Pathomachia, or the Battle of Affections, is an allegorical play that was first printed in 1630. It presents a range of problems to scholars of the drama of the Jacobean and Caroline eras. The play is also known as Love’s Lodestone and is an early 17th-century work that has been the subject of much scholarly …
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Otar Chiladze’s “A Man Was Going Down the Road” is a novel that combines Georgian history and Greek mythology to create an allegory of the treachery and destruction that ensued when Russia, and then the Soviet Union, annexed Georgia. The novel begins with the Greek legend of Jason and the Golden Fleece and the consequences …
Merlin is a legendary figure who has been the subject of countless stories, poems, and plays throughout history. One of the most famous works about Merlin is the epic poem by Robert de Boron. Written in Old French in the late 12th or early 13th century, this poem tells the story of Merlin’s origin and …
Mankind is an English medieval morality play that was written around 1470. It is considered a moral allegory about the human race and follows Mankind’s fall into sin and his eventual repentance. The author of the play is unknown, but the manuscript is signed by a monk named Hyngham, who is believed to have transcribed …
Our Twisted Hero by Yi Munyol is a political allegory that explores the transition from dictatorship to democracy in South Korea. The novel follows Han Pyongt’ae, a twelve-year-old boy who moves to a rural town with his family and becomes embroiled in a power struggle within his classroom. At its core, the novel is a …
White Dog by Romain Gary is a fictional autobiographical novel that tells the story of Gary and his wife’s experiences in the 1960s with a white German Shepherd dog they adopt and name Batka. The novel is an allegory that explores the themes of racism, prejudice, and discrimination through the lens of the relationship between …
René Daumal’s “A Night of Serious Drinking” is a classic work of symbolic fiction. It was published in 1938 and has since become one of Daumal’s most important literary works. The novel is an allegory that takes the reader on a journey through the absurdities of intellectual society. The book’s protagonist is an unnamed narrator …
Henry James’s “The Turn of the Screw” is a classic ghost story that has fascinated readers for over a century. The novella was first published in 1898 and has since become one of James’s most popular works. The story follows a governess who is hired to care for two young children at a remote country …
Mother! is a 2017 psychological horror film directed by Darren Aronofsky. The movie stars Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem as a couple whose tranquil life is disrupted by unexpected guests. The film is widely regarded as an allegory, with Aronofsky himself stating that it is a commentary on environmentalism, the Bible, and the creative process. …
Sangō Shiiki is a dialectic allegory written by Kūkai in 797. It compares and critiques Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, making it Japan’s oldest comparative ideological critique. Kūkai wrote this debut work when he was only 24 years old, showcasing his literary talent and his understanding of the three teachings. In Sangō Shiiki, Kūkai discusses the …