Nightingales are the small, black birds with a voice so beautiful that their songs might resonate with your deepest self. But did you know that these birds have symbolism as impactful as their songs? What do nightingales symbolize?
Nightingales are symbolic of beauty and melody. Being nocturnal, they’re also symbolic of darkness and mysticism. To dream of these birds is often symbolic of joy and hope but can also have a negative interpretation at times.
Nightingales have vivid representation among various works of Literature. And as far as cultures and myths are concerned, their most frequent appearance can be found in ancient Greek mythologies.
In this article, we will dive into the symbolic and spiritual meaning of the nightingales, their dream interpretations, totem, spirit animal, and more.
Nightingale symbolism
What are nightingales? Nightingales are small, passerine birds known for their nocturnal nature and their deep, sorrowful songs.
In this section, we will delve deeper into the personality of these birds and explore their symbolism in the spiritual world.
As we’ve just mentioned above, nightingales are nocturnal birds. These birds remain hidden, resting during the day, and are active in the silent darkness of the night.
Their association with the nighttime has given way to the symbols of mysteriousness and secrecy.
And while the above qualities make them appear fascinating, in nature, these birds are quite simple. They’re known for their shyness and timidity and often like keeping to themselves.
Nightingales are small, innocent, and harmless birds and teach us the lesson of peace and harmony.
What does it mean to dream of Nightingales?
Birds like nightingales are a welcome sight for most people, even in their dreams. But have you ever wondered if their appearance in your dream could have a hidden, deeper meaning?
Dreams hold a sea of unexplored wisdom, and those who can comprehend their meanings are bound to be successful in life.
So, what could be the hidden meaning behind the appearance of nightingales in your dream? That’s what we are going to talk about in this section.
To dream of a nightingale is a lucky sign, as these melodious birds are considered the harbingers of joy and harmony.
If you’ve dreamt of them, it means that the coming day will bring happiness and good fortune to you; nothing bad could possibly happen today.
If you don’t see the nightingale in your dream but can merely hear their song, it indicates that you’re going to spend some quality time with your better half.
However, if the nightingale in your dream stops singing suddenly, it could be a sign of a misunderstanding between the two of you somewhere down the road.
Alternatively, this dream could also mean that there’s going to be a dispute in your friend circle.
Does the nightingale in your dram have the ability to speak? The speaking nightingale indicates that someone around you, who has been your secret admirer for a long time, is going to confess their feelings to you.
And if you find yourself talking back to the nightingale, it means that the love between you two is mutual and has the potential to bloom into something beautiful and meaningful.
Dreaming of a nightingale’s nest has a pleasant interpretation; it is symbolic of peace, harmony, and joy within your home (family).
If the nightingales build their nest in your house in your dream, it suggests that you are soon going to be visited by an old friend or relative.
Although you’ve not met these people for a long time, you will have a pleasant time reminiscing the old days with them.
Baby nightingales are symbolic of purity and spiritualism. To dream of these birds suggests that you will soon have a spiritual awakening in your waking life.
On the other hand, dreaming of a nightingale’s eggs has a negative interpretation. If you see such a dream, it means that very soon you’re going to misunderstand someone who has only good intentions for you and accuse them falsely.
This incident could lead to a serious falling out between you two.
Dreaming of hunting a nightingale suggests that you are in competition with those around you, trying desperately to outsmart them in order to win.
However, if you caught the bird ultimately, it declares your triumph on them.
To hold a nightingale in your palm indicates that soon you will encounter a problem for which you will need the help of an old friend. If the nightingale is facing you, your friend will agree to help you out.
However, if the bird is facing the other side, you might not get the help you’re seeking.
Did you see a dead nightingale in your dream? Well, that must not have been a pretty sight. The symbolism of such a dream is not pretty either; these dead birds are symbolic of sorrow and misery in the waking world.
The symbolism of Nightingales in Literature
The nightingales have a varied representation in Literature, as these birds are a central figure in many significant and exemplary literary works.
