Christianity Quote by Iain Macleod Higgins
““one might argue that the Mandeville author’s original deception was not a simple trick for its own sake, but rather that it allowed him the freedom to speak his mind in a society that did not encourage such expression: to critique the moral state of his fellow Christians through an unusually open-minded presentation of the sectarian Christian and non-Christian world beyond Latin Christendom,2 an open-mindedness extended to nearly every group except the Jews and some nomads like the Bedouins. If so, the deception can be considered akin to the sort of literary device used by his near contemporary, William Langland, who, to obtain similar critical freedom, couched his impassioned critique of Christendom in an allegorical dream vision called Piers Plowman (five of whose some fifty surviving copies are bound with TBJM, suggesting that they have concerns in common).3””
About This Quote
Source Literary analysis essay, 2020
Deception can grant authors freedom to critique society under restrictive norms.
In simple terms: Deception enables critical expression.
Key Takeaway
Use creative devices to voice dissent.
Themes
literature
critique
freedom
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
thoughtful
skeptical
When to use this quote
- academic writing
- public discourse
- creative writing
Key Concepts
allegory
social commentary
Questions to Reflect On
- What ethical lines are crossed?
- How does audience perception affect impact?
A Different Perspective
Risk of misinterpretation or backlash exists.
