Allegory is a narrative or visual representation with an underlying meaning, moral message, or political significance.
Allegory is used to make large, complex topics more approachable and accessible. Usually, an allegory is presented as a simple, straightforward narrative, but the narrative might mirror more complicated real-life events or provide a lesson that should be applied to everyday behavior. Sometimes, allegory is used when a topic is particularly controversial and could be dangerous or polarizing to discuss. Allegory works similarly to metaphor, comparing one thing to another seemingly unlike thing, but allegory is characterized by having an underlying meaning or message.
Poems that use allegory include “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “The Haunted Palace” by Edgar Allen Poe, and “Daffy Duck in Hollywood” by John Ashbery.