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 …
Examples of Allegories
There There by Tommy Orange is a powerful novel that has made waves since its publication in 2018. The book follows the stories of twelve Native American characters as they prepare to attend the Big Oakland Powwow. Throughout the novel, Orange uses allegory to explore themes of identity, community, and the effects of historical trauma. …
Wardeh Deesheh is a 1991 independent film written and directed by John Homeh. It is widely regarded as the first and most successful Assyrian feature-length film. The film is a romantic drama with musical and comedy elements, and it primarily focuses on the love triangle between Nineb, his childhood sweetheart, and a new love interest. …
Mr. Market is an allegory created by Benjamin Graham, one of the greatest investors of the 20th century. Mr. Market is a fictional character who represents the stock market. He is an emotional and unpredictable character who can be both optimistic and pessimistic, and his mood swings can create opportunities for investors. Graham introduced this …
The Wake by Paul Kingsnorth is a novel set in 11th-century Lincolnshire during and after the Norman invasion. The book tells the story of Buccmaster of Holland, an Anglo-Saxon freeman forced to come to terms with the effects of the Norman Conquest of 1066, during which his wife and sons were killed. The novel is …
Triumphs by Petrarch is a collection of poems that was written in the 14th century. The poems are written in the Tuscan language, and they evoke the ancient Roman ceremony of triumph. This ceremony involved victorious generals and their armies being led in procession by the captives and spoils they had taken in war. The …
Denis Diderot’s “The Indiscreet Jewels” is a thought-provoking novel that explores themes of power, desire, and political insight through a tale of magical jewels that reveal people’s secret thoughts. This satirical work intricately weaves allegory and wit to unveil the hypocrisies and pretensions of society. The novel is a fearessly libertine fable on the order …
Denis Johnson’s novella, Train Dreams, is a haunting and beautifully written tale of a man’s life in the early 20th century American West. The story follows Robert Grainier, a laborer on the railroad, as he navigates a world that is rapidly changing around him. Through Grainier’s experiences, Johnson explores the themes of loss, memory, and …
Christine de Pisan’s “The Treasure of the City of Ladies” is a manual of education for women of all social classes. Completed in 1405, the book is a continuation of her previous work, “The Book of the City of Ladies,” which introduced the concept of a city of women who were virtuous and knowledgeable. In …
Kitne Pakistan is a Hindi novel written by Kamleshwar in the year 2000. Kamleshwar is a noted 20th-century Hindi writer and a pioneer of the Nayi Kahani movement of the 1950s. The novel combines allegory and realism, and deals with a vast expanse of human history, as it follows the rise of sectarianism, nationalism, Hindutva …