The Love of the Nightingale: language

Language and Communication

Symbolic Language

The play utilizes symbolic language, drawing on an array of symbolic references.
A pivotal instance is the nightingale, a bird known for its song, symbolizing Philomele’s voice- her resistance, resilience and her struggle.
The bird symbolism also reflects the theme of freedom versus captivity; the caged bird mirroring the women’s constrained lives.

Visual Language

Wertenbaker makes use of visual language throughout the play, enhancing the audience’s sensory perception.
One explicit example is Tereus’s use of aggressive and explicative visual language towards Philomele which marks her violation and her shifting identity.

Language of Power

The play demonstrates the language of power. Tereus, being a king and a man, can publically decree, demand and command, imposing his will. His language underscores his authority and male dominance.
In contrast, women’s language is private, intimate and often repressed; both Procne and Philomele time and again are silenced to the point that Philomele is literally muted.

Use of Greek Tragedy

In conjunction with the physical language, the play leverages the language archetype of Greek Tragedy.
There are clear traces of Greek conventions: the inevitability of fate, the divine retribution (Tereus’s punishment), dramatic irony (Philomele’s eventual fate being known to the audience but not the characters) and catharsis (purgation of emotions), shared by characters and audience alike. This forms part of the play’s textual language.

Contrasting Language

The striking dichotomy in language reflects contrasting experiences of characters. Men speak the language of affluence, control and sexuality whereas women speak the language of subjugation, pain and resistance.

Role of Silence

Silence in the play is not merely absence of speech. Rather, it is loud, resonating and profound carrying immense significance.
Silence is forced upon Philomele as a tool of oppression yet she finds ways to communicate, making her silence more powerful than words. Her voiceless narrative comes to symbolize both her struggle and resilience.

Poetic Language

The poetic language of the characters provides an emotional layer to the narrative. This brand of language allows emotions and thoughts to be conveyed more subtly, giving scope for the audience’s interpretation.

For a deeper engagement with “The Love of the Nightingale”, it’s crucial to grasp the various layers of its linguistic expression. These tools add greater depth to the characters and the narrative, enhancing the dramatic impact.