Table of Contents
Introduction
“The Nightingale” is a poem written by Sir Philip Sidney, who is a celebrated poet, courtier, and scholar of the Elizabethan era. The poem was first published in a 1598 folio called Certaine Sonets, along with his other works. The poem also goes by a second name- Philomela– and is based on the character of Philomela which appears in Ovid’s work Metamorphoses. In the poem, the speaker addresses the character of Philomela, who had been turned into a nightingale by the gods and compares the pain of his suffering with hers.
About the Author
Born in 1554, Sir Phillip Sidney is a leading English poet, courtier and diplomat. Born in Penshurst Place, Kent, he came from an aristocratic family. Additionally, he was the nephew to Queen Elizabeth’s favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. His poetic works include of a sonnet cycle named Astrophel and Stella, a treatise, The Defence of Poesy (also known as The Defence of Poesie or An Apology for Poetrie) and a pastoral romance, The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia. Apart from his literary career, Sidney is also known to be involved in politics and military service.
Structure
The poem consists of 2 stanzas, each comprising 12 lines. It is written in the form of a song, with each stanza ending with a 4 line refrain. The poem also utilises Enjambment, where sentences run off into the succeeding lines.
Lines 1-5
The nightingale, as soon as April bringeth Unto her rested sense a perfect waking, While late bare earth, proud of new clothing, springeth, Sings out her woes, a thorn her song-book making, And mournfully bewailing,
Summary
The poem opens up with a vivid image of a nightingale singing in the natural landscape. The month of April arrives and awakens the resting nightingale from her winter sleep. As the bare Earth goes on to be clothed in the beauty and splendour of the spring season, the nightingale vocalises her anguish and sings into the wild. Rather than being joyful, the nightingale’s song is full of pain and mourning. According to the speaker, the nightingale uses a thorn as its songbook- her pain as an inspiration to sing.
Analysis
The poem uses the typical natural imagery of a nightingale singing in the wild but utilizes it to convey heartbreak and loss. There is a clear contrast set between the advent of April, which is full of vitality and energy, and the song of nightingale which is full of grief and suffering. The poem opens up with an allusion to the tragedy of Philomela, who was assaulted by her brother-in-law and had her speech taken away from her. She is later changed into a nightingale by the gods. It is of his suffering that Philomela or the nightingale sings of.
Lines 6-8
Her throat in tunes expresseth What grief her breast oppresseth For Tereus’ force on her chaste will prevailing.
Summary
The speaker continues with an allusion to the tragic story of Philomela. The nightingale goes on to express through her song, the sadness that it had been opressing. The nightingale, previously Philomela, laments the violation of her chastity by Tereus, her brother-in-law, who forced himself on her.
Analysis
Through the use of Ovid’s tale about Philomela, the poem also underlines women’s suffering, especially in terms of physical assault. Even though the speaker goes on to underrate Philomela’s pain since he claims his anguish is more serious, the poem still manages to talk about the suffering women go through through allusion.
Lines 9-12
O Philomela fair, O take some gladness, That here is juster cause of plaintful sadness: Thine earth now springs, mine fadeth; Thy thorn without, my thorn my heart invadeth.
Summary
Here, the speaker directly addresses the character of Philomela, who had been transformed into a nightingale and urges her to be happy with the fact that she can express her sorrows through her songs. The speaker further remarks how the spring season has provided a solace and a means to vent for the nightingale, whereas, the speaker’s world is fading. According to the speaker, the nightingale exists without any thorns in her life, whereas the speaker’s heart is pierced with thorns.
Analysis
The poem relies heavily on natural imagery. The use of the spring season is done to showcase the liberation the nightingale feels by lamenting her grief. The same image is extended to show how for the nightingale, the Earth, or the world is clothed in beauty and splendour. On the other hand, to connote the speaker’s emotions, the image of a thorn is used. Additionally, the speaker’s world is fading because he is not able to express his sorrow. The speaker lives without any presence of love or happiness in his life.
Lines 13-16
Alas, she hath no other cause of anguish But Tereus’ love, on her by strong hand wroken, Wherein she suffering, all her spirits languish; Full womanlike complains her will was broken.
Summary
The speaker goes on to remark how the cause of Philomela’s anguish stemmed from the love Tereus, her brother-in-law, had for her, even though he expressed it through lust and violence. Tereus’ act of violence had been the result of Philomela’s suffering, and it was born out of the feeling of love and desire. Her spirits had weakened as a result and her will was completely broken.
Analysis
Although the speaker acknowledges Philomela’s suffering, he also seems to be underrating her sorrow by comparing it with his sadness. The speaker fails to understand the true nature of the pain that the nightingale/ Philomela possesses. The speaker also claims that even though Tereus assaulted Philomela, it was his way of expressing his strong love and desire towards her.
Lines 17-20
But I, who daily craving, Cannot have to content me, Have more cause to lament me, Since wanting is more woe than too much having.
Summary
Next, the speaker presents his emotional state, in contrast to the nightingale’s. The speaker longs for love yet he cannot find any of it to satiate him. Since his life is bereft of any love, he has more cause to lament his position rather than the nightingale’s. The speaker ends the comparison by saying that wanting something like love is sadder than having too much of it.
Analysis
The speaker’s emotional distress is constantly showcased through the means of the poem. He claims to be deprived of love and considers himself in a worse position than the nightingale. The line, “Since wanting is more woe than too much having”, is indicative of the emotional state of both the speaker and the nightingale.
Lines 21-24
O Philomela fair, O take some gladness, That here is juster cause of plaintful sadness: Thine earth now springs, mine fadeth; Thy thorn without, my thorn my heart invadeth.
Summary
The speaker goes on to reiterate his claim that the nightingale should feel happy since it can verbally lament its sorrows through the means of its singing. Whereas, he has no means to vent his frustration and sadness.
Analysis
The reiteration of these four lines, making them into a refrain, strengthens the comparison that the speaker aims to make.
