Literary notes about Parable (AI summary)
The word "parable" is deployed across literature as a narrative device that encodes moral, philosophical, or allegorical meaning within a seemingly simple tale. In classical works, such as in Plato’s Republic [1, 2, 3, 4] and the Bible [5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25], it introduces lessons that require interpretation beyond the surface narrative. Philosophers and modern writers, including Nietzsche [26, 27, 28, 29] and others [30, 31, 32], similarly employ the parable to invite reflection on abstract ideas, using the form both to instruct and to provoke thought. This versatile literary form transforms a brief story into a powerful tool for exploring the complexities of human nature and the world.
- 'A strange parable,' he said, 'and strange captives.'
— from The Republic by Plato - This is a matter of secondary importance, like the principle of transposition which was intimated in the parable of the earthborn men.
— from The Republic of Plato by Plato - This is the lesson which Christ taught in a parable when He said, 'Their angels do always behold the face of My Father which is in heaven.'
— from The Republic by Plato - ‘A strange parable,’ he said, ‘and strange captives.’
— from The Republic of Plato by Plato - He shall understand a parable and the interpretation, the words of the wise, and their mysterious sayings.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - And he spoke a parable also to them that were invited, marking how they chose the first seats at the table, saying to them: 14:8.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - The parable of the ten virgins and of the talents.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - And thou shalt speak by a figure a parable to the provoking house, and say to them:
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - And his disciples asked him what this parable might be.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - And Peter answering, said to him: Expound to us this parable.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - Matthew Chapter 20 The parable of the labourers in the vineyard.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - Luke Chapter 16 The parable of the unjust steward and of the rich man and Lazarus.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - Another parable he proposed unto them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - Luke Chapter 16 The parable of the unjust steward and of the rich man and Lazarus. 16:1.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - Mark Chapter 4 The parable of the sower.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - Ezechiel Chapter 17 The parable of the two eagles and the vine.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - And from the fig tree learn a parable: When the branch thereof is now tender and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - And taking up his parable, again he said: Alas, who shall live when God shall do these things?
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - As I live, saith the Lord God, this parable shall be no more to you a proverb in Israel.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - Job also added, taking up his parable, and said: 29:2.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - But he taking up his parable, said: Stand, O Balac, and give ear: hear, thou son of Sephor: 23:19.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - And he began to speak to the people this parable: A certain man planted a vineyard and let it out to husbandmen: and he was abroad for a long time.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - And Peter said to him: Lord, dost thou speak this parable to us, or likewise to all? 12:42.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - And without parable he did not speak unto them; but apart, he explained all things to his disciples.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - Or, as I once said in parable: “That is just divinity, that there are Gods, but no God!”
— from Thus Spake Zarathustra: A Book for All and None by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche - Only in the dance do I know how to speak the parable of the highest things:—and now hath my grandest parable remained unspoken in my limbs!
— from Thus Spake Zarathustra: A Book for All and None by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche - I said "very much as"—but in this respect I spoke perhaps more than a parable.
— from The Will to Power: An Attempted Transvaluation of All Values. Book III and IV by Nietzsche - And also this parable give I unto you: Not a few who meant to cast out their devil, went thereby into the swine themselves.
— from Thus Spake Zarathustra: A Book for All and None by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche - And this is a strictly true parable of the effect of our modern vagueness in losing and separating men as in a mist.
— from What's Wrong with the World by G. K. Chesterton - I call it A Pisgah Sight of Palestine or The Parable of The Plums.
— from Ulysses by James Joyce - Such, in a parable, is the story of the English novel.
— from English Literature by William J. Long
