What is an allegory? Definition briefly. Pedagogical speech science

Obviously, allegory lacks the full plastic brightness and completeness of artistic creations, in which the concept and the image completely coincide with each other and are produced creative imagination inseparably, as if fused together by nature. The allegory oscillates between a concept derived from reflection and its cunningly invented individual shell and, as a result of this half-heartedness, remains cold.

Allegory, corresponding to the image-rich mode of presentation eastern peoples, occupies a prominent place in the art of the East. On the contrary, it is alien to the Greeks, given the wonderful ideality of their gods, understood and imagined in the form of living personalities. Allegory appears here only in Alexandrian times, when the natural formation of myths ceased and noticeable influence oriental ideas [ ] . Its dominance is more noticeable in Rome. But it dominated most of all the poetry and art of the Middle Ages from the end of the 13th century, at a time of ferment when the naive life of fantasy and the results of scholastic thinking mutually touch and, as far as possible, try to penetrate each other. So - with most troubadours, with Wolfram von Eschenbach, with Dante. Feuerdank, a 16th-century Greek poem describing the life of Emperor Maximilian, may serve as an example of allegorical-epic poetry.

In literature classes at school, we all came across the concept of allegory. In fact, it is found not only in literature, but also in painting, sculpture, cinema and other forms of art.

The only exception is music.

What is an allegory? This Greek word, meaning “allegory”, usually means artistic technique, which consists in expressing an abstract, abstract concept through an obvious visible image. The most striking example is the image of death in the form of a figure wrapped in black with a scythe.

Allegories were extremely common in the art of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, remaining one of the main methods of expressing the thoughts of artists until the nineteenth century. Modern masters they also widely use allegories, but they do it more subtly and unnoticed by the inexperienced viewer.

Literary allegories originate from ancient times - from famous works Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. In bright, convex images, a number of allegorical pictures appear before us: for example, Odysseus is the embodiment of inquisitive human thought, his wife Penelope is a bright and touching image fidelity.

The texts are extremely allegorical Holy Scripture. The parables and images contained in them carry a huge semantic load, prompting people to seek new interpretations in accordance with the needs of the coming times.

Classic poetic and prose works full of allegorical images: “ Human Comedy» the brilliant Dante and “The Lay of Igor’s Campaign”, Shakespeare’s sonnets and Shelley’s poems, Zhukovsky’s ballads and Saltykov-Shchedrin’s satire.


In the works of almost every talented author one can find a number of allegories that they widely use to express their thoughts when creating works.

A striking example of allegories in literature are fables written by I.A. Krylov. Almost all of their characters are animals, but when we read them, we understand perfectly well that we are talking here more about people, and not even about them, but about their vices and virtues. Thus, the Fox in fables appears before us as the embodiment of cunning and deceit, sometimes added to them by flattery and impudence.

The donkey has forever become in the minds of Russian people an image of stupidity, stubbornness and ignorance. The Bear often embodies good nature, strength and limitations, and the Rooster – narcissism and arrogance.

Each fable, through a funny story from the life of the forest inhabitants, conveys to the reader a certain moral standard behavior. The totality of these rules and images constitutes a significant part of the mentality of our people.

The work of A.S. Pushkin is allegorical in its very essence. Poetry in general uses this technique extremely widely, and the greater the poet’s talent, the more widely and freely allegorical images are used in his work. From his very first poem, “To a Poet Friend,” published in 1814, to his last works, he widely used allegories.


The images of the Muse, Freedom, and Fortune are intertwined with captivating images of real women, his contemporaries. Freedom is often embodied in pictures of wild nature, images of an awakened eagle and free wind. The images created by the brilliant master of words always find a lively response in the hearts of people even today.

The main way to depict an allegory is to generalize human concepts; ideas are revealed in the images and behavior of animals, plants, mythological and fairy tale characters, inanimate objects that acquire figurative meaning.

Obviously, allegory lacks the full plastic brightness and completeness of artistic creations, in which the concept and image completely coincide with each other and are produced inseparably by creative imagination, as if fused by nature. The allegory oscillates between a concept derived from reflection and its cunningly invented individual shell and, as a result of this half-heartedness, remains cold.

