“In the simplest terms, allegory says one thing and means another” (Fletcher 2). Allegory is a literary tool that authors employ to convey a certain message or idea through characters acting in a story. Angus Fletcher correctly assesses the nature of allegory, demonstrating that although an author may write a story about a man completing a literal journey, he very well could be implying a much grander idea about journeying through life. Anne Page shares a similar understanding of allegory, writing that, “Allegory, whether engaged in as reading or writing, is about making meaning- a meaning which is ideological, ethical, or theological” (Page 82). Jesus himself used allegory in his parables, to make grand heavenly concepts accessible to the everyman. This is a common use of allegory, bringing the grand scheme down to an understandable level. “The creative allegory uses a highly generalized form to cover a width of historical content which is felt to burst the bounds of any more naturalistic method” (Lindsay 177). Two examples of allegory are John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress and Dante’s The Inferno. Both tell the story of a man taking a journey, Christian on his way to heaven and Dante through hell. The use of allegory in each of these works is vast; one of the most obvious is that of names. Dante and Bunyan use naming as one of their most noticeable ways to communicate grand concepts; however, the ways in which they employ this type of allegory differ immensely.
“The heroes in Dante… and Bunyan seem to create the worlds about them. They are like those people in real life who ‘project,’ ascribing fictitious personalities to those whom they meet and live with” (Fletcher 35). Dante and Bunyan’s characters, through their names, c...
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...pict some aspect of their future character. The most striking example of naming in the Bible is the name of Jesus or Immanuel, which means God with us. Authors also use naming to direct readers’ attention to a certain aspect of that character. They often use this tactic in allegory, saying one thing and meaning another. When they name a character they imply more than just a name to recognize them by. They mean to expose the character’s behavior or struggles. Dante and Bunyan both use this tactic in their works, The Inferno and The Pilgrim’s Progress. Dante names his characters after specific historical figures which readers in his day would recognize and attribute attributes to them. Bunyan names his characters after their attributes themselves. Each approach has benefits and weaknesses, but both are effective examples of the use of naming in allegorical writing.
The house of Dante’s childhood was a place of freedom and discovery. With a vast garden, there was continual change, with a comfortable and pleasant environment. The next house his family lived in was built based on his fathers dreams, modern and superficial. It was filled with furniture and material that was hostile and restricting, especially for a child.
I have always loved to read. While most children prefer watching television, I would rather read a book. About two years ago I read the book The Maze Runner, by James Dashner. After reading this book, I realized just how much Christ effects literature. I learned that we can see aspects of Christ in books written by secular authors. You can find Christian allegories that the author didn’t even realize they were writing.
Question 1: In what way is the novel an allegory of The Garden of Eden?
Individually, the characters of Cato, Sordello, Statius, and Matelda each serve as corrected counterparts to other characters, allowing Dante to learn by comparisons. As a whole, these secondary guides are critical in shaping Dante-author’s vision of Purgatory and the lessons Dante-character is meant to learn. They bridge the gap between classical and Christian wisdom, and further the development of his Christian poet identity, to allow him to progress beyond his poetic models. They exemplify freedom, hope, divine guidance, and love as the key values in Purgatory, defining Dante’s Purgatorial experience and shaping his will to be virtuous enough to enter Paradise, the next step of his journey.
Murphy, B. & Shirley J. The Literary Encyclopedia. [nl], August 31, 2004. Available at: http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=2326. Access on: 22 Aug 2010.
Rudd, Jay. Critical Companion to Dante: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work. New York. 2008. Print.
Bloomfield, Morton W. New Literary History. Winter ed. N.p.: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1972. Print. Vol. 2 of Allegory as Interpretation. 3 vols. First.
Throughout the epic poem Inferno, Dante the Pilgrim travels into the different circles of Hell told by Dante the Poet. The story examines what a righteous life is by showing us examples of sinful lives. Dante is accompanied by his guide Virgil, who takes him on a journey to examine sin and the effects it has in has in the afterlife to different sinners. Through the stories of Francesca and Paolo, Brunetto Latini, Ulysses and Guido da Montefeltro, we are able to understand that people are self-interested in the way they act and present themselves to others and that those in Hell are there because they have sinned and failed to repent their sins and moral failings.
...he Inferno or the story of Hell, another one being the symbols of human’s sins which reinforce the poet Dante’s allegory.
