“I dislike Allegory – the conscious and intentional allegory – yet any attempt to explain the purport of myth or fairytale must use allegorical language.”
- January 3, 1892 – September 2, 1973
- Born in the Orange Free State (British)
- Author, linguist
- Wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and built the foundations of modern fantasy literature
Quote
“I dislike Allegory – the conscious and intentional allegory – yet any attempt to explain the purport of myth or fairytale must use allegorical language.”
Explanation
This quote reflects Tolkien’s distaste for explicit allegory, particularly the kind where every element of a story has a one-to-one correspondence to a real-world concept or event. Tolkien felt that such conscious, didactic allegory could limit the imaginative potential of stories, turning them into mere tools for moral or political messaging. He preferred to create stories that were rich in meaning and interpretation but left the allegorical connections open-ended, allowing readers to draw their own insights without being forced into a specific worldview.
However, Tolkien acknowledges a paradox in this view: while he rejected intentional allegory, any attempt to explain the deeper meanings of myth or fairytale often inevitably involves allegorical language. In other words, when trying to explain the symbolism or moral lessons hidden within myths, it is nearly impossible to avoid using allegorical terms to describe how elements of the story relate to broader truths. Myth and fairytale, by their nature, operate on multiple levels of meaning, and their significance often resides in the symbolic rather than the literal.
This tension between rejecting conscious allegory and acknowledging the inevitability of allegorical interpretation is a core aspect of Tolkien’s approach to storytelling. His works, while not overtly allegorical in a conventional sense, are deeply symbolic. For example, the struggle between good and evil, the temptation of power, and the themes of sacrifice and redemption in The Lord of the Rings can be read as metaphorical explorations of human nature, morality, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Yet, Tolkien resisted reducing these themes to a simple allegory, preferring to let the mythological framework speak for itself, allowing readers to interpret it in personal and varied ways.
In modern times, this perspective encourages creators and readers alike to engage with stories in a way that recognizes the symbolism within them, while also allowing room for interpretation. The idea is that the richness of a story or myth doesn’t need to be explained in terms of rigid allegories or lessons. Instead, layered storytelling invites a more organic exploration of ideas and values. This also reflects a broader cultural desire to move beyond simple didacticism in art, embracing works that speak to the complexities of the human experience without the need for a single, prescriptive interpretation.