Allegory, corresponding to the rich imagery of the way of representing the Eastern peoples, occupies a prominent place in the art of the East. On the contrary, it is alien to the Greeks, given the wonderful ideality of their gods, understood and imagined in the form of living personalities. Allegory appears here only in Alexandrian times, when the natural formation of myths ceased and the influence of Eastern ideas became noticeable. Its dominance is more noticeable in Rome. But it dominated most of all the poetry and art of the Middle Ages from the end of the 13th century, at a time of ferment when the naive life of fantasy and the results of scholastic thinking mutually touch and, as far as possible, try to penetrate each other. So - with most troubadours, with Wolfram von Eschenbach, with Dante. "Feuerdank", a 16th-century Greek poem that describes the life of Emperor Maximilian, may serve as an example of allegorical-epic poetry.

Allegory has a special use in animal epic. It's very natural that various arts consist essentially various relationships to an allegory. It is most difficult for modern sculpture to avoid. Being always doomed to depict a person, she is often forced to give as an allegorical isolation what greek sculpture could give in the form of individual and full image life of god.

For example, John Bunyan’s novel “The Pilgrim’s Progress to the Heavenly Land” and Vladimir Vysotsky’s song “Truth and Lies” are written in the form of an allegory.

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Notes

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• // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional ones). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.

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See what “Allegory” is in other dictionaries:

- (Greek allegory) expression of an abstract object (concept, judgment) through a concrete (image). So. arr. The difference between A. and related forms of figurative expression (tropes (see)) is the presence in it of specific symbolism, subject to ... ... Literary encyclopedia

- (from the Greek allegoria), in art the embodiment of a phenomenon, as well as a speculative idea in a visual image (for example, a figure with a dove in his hand is an allegory of Peace; a woman with a blindfold and scales in her hand is an allegory of Justice). By… … Art encyclopedia

- (Greek allegoria, from all egorein to say something else). Allegory, i.e. transference of a thought or a whole series of thoughts by similarity from eigenvalue to the improper, also the replacement of abstract concepts with concrete ideas.... ... Dictionary foreign words Russian language

Allegory- ALLEGORY (Greek αλληγορια, allegory) expression of the abstract, abstract content of a thought (concept, judgment) through a concrete (image), for example, the image of death in the form of a skeleton with a scythe, justice in the image of a woman with tied... ... Dictionary of literary terms Sponville's Philosophical Dictionary

- (Greek allegoria), depiction of an abstract idea (concept) through an image. The meaning of an allegory, in contrast to a polysemantic symbol, is unambiguous and separated from the image; the connection between meaning and image is established by similarity (lion... ... Modern encyclopedia

- (Greek allegoria) depiction of an abstract idea (concept) through an image. The meaning of an allegory, in contrast to a polysemantic symbol, is unambiguous and separated from the image; the connection between meaning and image is established by similarity (lion strength, ... ... Big encyclopedic Dictionary

- [ale], allegories, female. (Greek allegoria). 1. Allegory, visual, pictorial expression of abstract concepts through a concrete image (lit.). This poem is full of allegories. 2. only units. Allegorical meaning, allegorical meaning. In... ... Dictionary Ushakova

Hello, dear readers of the blog site. Allegory is an ancient Greek word, and translated it means “ allegory».

It is believed that the very first person to actively use this technique in his works was the fabulist Aesop.

The fact is that Aesop was a slave. He wanted to ridicule the behavior and habits of his masters, but to do so openly meant inevitable death. So he came up with his own language, which consisted entirely of hints, allegories and secret symbols.

Allegory is a disguise of the true meaning

A definition of this term will be given below, but first I want to continue the topic of its appearance. Just below you can see images of the author of this method artistic speech(trail) - Aesop.

Most often, he depicted people in the form of animals, endowing them with the appropriate habits and character traits. And everyone, including the gentlemen, really liked the works of Aesop.

They read them with pleasure, not even suspecting that at that moment they were laughing at themselves - at their vices and shortcomings. Later even such a term as “ Aesopian language».