Inferno follows the story of Dr. Langdon and Sienna Brooks as they travel through Florence trying to stop a mad man from setting loose a disease that could wipe out huge amounts of populations as a way to solve the world’s overpopulation problem. This disease being later shown to be a vector virus that make’s 1/3 of humans actually sterile instead. Langdon however has no memory of anything and has to retrace his steps in order to stop the possible outbreak. Many of the places told in the story all have to deal with significant areas within Florence herself. Florence is the breeding ground of the world’s most famous artists and have inspired books and even video games alike. From the Boboli Gardens to the Florence Baptistry.
The "Allegory" depicts a number of people who are imprisoned in a cave, chained by the legs and neck so that they cannot move, nor can they turn their heads; they see only towards the back wall opposite the cave opening. These people have been chained in this manner their entire lives. Sometimes objects and people pass in front of the cave opening, and shadows play upon the back wall. Since the people have only seen the shadows, they assume that the shadows are the real objects and beings of the world. They watch the shadows, measuring them, trying to understand them, and soon honors are bestowed upon those persons who can see the...
On top of these name-changes for the characters within the pages of the Bible, there is an additional name-change that affects the readers of the Bible and followers of Christianity. “Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give a white stone, and on the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it” (Revelation 2:17). This provides a name-change for all believers that listen to the Lord and overcome the false teachings of the world, which results in a stronger life of faith and a deeper relationship with God. Just when you thought names were supposed to be a permanent form of identification, the book of Revelation challenges this preconception and recognizes that a change in name is not as uncommon as we may have
John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress is an allegorical story about the Christian religion. It allegorizes the journey of a Christian into "the Celestial City, which represents heaven. Although Pilgrim's Progress may seem simple and straightforward, there are many deeper meanings throughout the whole story. Bunyan uses the names of his characters to signify whom the character represents in the story, for example, the character Hopeful represents hopefulness, Help represents people who are willing to help others in need of assistance, Faithful represents people who are faithful to whatever they are associated with, and the main character, Christian, represents all young Christians in the world. His journey to the Celestial City is a journey every Christian must face in their lifetime before allowed into heaven. Within his journey there are many obstacles such as temptations both tangible and intangible for instance, the merchandises sold at Vanity Fair and the shortcuts offered, illustrate temptations real Christians must face and overcome; finding an easy way into heaven, and being thrown off course by material things. The character Christian overcomes many obstacles before reaching his destination, the Celestial City. But during his journey he does not face all these obstacles alone. He meets a variety of people all through his journey to the Celestial City; some of these people mock his traveling to the Celestial City, some decide to follow him, and some help him along his way. Christian meets Faithful who decides to join him on his travels. Faithful is a character that faces many difficulties on his own journey to the Celestial City; his journey has many diff...
With Milton’s timeframe and era for writing Paradise Lost in mind, we can justify his choice to incorporate an allegory into his epic. Allegories present meanings on two levels, one literal and the other hidden, which often expresses a moral or idea produced by the author. With this in mind, the allegory is key to understanding many parts of Paradise lots since Milton addresses so many issues in this one scene. Within the allegory alone, we discover extensive symbolism and wonder if there are more details to be uncovered each time we study the epic. Milton effectively elicits his readers’ attention by raising such controversy and holds our fascination with his intriguing hidden ideas, meanings, and symbolic relationships.
Among the followers of Christianity, questions arise in order to find the righteous path to Heaven’s gate. On the contrary, there are those who seek answers for what is forsaken. Dante Alighieri fully expresses himself on this dilemma in his written work, The Divine Comedy. The first part of the epic poem is Inferno; Dante defines and constructs Hell, based on the morals and judgments set by common beliefs during his time. Dante also uses Aristotle’s philosophical work to shape the structure of Hell. Undergoing a journey through Hell as himself, Dante places famous literary icons to assist in questioning the acts of justice. Dante builds and contrast between the sinners who are innocent, and those who deliberately perform evil deeds. Virgil, a fellow poet and pagan, exemplifies wisdom and clarity that which Dante must learn through his endeavor. Virgil’s guidance will provide contrast and the necessary guidance to reach Paradise. The change of character Dante experience, is dreadful; pity and remorse must be exempted to honor retribution for the sinners’ defiance against God. All the answers regarding Hell, lies upon meeting the primal sinner, Lucifer, the Fallen Angel. Dante’s journey unfolds a critical analysis in which portrays the human struggle in every individual. There are several implications of the four functions of myth that can be derived from Dante’s Inferno. Dante divides Hell into three dispositions: incontinence, malice and brutality. (Alighieri, Dante, and Longfellow 6.79-82)