The Change of Philomel

The Change of Philomel is a study of the image of the nightingale in various genres of medieval literature. The major emphasis of the work is on French literature; there is a thorough treatment of the nightingale image in Provençal and Northern French lyrics and narrative works. Reference is made also to Middle English and Middle High German literary works. The nightingale proves to be a pervasive image, especially in the twelfth century. As a metaphor, the bird can represent the poet or the object of his affections; it can provide solace or competition for medieval poets; and the nightingale is also an inherently sexual symbol, a factor which is significant both for the use of the image and for its fall in popularity in the thirteenth century.