Nightingale symbolism in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”
The nightingale makes an appearance in Shakespeare’s most popular romantic tragedy, “Romeo and Juliet.”
In the play, this bird makes an appearance in Act 3, Scene 5, when Romeo and Juliet have just married in secret and spend their first night together as a wedded couple.
As the night is about to end, both of them hear a song; while Romeo claims that it is a lark, Juliet is convinced that a nightingale is singing it.
Here, both the nightingale as well as the lark have a contrasting symbolism. While the nightingale is the bird of the night, the lark sings as the sun rises.
Therefore, the nightingale’s song would indicate that it was still night, while lark’s song would mean that their wedding day was over and they had to part ways.
And since Juliet didn’t know when she was supposed to see Romeo next, she wanted to spend as much time with him as she could. Hence, her persistence to have heard the nightingale.
Keats’ “Ode to a Nightingale”
Keats had written the “Ode to a Nightingale” when he had begun to display the first symptoms of Tuberculosis. Keats had then known that he didn’t have long to live.
In the poem, he envies the nightingale, who has gained immortality through its songs. Because they’re birds of the night, it appears to the poet that they live in a world of their own, where they fly around and sing their sorrowful song forever.
He connects these birds with beauty, nature, and death.
Vikram Seth’s “The Frog and the Nightingale”
Seth’s poem “The Frog and the Nightingale” is a remark against how genuinely talented people are often dominated by untalented but crafty people in society.
In the poem, the nightingale is symbolic of an innocent artist who dies a bitter death at the hands of the cruel frog.
It brings out how you cannot stand a chance at success with mere talent in today’s time; you must also be clever and perceptible.
Most of all, the poem indicates how necessary it is for one to have confidence in oneself.
The symbolism of Nightingales in different cultures and mythologies
Although the representation of the nightingale is scant in most cultures of the world, these peaceful birds were widely admired for their sorrowful, heart-touching songs and their harmonious nature.
In this section, we will talk about how these birds are linked to different cultures and mythology:
In the ancient Greek mythology
In ancient Greece, nightingales are well-loved birds and have been mentioned in several mythical stories.
One such story is of Philomel, appearing in Ovid’s “Metamorphoses”; it also explains why nightingale’s songs are considered a sorrowful lament.
The story of Philomel
In the story, Pandion I, the King of Athens, has two daughters with his wife, Zeuxippe: Procne and Philomel (or Philomela). Procne is the elder one of the two and is married to Tereus, the King of Thrace.
Little to everyone else’s knowledge, Tereus is a salacious man and has ill-intentions towards the younger princess, Philomel.
When he couldn’t control his gross urges, Tereus raped Philomel and cut her tongue afterward so that she wouldn’t be able to tell anyone what had happened to her. He also hid her away and told Procne she was dead.
Phelomil couldn’t speak anymore but was desperate to tell her story, particularly to her sister, who was married to her rapist. So, she wove a tapestry that told her story and then took it to an old woman, urging her to take it to Procne.
Procne was shocked upon receiving the tapestry and went to save her sister. Together, the two planned revenge upon Tereus. Procne killed their son, Itys, cooked him, and served him as supper to her husband.
She waited for Tereus to finish his meal and then threw the boy’s head on the table. It took a minute for Tereus to realize what had just happened, and when he did, he started chasing both women to the ends of the Earth.
To protect the sisters, the gods intervened and turned all three of them into birds; Tereus was turned into a hawk, Philomel into a swan, and Procne into a nightingale.
In the Roman version of this story, Procne becomes a swan, and Philomel, a nightingale.
However, the connection between these symbolisms is quite contrasting since, among the nightingales, it is the male that sings while the females are mute.
Nightingale’s association with Hera
In Greek mythology, Hera is technically the queen of all the gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus. Born to Cronus and Rhea, Hera is a Titan who marries Zeus. She is worshipped as the goddess of childbirth and family.
