Themes and message

The main themes of the short story “The Nightingale and the Rose” by Oscar Wilde are sacrifice, love of love and materialism. The narrative can also be interpreted as a satire to Romanticism, as its end shows a painful morale: love involves risks and sacrifices and does not always triumph.

Sacrifice

The theme of sacrifice is solely explored in the short story through the character of the Nightingale. The bird illustrates willpower and the capacity of self-sacrifice in the name of an idea and for the sake of others. When she hears the Student lamenting his bad faith because he is unable to be with the girl he loves because he does not have a red rose, the Nightingale immediately relates to him and understands his sorrow.

First, she is willing to sacrifice her time and give away her songs to get the rose.

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Love of love

The theme of love of love is also explored in the short story through the Nightingale. Although the bird sets off to help a Student in love (a practical example of love), the bird seems also very inspired by the idea of love itself, which the Nightingale describes in almost absolute terms: 

Surely Love is a wonderful thing. It is more precious than emeralds, and dearer than fine opals. Pearls and pomegranates cannot buy it, nor is it set forth in the market-place. It may not be...

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Materialism

Materialism is explored in the short story through the human characters: the Student, the Professor’s daughter, and the Chamberlain’s nephew. All these characters are materialistic in some sense.

The Student evokes the rational side of materialism as he needs to see a practical end in all endeavours. He needs his love to manifest at the practical level...

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