The Love of the Nightingale
Encyclopedia
The Love of the Nightingale is a play by Timberlake Wertenbaker
, commissioned for the Royal Shakespeare Company
and published in 1989
. It is an adaptation of the Ancient Greek
legend of the rape of Philomela by her brother-in-law Tereus
, and the gruesome revenge undertaken by Philomela and her sister Procne
. The play takes a feminist
look at the ancient tale.
, Pandion I
, fights a war with Thebes over land. The King of Thrace, Tereus, helps out Pandion, and in return, Pandion allows Tereus to marry Procne. While in Thrace, Procne struggles to adjust to life, as her maidens have completely different ideas to her, so she asks Tereus to return to Athens and bring her sister, Philomele, to come and see her, as she is the only one who understands her.
Tereus returns and takes Philomele on his ship and returns to Thrace. On the way, Philomele falls in love with the captain of the ship, who has no name other than 'Captain'. He in turn falls in love with her. Tereus convinces himself that he has fallen in love with Philomele, so he kills the Captain so he cannot have her. In order to make her weak and vulnerable, Tereus informs Philomele untruthfully that Procne has died while trying to see whether her sister is coming. He eventually rape
s her and due to her determination to rebel and inform her sister, who she has worked out by now is not dead, he cuts out her tongue.
Tereus informs Procne that Philomele was drowned on the journey. Five years pass.
Philomele has been working making life size dolls for 5 years, and has seen nobody except the king, Niobe (her servant) and Niobe's servant. Niobe takes her to the annual Bachann/Dionysian festival, which is the only day of the year in which the women can act madly and drink. Philomele performs a re-enactment of the rape in order to inform Procne that she is alive and of what Tereus has done. In revenge, Procne kills her son, Itys. As Tereus begins to chase the women, his intent being to kill them, the gods turn Procne into a swallow
, Tereus into a hoopoe
and Philomele into a nightingale
.
of the same name
by Australian composer Richard Mills
is based on this play.
Timberlake Wertenbaker
- Biography :Wertenbaker grew up in the Basque Country of France near Saint-Jean-de-Luz. She attended schools in Europe and the US before settling permanently in London...
, commissioned for the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
and published in 1989
1989 in literature
The year 1989 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* February 24 - Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini places a US$3 million bounty for the death of The Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie.-Literature:...
. It is an adaptation of the Ancient Greek
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
legend of the rape of Philomela by her brother-in-law Tereus
Tereus
In Greek mythology, Tereus was a Thracian king, the son of Ares and husband of Procne. Procne and Tereus had a son, Itys.Tereus desired his wife's sister, Philomela. He forced himself upon her, then cut her tongue out and held her captive so she could never tell anyone. He told his wife that her...
, and the gruesome revenge undertaken by Philomela and her sister Procne
Procne
Procne may refer to:*In Greek mythology, Procne was sister to Philomela, as well as the wife of Tereus, and mother of Itys.*194 Prokne, an asteroid...
. The play takes a feminist
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
look at the ancient tale.
Synopsis
The King of AthensAthens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Pandion I
Pandion I
In Greek mythology, Pandion I was a legendary king of Athens, the son and heir to Erichthonius of Athens and his wife, the naiad Praxithea. He married a naiad, Zeuxippe, and they had four children, Erechtheus, Butes, Procne, and Philomela. His rule was unremarkable...
, fights a war with Thebes over land. The King of Thrace, Tereus, helps out Pandion, and in return, Pandion allows Tereus to marry Procne. While in Thrace, Procne struggles to adjust to life, as her maidens have completely different ideas to her, so she asks Tereus to return to Athens and bring her sister, Philomele, to come and see her, as she is the only one who understands her.
Tereus returns and takes Philomele on his ship and returns to Thrace. On the way, Philomele falls in love with the captain of the ship, who has no name other than 'Captain'. He in turn falls in love with her. Tereus convinces himself that he has fallen in love with Philomele, so he kills the Captain so he cannot have her. In order to make her weak and vulnerable, Tereus informs Philomele untruthfully that Procne has died while trying to see whether her sister is coming. He eventually rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
s her and due to her determination to rebel and inform her sister, who she has worked out by now is not dead, he cuts out her tongue.
Tereus informs Procne that Philomele was drowned on the journey. Five years pass.
Philomele has been working making life size dolls for 5 years, and has seen nobody except the king, Niobe (her servant) and Niobe's servant. Niobe takes her to the annual Bachann/Dionysian festival, which is the only day of the year in which the women can act madly and drink. Philomele performs a re-enactment of the rape in order to inform Procne that she is alive and of what Tereus has done. In revenge, Procne kills her son, Itys. As Tereus begins to chase the women, his intent being to kill them, the gods turn Procne into a swallow
Swallow
The swallows and martins are a group of passerine birds in the family Hirundinidae which are characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding...
, Tereus into a hoopoe
Hoopoe
The Hoopoe is a colourful bird that is found across Afro-Eurasia, notable for its distinctive 'crown' of feathers. It is the only extant species in the family Upupidae. One insular species, the Giant Hoopoe of Saint Helena, is extinct, and the Madagascar subspecies of the Hoopoe is sometimes...
and Philomele into 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...
.
Adaptations
The 2007 operaOpera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
of the same name
The Love of the Nightingale (opera)
The Love of the Nightingale is an opera in two acts by Richard Mills. The libretto by Timberlake Wertenbaker is based on her play of the same name...
by Australian composer Richard Mills
Richard Mills
Richard John Mills AM, DMus BA Qld, is an Australian conductor and composer. He currently works as Artistic Director of the West Australian Opera and Artistic Consultant with Orchestra Victoria...
is based on this play.