The Nightingale and the Rose

The Nightingale and The Rose by Oscar Wilde

Questions and Answers:

1. What made the student’s life wretched?

Answer:
The student’s life became wretched because he could not find a red rose. He wanted to give the red rose to the Professor’s daughter so that she would dance with him. Without the rose, she had refused his invitation. He believed that his happiness depended entirely on this small flower. He cried in the garden, feeling unlucky and hopeless. To him, life felt empty without love and the dance.

2. What is the author’s idea of a true lover? What did the Nightingale do to get the red rose?

Answer:
Oscar Wilde presents a true lover as someone who is ready to sacrifice everything for love. Love is shown as pure, selfless, and deeper than material things. The Nightingale believes in this kind of love when she hears the student’s sorrow. To help him, she searches for a red rose in the garden. Finally, she agrees to give her life to create one. She presses her heart against a thorn and sings all night to make the red rose bloom.

3. What is the Nightingale’s idea of true love?

Answer:
The Nightingale believes that true love is greater than life itself. She thinks love is more valuable than gold or jewels. To her, love is a beautiful and noble feeling that requires sacrifice. She does not see love as selfish or practical. Instead, she sees it as something spiritual and pure. That is why she willingly sacrifices her life for the student’s happiness.

4. How did the Nightingale react to the suggestion of the red rose tree?

Answer:
The red rose tree tells the Nightingale that a red rose can only be made through sacrifice. She must sing with her heart against a thorn all night. At first, this sounds painful and deadly. The Nightingale feels afraid but also determined. She believes love is worth the suffering. So, she bravely accepts the condition without hesitation.

5. What did the Nightingale have to do to get one red rose?

Answer:
The Nightingale had to sing all night with her breast pressed against a sharp thorn. The thorn slowly pierced her heart as she sang. Her blood flowed into the rose tree and gave colour to the rose. She had to continue singing even though the pain increased. By morning, her heart was completely pierced. Her life ended, but a beautiful red rose bloomed.

6. Narrate in your words the Nightingale’s encounter with the rose trees.

Answer:
The Nightingale first went to a white rose tree, but it said its roses were white like sea foam. Then she went to a yellow rose tree, but it said its roses were yellow like sunlight. Finally, she found a red rose tree near the student’s window. This tree said it could make a red rose only through a painful sacrifice. It explained that the Nightingale must sing with her heart on a thorn. After hearing this, the Nightingale decided to give her life for love.

7. What happened when the student found the red rose?

Answer:
The student was very happy when he saw the red rose. He believed it was the most beautiful flower he had ever seen. He quickly plucked it and ran to the Professor’s house. He thought the girl would now agree to dance with him. He felt proud and excited about his success. However, his happiness did not last long.

8. What was the effect of the song of the Nightingale upon the rose tree as she sang of the birth of love?

Answer:
As the Nightingale sang, the rose tree slowly began to change. At first, a pale bud appeared on the branch. Her song filled the air with beauty and emotion. As she sang of young love, the rose turned pink. The deeper her song became, the deeper the colour of the rose grew. Her music and blood together gave life and colour to the flower.

9. Describe the last stage of the effort of the Nightingale.

Answer:
In the final stage, the thorn pierced deeply into the Nightingale’s heart. The pain became very intense, but she continued to sing. Her song grew more passionate as her life slowly faded. The rose turned a deep, rich red from her heart’s blood. At dawn, her song stopped forever. She fell dead in the grass, having completed her sacrifice.

10. Why did the Professor’s daughter refuse to dance with the student?

Answer:
The Professor’s daughter refused because she did not value the red rose. She said it would not match her dress. She also mentioned that another man had given her real jewels. To her, jewels were more precious than flowers. She was practical and materialistic, not romantic. So, she rejected the student and his gift.

11. What does the red rose symbolize?

Answer:
The red rose symbolizes true love and sacrifice. It represents deep emotions and devotion. The flower is created through pain and selflessness. It shows the difference between real love and selfish love. While the Nightingale sees love as noble, humans fail to understand it. Thus, the rose becomes a symbol of pure but unappreciated love.

12. Do you agree with the student’s comparative assessment of love and philosophy?

Answer:
The student later says that love is impractical and philosophy is more useful. He throws the rose away and returns to his books. I do not fully agree with him. Love may not always be logical, but it gives life meaning and beauty. Philosophy gives knowledge, but love gives emotional depth. Both are important, and one should not reject love so easily.

Short Notes:

1. The End of the Story

At the end of the story, the student finds the beautiful red rose that the Nightingale created with her life. He is full of joy and believes that now the Professor’s daughter will agree to dance with him. He runs to her house and offers her the rose with great excitement. He thinks his dream of love is about to come true.

However, the girl refuses the rose. She says it will not match her dress and that another man has given her real jewels, which she thinks are more valuable. She shows that she cares more for wealth and status than for love. The student feels insulted and disappointed by her rejection.

In anger and frustration, the student throws the rose into the street, where it is crushed. He decides that love is foolish and useless. He returns to his books and says philosophy is more important than love. The tragic ending shows how true sacrifice is wasted on people who do not understand love.

2. Character Sketch of the Student

The student is a young man who believes he is deeply in love. At the beginning, he appears emotional and romantic because he is crying for a red rose. He thinks love is the most important thing in life. However, his idea of love is shallow and selfish.

He talks a lot about love, but he is not ready to suffer or sacrifice for it. When he cannot get a red rose, he feels miserable, but he does nothing to solve his problem. He only complains about his bad luck. This shows that he is more of a dreamer than a true lover.

At the end of the story, his true nature is revealed. When the girl rejects him, he quickly says that love is useless and turns back to philosophy. He forgets his feelings very easily. This shows that he does not truly understand love, unlike the Nightingale who gives her life for it.

3. Encounter of the Nightingale with the Rose Trees

The Nightingale flies through the garden to help the student find a red rose. First, she goes to the white rose tree, but it tells her that its roses are white like sea foam. Then she goes to the yellow rose tree, but it says its roses are yellow like the sun. Both trees are unable to give her what she wants.

Finally, she goes to the red rose tree that grows under the student’s window. This tree says that it can produce a red rose, but only through a great sacrifice. It explains that the Nightingale must sing all night with her heart pressed against a thorn. Her blood must flow into the tree to give the rose its red colour.

The Nightingale is shocked by the painful condition, but she accepts it bravely. She believes that love is more precious than life. Without thinking of her own safety, she decides to make the sacrifice. This encounter shows her pure heart and strong belief in true love.

4. Idea of Love as Expressed in the Story

In the story, love is shown in two very different ways. The Nightingale represents true love, which is pure, selfless, and full of sacrifice. She believes love is greater than life and is willing to die for it. Her actions show that real love means giving without expecting anything in return.

On the other hand, the student and the Professor’s daughter represent false or selfish love. The student talks about love but forgets it quickly when he is disappointed. The girl cares more about jewels and rich gifts than about feelings. Their idea of love is practical and materialistic.

Through this contrast, Oscar Wilde shows that true love is rare and often not valued by the world. The Nightingale’s sacrifice is noble, but it is wasted on people who do not understand it. The story suggests that love is beautiful and meaningful, but also tragic when it is not appreciated.