Read as a historical and political allegory of America's coming of age and maturation as a young and independent nation,Robin can be said to represent Colonial America and his kinsman the traditional British authority that must be displaced and overthrown.Both Robin and Colonial America share a number
【8.1】 ALLEGORY: A KEY TO EXTENDED MEANING Allegory is like symbolism in that both use one thing to refer to something else. The term is derived from the Greek word allegrein, which means “to speak so as to imply other than what is said”. Allegory, however, tends to be more complex and sustained than symbolism. An allegory is to a symbol as a motion picture is to a still picture; allegory puts symbols into consistent and sustained action. In form, an allegory is a complete and self-sufficient narrative, but it also signifies another series or level of events or conditions of life as expressed in a habit of thought, a philosophy, or a religion. While some works are allegories from beginning to end, many works that are not allegories contain sections or episodes that may be considered allegories. The most famous sustained allegory in the English language is John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress (published in two parts, in1678 and 1684).in Bunyan’s book the didactic impulse always latent within allegory is very clear. Pilgrim’s Progress is a moral and religious allegory of the Christian soul in search of salvation. It tells the story of an individual, appropriately named “Christian”, who sets off in search of the Celestial City (heaven) and along the way is forced to confront obstacles whose names and personalities (or characteristics) embody the ideals, virtues, and vices for which they stand: Mr. Worldly Wiseman, Mistrust, Timourous, Faithful, Giant Despair, the Slough of Despond, the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and so on. Although works of pure allegory like Bunyan’s are relatively rare, many works do make occasional use of allegory, not infrequently combined with symbolism. For example, an allegorical reading has been suggested for Hawthorne’s My Kinsman, Major Molineux (cf. P. 217). Read as a historical and political allegory of America’s coming of age and maturation as a young and independent nation, Robin can be said to represent Colonial America and his kinsman the traditional British authority that must be displaced and overthrown. Both Robin and Colonial America share a number
of common characteristics:both have rural,agrarian origins;both are young and strong,yet insecure and self-conscious because untested and inexperienced in the ways of the world;both are pious and proud(even arrogant)and given to aggressive behavior;and both have a reputation,deserved or not,for native "shrewdness".Just as Robin learns that he can"rise in the world without the help of(his)...kinsman,Major Molineux",so colonial America realizes that it can achieve its destiny as a mature and independent nation without the paternalistic control of Great Britain.In this example, an allegorical interpretation does seem to "work",in the sense that it allows us to organize the elements of the story around a central illuminating idea.Nevertheless,it would be a mistake to press such a reading too far.To read the work exclusively as allegory is to oversimplify the internal dynamics of the story and to distort the author's vision
of common characteristics: both have rural, agrarian origins; both are young and strong, yet insecure and self-conscious because untested and inexperienced in the ways of the world; both are pious and proud (even arrogant) and given to aggressive behavior; and both have a reputation, deserved or not, for native “shrewdness”. Just as Robin learns that he can “rise in the world without the help of〔his〕…kinsman, Major Molineux”, so colonial America realizes that it can achieve its destiny as a mature and independent nation without the paternalistic control of Great Britain. In this example, an allegorical interpretation does seem to “work”, in the sense that it allows us to organize the elements of the story around a central illuminating idea. Nevertheless, it would be a mistake to press such a reading too far. To read the work exclusively as allegory is to oversimplify the internal dynamics of the story and to distort the author’s vision