Now the promised definition of allegory:

Very often in literary works and in ordinary life we find the following correspondences:

An example of allegory in modern literature

Before you now is an excerpt from one of the most famous poems Boris Pasternak "Winter Night". Read and answer a simple question - what is it about?

Chalk, chalk all over the earth
To all limits.
The candle was burning on the table,
The candle was burning.
To the illuminated ceiling
The shadows were falling
Crossing of arms, crossing of legs,
Crossing fates.
It was snowy all month in February,
Every now and then
The candle was burning on the table,
The candle was burning.

If you understand everything literally, then the picture seems clear. The harsh Russian winter is pictured in my mind’s eye, and somewhere there is a lonely house. Everything happens in some village, since there is no electricity, and the house is lit with candles. Well, inside there are two lovers who periodically have sex. Looks like it, right? That's just not the least bit true.

To understand the meaning of “Winter Night”, you need to understand who Pasternak is. This is a rebel, a truth-teller. An author who was banned in the USSR for a long time. And it would be strange to assume that he suddenly wrote such a banal love lyrics. But he didn’t even write it! There is a much deeper meaning hidden in this poem:

You see, through a seemingly banal picture of winter, Pasternak described some of the main laws of the universe. Or better yet, disguised one in the other. This is an ALLEGORY.

Allegories in Krylov's fables

Ivan Krylov also uses a lot of allegories in his fables. In each of his works, the main characters are animals. But in them we can easily recognize human behavior or actions, often not the most correct and exemplary.

Krylov very clearly ridicules human vices or, conversely, praises their virtues. In every animal some character is encrypted:

But Krylov hides not only characters under allegories, but even entire principles of life, relationships between different layers of society and historical moments. A striking example is the fable “The Wolf and the Lamb.”

The powerful are always to blame for the powerless:
We hear countless examples of this in history.

In the story, the Wolf reproaches and in every possible way belittles the Lamb, who dared to drink water from the same stream as him. But it’s not about this pair of animals. Behind the images of the Wolf and the Lamb, Krylov hid those in power and the common people.

And the fabulist also has another work - “The Wolf in the Kennel”.

The wolf at night, thinking of getting into the sheepfold,
I ended up at the kennel.
Suddenly the whole kennel yard rose up -
Smelling the gray so close to the bully.

In this fable, Krylov skillfully disguised the events of 1812. Then Napoleon (Wolf), realizing that he could not defeat Russia (Psarnya), tried to hold peace negotiations.

But in the end, our commanders, led by Kutuzov, did not buy it and drove the French army all the way to Paris. And the fable just ends with the fact that the experienced hunter (Kutuzov) did not negotiate with the wolf (Napoleon) and unleashed all the dogs on him.

Other examples of allegories in literature

Of course, we find allegories not only in Krylov, and not only in fables. For example, many Tales of Saltykov-Shchedrin full of allegories. Most shining example- “The wise minnow.”

Indeed, under the mask of a little fish who decided to isolate himself from everything in the world, not to get involved in anything, not to help anyone and to live only for himself, one can see passive people. They do not strive for anything, do not try to get to the very top, do not fight for improvement own life. And the author makes a completely fair conclusion that such creatures (whether fish or humans) are of no use.

They give no one cold, no warmth, no dishonor, no honor. They just waste space and eat food.

One more example - “Song of the Petrel” by Maxim Gorky. After all, this is not about a bird, although it is the main character.

The stupid penguin timidly hides its fat body in the rocks... Only the proud Petrel soars boldly and freely over the foam-gray sea! ...Storm! A storm is coming soon!

Penguins in this case are a gray mass. People who tremble before power and are afraid to resist it. And the Petrel are daredevils who are ready to challenge and sweep away the old order.

The same dissatisfaction with age-old foundations can be found in in the works of Alexander Blok.

The carriages walked in the usual line,
They shuddered and creaked;
The yellow and blue ones were silent,
In the green ones they cried and sang.

