Middle English Allegorical Poetry

Middle English Allegorical Poetry

👉 Middle English Allegorical Poetry

Answer: An allegory is a literary mode of representing one theme or idea under the guise of another. Medieval poetry is predominantly allegorical. Probably, the allegorical interpretation of the scriptures and the influence of French literature, which was mostly allegorical in nature, directed the medieval poetry on the path of allegory. Consequently, the growth of allegorical literature in the Middle English was spontaneous.

The most influence and emblematic of medieval allegories is The Romount of the Rose, probably written by Guillaume and Lorris and Jean Clopinel. This allegory, as it seems now, is of uneven quality. The earlier part is well conceived an excited. But the latter part is a rambling allegorical satire notorious for its Saturday against women. The influence of this allegorical work on subsequent writing is palpable. Even Chaucer appears to have been much indebted to this work.

The famous medieval allegories, for example, Pearl, Purity and Patience, owe much to The Romount of the Rose. In fact, Pearl one of the most beautiful of the medieval English poems, is a finished specimen of theological allegory. Another remarkable allegorical work of the Middle English is the Vision of Concerning Piers the Plowman by William Langland. Cast in a dream-vision, the poem begins in the manner of Romance of the Rose.

It is to be noted that some of the medieval allegorical poems present the picture of the animal world and therefore, are more like fables with didactic morals. Of these the Owl and the Nightingale stands out prominently as an original piece with an engaging theme. Written probably about 1280 A.D., the subject of this allegorical poem is a lively debate between an owl and a nightingale over the relative merit of their songs. It however allegorizes the conflict between youth and age, with the nightingale representing youth, while the owl represents the wisdom that comes with age. Incidentally, there are some other verse-fables of the period, which bear the influence of The Owl and the Nightingale, The fox and the Wolf, The Dame Serizio or The Weeping Bitch are worth mentioning.

Thus, the lively flow of wit and humor and the happy ring of a sweet melody and a forceful, yet natural, introduction of some moral ideas make these allegories very vivacious and enjoyable. One understands that not only the allegorical works of Chaucer but those of Swift and Kipling’s were influenced by the allegorical poems of the Middle English period.

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👉 Anglo Saxon Christian Poetry or Religious Poetry

👉 Anglo-Saxon Elegy or Old English Lyric Poetry

👉 Beowulf, as a heroic epic poem