Nightingales were supposed to be the messengers of Hera and carried her messages from Earth. One story also depicts how, being moved by the song of these birds, Hera placed them among the stars (as a constellation) for all eternity.
In the Celtic culture
In the Celtic culture, the nightingales were symbolic of protection. It is because the unique markings on the throat of these birds were known to have the power of protecting one against all the evil spirits.
This belief ran so deep among the Celtics that many wore the throat of the dead nightingales as a talisman.
In an old Irish proverb, these birds are also mentioned that goes, “A nightingale is a sign of good fortune when heard in one’s own home.” It depicts how they were symbolic of joy and harmony among the people.
In the Native American culture
Among the Native Americans, the nightingales have both positive as well as negative interpretations.
Some tribes consider these birds to symbolize peace and harmony, while in other tribes, their songs remind the tribesmen of feelings of sorrow and regret.
Nightingale tattoo: meaning and interpretations
Although all bird tattoos are symbolic of freedom, those who are passionate about getting inked know that each bird species has its unique attributes. These attributes lead to different symbols and meanings.
So, what does a nightingale tattoo represent? It could represent several things, depending on how you perceive them.
It is believed that every single nightingale in the world sings the exact same song and has been doing so for a long, long time. This quality of the music they produce is symbolic of immortality.
Because these birds are nocturnal and are only seen out and about in the darkness of night, many people associate them with the peace and darkness of the night.
In the fields of literature and arts, these birds have been highly romanticized. They’re symbolic of love, loss, and mourning.
In fact, many literary enthusiasts have also been known to get nightingale tattoos because they can relate with their symbolism in some or the other literary work or admire their authors and poets.
Nightingale totem
The nightingale totem enters your life when you’re too trusting and often end up paying for it.
These bright birds are great judges of character and stand for thoughtfulness. Under their guidance, you will learn to always think things through before acting on your impulse.
Their totems can also appear in your life when you’re surrounded by problems and start feeling like your life is just a huge burden.
In the wild, these birds are surrounded by all kinds of threats, and yet they never fail to appreciate the beauty of Nature and sing melodious songs to celebrate it.
Their totem will try to teach you how to have an unshakeable faith in the beauty of your life. They ask you to see it as a blessing, regardless of what might be going on currently.
Because even the darkest nights are followed by a shining morning, there’s always hope for you. All you need to do is to look for your silver lining and cling to it; it will help you get through all difficulties of life.
Nightingale spirit animal
If you’re the kind of person who likes their own company a little too much, the spirit of nightingales might be watching over you.
These people like to be on their own, not because they consider themselves superior to others, but because they’re highly introspective and appreciate their lone, thinking time.
In their professional life, the nightingale-spirited people are not too ambitious; they’re more of a settler and will not pay much heed to the competitive workplace culture.
Materialism is not what they’re after in life, which is why it is easy to keep them satisfied.
It is no piece of cake to be a friend to these people. Many would even call them high-maintenance, as they can demand too much of your time and attention.
This is simply because these people have a lot going on in their heads and would only tell them to the people they feel attached to, i.e., their friends.
Despite all this, count yourself lucky if they’re your friend. It is because whatever they take, they return you double. They’re caring, understanding and would always stand by you through your thicks and thins.
With them, you wouldn’t have to worry about petty quarrels or mood swings; if they truly care about you, they can forgive and forget quickly.
As lovers, these people are not the easiest, especially in the beginning. They might come off as shy and reserved and would likely avoid the most serious conversations. But all this is only because they’re still a little unsure about you.
Once you have earned their complete trust, you’ll learn what amazing listeners and conversationalists they are. They’re smart, sweet, and fun to be around.
If you part ways with these people, getting over them is going to be one difficult job.
Conclusion
The nightingales are remarkable birds of the darkness that have a profound meaning in the spiritual world. It is through their lamenting songs that these birds have immortalized themselves in the world.
If you feel conflicted and downtrodden and want to learn how to appreciate yourself, their spirits can guide you to your goal.