Abstract
The nightingale is one of the most metatextual symbols in poetry, but its meaning varies considerably from one context to another. In the works of some poets, the bird is a figure of orality, a symbol of virtuosity in singing. In others, however, it is a metaphor for writing. In classical mythology, the nightingale is the metamorphosis of Philomela, who after being raped and having her tongue cut out by Tereus, reveals what has happened to her by weaving a tapestry with images of Tereus's transgression. The bird is thus associated with silent signs that resemble those of a text. This essay examines the representation of the nightingale in three sonnets by the Baroque poet Luis de Góngora, and contrasts his use of the image with that of Garcilaso de la Vega. Whereas Garcilaso represents the nightingale as an ideal of perfect singing and as a natural analogue of the poet, Góngora emphasizes its writerly nature and creates a more complicated relationship between the lyric voice and the bird.
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