The Nightingale and the Rose

The Nightingale is the story’s protagonist and hero. She loves to sing and please the world around her with her music, and her interest in the desires of others makes her remarkably unlike the self-absorbed Student and Professor’s daughter. She is nonmaterialistic, holding love above all else, from “emeralds […] and opals” to the joys of life itself (59). She emerges as the “true lover” of the story, both understanding and embodying The Nature of Love and Sacrificing Oneself for Love. In some ways, the Nightingale’s sacrifice is even Christ-like, especially as she sings of “Love that dies not in the tomb” (65), evoking the biblical story of Christ’s resurrection and unconditional love for humanity.

In addition to being a true lover, the Nightingale is also a true artist. She is underappreciated by the Student in this capacity as well; he dismisses the arts as “selfish” and claims that her notes “do not mean anything” or “do any practical good” (63), an observation that proves to be wrong, as her beautiful singing creates his much-desired red rose. The Nightingale’s song is so powerful that she attracts the attention of the moon, faraway shepherds, and the sea, proving herself much more powerful than the philosophy and metaphysics that the Student prizes above all else.