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Literary Devices
Definition of Allegory
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and events. The story of "The Tortoise and The Hare" is... read full definition
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and events. The story of "The... read full definition
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and... read full definition
Allegory
Explanation and Analysis:
Brideshead Revisited centers largely on its titular setting—the estate of the Flyte/Marchmain family. This proud house has seen substantial change over the course of several centuries, as it has been disassembled, reassembled, and abandoned by the family, as well as repurposed as a military base. The house reflects both the character of its family and serves as commentary on tradition and religion.
Christianity began as an offshoot of Judaism, itself a belief system with an ancient and storied history. Following its incitement, the new religion soon fractured into sects: Catholicism, having its various orthodox variants; Protestantism, Anglicanism, Calvinism, the Baptist Church, Quakers, Mormons, and so on. Each Christian sect "rebuilds" the religion's core tenets, framing them to prioritize certain teachings and interpretations over others.
The Brideshead home, disassembled and reassembled as it has been, serves as an apt allegory for organized religion. Like Brideshead, Christianity has been deconstructed and reformed over time to serve alternative purposes. The Anglican church, for example, formed in part because Henry VIII of England wanted to divorce his wife. The Catholic Church would not permit this, so Henry VIII created his own Christian sect, with himself as the head and principal authority of the church.
Religion—specifically Catholicism—plays an important role in Waugh's main characters' lives, its purpose changing and shifting over the course of many years. The characters approach religion with different intent at different times, their respective relationships to Catholicism changing as they themselves move between identities and life circumstances. The characters are rearrangements of themselves—like Christianity and like the Brideshead home itself.
Epilogue
Explanation and Analysis—Building:
In the epilogue, Charles discusses his history at Brideshead with Hooper, observing that the building was clearly not constructed to outfit soldiers. In explaining the house’s purpose to Hooper, Charles constructs an elaborate allegory for his own life:
“No,” I said, “not what [Brideshead] was built for. Perhaps that’s one of the pleasures of building, like having a son, wondering how he’ll grow up. I don’t know; I never built anything, and I forfeited the right to watch my son grow up. I’m homeless, childless, middle-aged, love-less, Hooper.”
Charles uses the construction and reconstruction of the Brideshead home to represent his own purpose. Like the Brideshead estate, Charles has built and rebuilt his life a dozen times over: first, with Sebastian as his best friend at Oxford; leaving for Paris art school and marrying Celia; again, during his affair with Julia; and finally, in the army. He is a man unmoored, searching for purpose in a world intent on disassembling and reassembling him to suit its purposes.
Brideshead in its most recent iteration encompasses a befuddling range of architectural styles and interior designs—everything from Egyptian to European Baroque. Like the estate in question, Charles himself seeks to imitate the lifestyles of those around him, guided by what Sebastian wants from him (a life of hedonism, defiance, and perpetual adolescence), what Lady Marchmain wants from him (a companion to spy on Sebastian), what Julia wants from him (a lover, a fellow adulterer), and, finally, what his society and country want from him (a willing soldier).
Related Themes:
