The Owl and the Nightingale
Encyclopedia
The Owl and the Nightingale is a 12th- or 13th-century Middle English poem detailing a debate between an owl
and a nightingale
as overheard by the poem's narrator. It is the earliest example in Middle English of a literary form known as debate poetry
(or verse contest). (Examples exist in the Old English poems Solomon and Saturn
.
as BL MS Cotton Caligula A.IX, the other to Jesus College, Oxford
, as Jesus College MS 29. Both manuscripts date from the second half of the 13th century, and possibly the last quarter of the century.
Traditionally the text is believed to have been originally composed during the period 1189-1216. This belief is based on the poem's mention of a recently departed King Henry, Henry II
who died in 1189. However, it has been suggested that the poem actually refers to Henry III
, which would date the poem as later than 1272 (not much earlier than the production of the two surviving manuscripts).
Similarly there has been much debate about the identity of the author of The Owl and the Nightingale. "Master Nicholas of Guildford", who is mentioned in reverential terms within the text, is one possible candidate. The religious poem entitled La Passyun Jhu Christ preceding The Owl in the Jesus College manuscript has a note saying that it once possessed an additional quatrain implying that it was written by John of Guildford, perhaps a relation of Nicholas.
Various other ecclesiastical figures have also been suggested as possible authors, such as a Benedictine
nun from Shaftesbury Abbey
.
s (generally iambic tetrameter
, with most verses ending with a ninth unstressed syllable). This form shows the influence of Old French poetry
, and precociously anticipates the style of Chaucer.
It borrows something from Alexander of Neckham's De naturis rerum.
in Dorset
. He delivers, they say, many right judgments, and composes and writes much wisdom, and it is lamentable that so learned and worthy a man should gain no preferment from his bishop.
Scholars have put forth many possible interpretations of the text. One is that the piece is a general allegory of the contest between asceticism and a more cheerful view of religion, and is capable of a particular application to the differences between the regular orders and the secular clergy. The nightingale defends her singing on the ground that heaven is a place of song and mirth, while the owl maintains that much weeping for his many sins is man's best preparation for the future.
of the period, The Owl and the Nightingale offers no resolution, thus forcing the reader to interpret the highly ambiguous text for himself. The debate itself covers a very diverse range, including religion, marriage, toilet manners, and song. This diverse range has led to scholars interpreting the text in very different ways. These interpretations have varied from a medieval answer to the portrayal of the owl in the Book of Isaiah
, to the poem being used as a teaching method for teaching students the art of debate as part of the trivium. Various historical satires have also been proposed as possible interpretations; including a parody of the relationship between King Henry II
and Thomas Becket
.
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
and a nightingale
Nightingale
The Nightingale , also known as Rufous and Common Nightingale, is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae...
as overheard by the poem's narrator. It is the earliest example in Middle English of a literary form known as debate poetry
Medieval debate poetry
Medieval debate poetry refers to a genre of poems popular in England and France during the late medieval period . Essentially, a debate poem depicts a dialogue between two natural opposites...
(or verse contest). (Examples exist in the Old English poems Solomon and Saturn
Solomon and Saturn
Solomon and Saturn is a work in the corpus of Anglo-Saxon literature. The work is cast in the form of a dialogue full of riddles, in which Solomon, the wisest king of the land of Israel, and Saturn, the eldest of the elder gods of Roman mythology, though identified in the poem as a prince of the...
.
Manuscripts, date, and authorship
There are two surviving manuscript versions of The Owl and the Nightingale, one belonging to the British LibraryBritish Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
as BL MS Cotton Caligula A.IX, the other to Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
, as Jesus College MS 29. Both manuscripts date from the second half of the 13th century, and possibly the last quarter of the century.
Traditionally the text is believed to have been originally composed during the period 1189-1216. This belief is based on the poem's mention of a recently departed King Henry, Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
who died in 1189. However, it has been suggested that the poem actually refers to Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
, which would date the poem as later than 1272 (not much earlier than the production of the two surviving manuscripts).
Similarly there has been much debate about the identity of the author of The Owl and the Nightingale. "Master Nicholas of Guildford", who is mentioned in reverential terms within the text, is one possible candidate. The religious poem entitled La Passyun Jhu Christ preceding The Owl in the Jesus College manuscript has a note saying that it once possessed an additional quatrain implying that it was written by John of Guildford, perhaps a relation of Nicholas.
Various other ecclesiastical figures have also been suggested as possible authors, such as a Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
nun from Shaftesbury Abbey
Shaftesbury Abbey
Shaftesbury Abbey was an abbey that housed nuns in Shaftesbury, Dorset. Founded in the year 888, the abbey was the wealthiest Benedictine nunnery in England, a major pilgrimage site, and the town's central focus...
.
Style and form
The poem is written in rhymed octosyllabic coupletCouplet
A couplet is a pair of lines of meter in poetry. It usually consists of two lines that rhyme and have the same meter.While traditionally couplets rhyme, not all do. A poem may use white space to mark out couplets if they do not rhyme. Couplets with a meter of iambic pentameter are called heroic...
s (generally iambic tetrameter
Iambic tetrameter
Iambic tetrameter is a meter in poetry. It refers to a line consisting of four iambic feet. The word "tetrameter" simply means that there are four feet in the line; iambic tetrameter is a line comprising four iambs...
, with most verses ending with a ninth unstressed syllable). This form shows the influence of Old French poetry
Medieval French literature
Medieval French literature is, for the purpose of this article, literature written in Oïl languages during the period from the eleventh century to the end of the fifteenth century....
, and precociously anticipates the style of Chaucer.
It borrows something from Alexander of Neckham's De naturis rerum.
Summary
The nightingale sitting on a branch covered with blossom sees the owl perched on a bough overgrown with ivy, and proceeds to abuse her for her general habits and appearance. The birds decide to refer the consequent dispute to Master Nicholas de Guildford, who is skilled in such questions, but they first engage in a débat in the French fashion. The owl is the better logician, but the nightingale has a fund of abuse that equalizes matters. Finally, when the argument threatens to become a fight, the wren interferes, and the two go to the house of Master Nicholas at PorteshamPortesham
Portesham is a village in the English county of Dorset, situated close to the south coast, between the towns of Weymouth and Dorchester. The village has a population of 708...
in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. He delivers, they say, many right judgments, and composes and writes much wisdom, and it is lamentable that so learned and worthy a man should gain no preferment from his bishop.
Scholars have put forth many possible interpretations of the text. One is that the piece is a general allegory of the contest between asceticism and a more cheerful view of religion, and is capable of a particular application to the differences between the regular orders and the secular clergy. The nightingale defends her singing on the ground that heaven is a place of song and mirth, while the owl maintains that much weeping for his many sins is man's best preparation for the future.
Interpretation
Unlike most debate poetryMedieval debate poetry
Medieval debate poetry refers to a genre of poems popular in England and France during the late medieval period . Essentially, a debate poem depicts a dialogue between two natural opposites...
of the period, The Owl and the Nightingale offers no resolution, thus forcing the reader to interpret the highly ambiguous text for himself. The debate itself covers a very diverse range, including religion, marriage, toilet manners, and song. This diverse range has led to scholars interpreting the text in very different ways. These interpretations have varied from a medieval answer to the portrayal of the owl in the Book of Isaiah
Book of Isaiah
The Book of Isaiah is the first of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, preceding the books of Ezekiel, Jeremiah and the Book of the Twelve...
, to the poem being used as a teaching method for teaching students the art of debate as part of the trivium. Various historical satires have also been proposed as possible interpretations; including a parody of the relationship between King Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
and Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion...
.