Literary Techniques: Alliteration and Allegory

Alliteration

• Repetition of similar sounds at the beginning of words in stressed syllables.
• Example: "on Scrolls of Silver snowy sentence"
• Close repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words, often strengthened by alliterative letters in the middle of words (e.g., "She sells sea shells by the seashore").
• Can be used to enforce meaning or for melodic beauty.
• Some letters can create specific literary effects:
  • "w" conveys vastness and desolation (e.g., "way," "wave," "wide world").
  • "s" and "l" convey peace and serenity.

Allegory

• Derived from the Greek word "allegorig".
• More than just a metaphor, it's a literary technique.
• A story with a double meaning: a surface meaning and a deeper, underlying meaning.
• Can be interpreted at multiple levels.
• Example: "The calm lake was a mirror."

Piers Plowman (P.P.)

• A long religious allegory in alliterative verse.
• Written in the West Midland dialect.
• Author's name (William Langland) is written at the end of the poem.
• No definitive information about the author is available.
• Poem written in the form of a dream vision.

The Story of Piers Plowman

• Introduces a series of visions about how man can attain salvation.
• Conveys the poet's criticism of medieval English society, its beliefs, and values.
• Reveals the vices of the poet's time.
• Piers is an ideal 14th century farmer representing true Christian values.
• He judges the world and guides others towards spiritual well-being.

The Opening Vision of Piers Plowman

• The dreamer sees a tower in the distance, symbolizing God's house (the Tower of Troth).
• This tower represents truth and righteousness, in contrast to the hypocrisy and corruption of the world.
• The dreamer falls asleep dressed as a hermit and dreams of a field full of people, representing the world in all its variety.
• A pilgrimage to the shrine of Holy Truth takes place, symbolic of searching for truth.
• The dreamer encounters many figures and realizes that nobody knows where truth resides.
• The plowman, representing true faith, knows where truth lies.
• The vision concludes with the understanding that those who do good will go to heaven and those who do evil will go to hell.