Although here it is necessary to explain what exactly the author means. In pre-revolutionary Russia, the train consisted of multi-colored carriages. The rich traveled in the first and second class (yellow and blue), while the common people huddled in the less comfortable third class (green) carriages.

But in this case, Blok, of course, does not mean any specific train.

Through an allegory, he describes the general way of life in the country - the rich enjoy and do not want to notice anything around, and the poor have no choice but to remain silent and endure.

Some authors use as allegories characters' names. For example, Gogol has Sobakevich and Tyapkin-Lyapkin. Fonvizin has Pravdin and Prostakov. Griboedov has Molchalin and Skalozub. And as soon as we see, we immediately understand what kind of character this or that hero has, and how the author himself treats him.

How does allegory differ from metaphor?

An attentive reader may ask the question - what difference between allegory and metaphor? After all, both of these concepts imply allegory.

The essence is really the same - through vivid images enhance the meaning of what is written. It's just that the scale is different here. , as a rule, just one word that very aptly notices character or properties.

For example, golden hands, deathly silence, passing time. And here an allegory can take the form of an entire work. It is richer and deeper in meaning. And sometimes it’s even so complex that not every reader can figure out what its meaning is.

Good luck to you! See you soon on the pages of the blog site

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“Well, you and Plyushkin!” - we say to the hoarder who collects all sorts of unnecessary things simply for the sake of hoarding. Or: “Here is a donkey,” - about a stupid and stubborn person. When we see a soaring dove in the picture, we understand that we are talking about purity and sublimity of spirit, Judas - about betrayal, a woman with scales in her hand - about impartiality and justice. And we don’t even think about the fact that in speech and consciousness we appeal to such a concept as allegory. This is when something abstract and abstract is conveyed in the form of concrete or literary. After all, we learned from the Bible that Judas betrayed Christ and forever became an image of deceit and treason; from fairy tales we learned that the fox is cunning, the hare is cowardice, and so on.

Translated from Greek allegoria (allegory) is an allegory. We can write “Pharmacy”, or we can depict a bowl with a snake, and in both cases everyone will understand what is behind this door, but the first solution is straightforward, and the second is allegorical.

This concept was first given in the treatises of Cicero and pseudo-Longinus, dedicated to art speaker. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that allegory is one of the meanings that any artistic or literary work. It also had to have literal, moral and educational meanings.

Allegory in literature was used very widely and at a much later time. For example, Gogol's novel Dead Souls"is full of allegorical characters: Plyushkin, Korobochka, Sobakevich, Nozdryov - each of them is the clearest example of some human vice or, say, an unpleasant character trait: stinginess, idleness, depravity, etc.

There are entire genres that are mainly based on the allegorical nature of the images used: fable, fairy tale, parable. Wake up any fifth-grade student at night and ask: “What is Krylov’s fable “The Crow and the Fox” about?” “About flattery and vanity,” the student will report and bury himself in the blanket again. Well, in the morning, having thoroughly rubbed his eyes, he will tell you about Saltykov-Shchedrin with his “Wise Minnow”, and about Gorky’s bird market: the stupid Penguin, the brave Falcon, the Petrel, the like of black lightning. If a child is found somewhere nearby younger age, he can also be subjected to a quick survey: “Bear?” - “Strength, clumsiness, innocence!” - "Wolf?" - “Malice, bloodthirstiness, stupidity!” - "Fox?" - “Cunning, deceit, treachery!” - "Well done! Hold the candy!

So even small children know very well, This is comprehended literally from the first books, puppet shows, old cartoons.

What other form of art, besides literature, is characterized by the use of such a device as allegory? Painting, of course, sculpture, graphics, and others, both classical and modern.

A good example here is the sculpture “ Bronze Horseman" in St. Petersburg. On the crest of the wave, Tsar Peter rises on a hot horse, stepping on a snake with his hoof. The wave is a natural element that had to be overcome in order to build the city (the muddy banks of the serpent are obstacles and difficulties that awaited the reformer at every step, the horse is Russia, excited by the innovations and ideas of its ruler.

In painting, many great artists turned to allegorical images: Raphael, Botticelli, Titian, Rubens and many others.