The Nightingale and the Rose

by

Oscar Wilde

The Lizard Character Analysis

Like the Nightingale, the Lizard overhears the Student lamenting his unrequited love for the girl. The Lizard, however, is "a cynic," so he scoffs when he learns the Student is crying over a red rose. This foreshadows the ending of the story, when both the Student and the girl prove incapable of seeing the value of the rose as a symbol of sacrificial love.

The Lizard Quotes in The Nightingale and the Rose

The The Nightingale and the Rose quotes below are all either spoken by The Lizard or refer to The Lizard . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Love and Sacrifice Theme Icon
).
The Nightingale and the Rose Quotes

"He is weeping for a red rose," said the Nightingale.

"For a red rose?" they cried; "how very ridiculous!" and the little Lizard, who was something of a cynic, laughed outright.

Related Characters: The Nightingale (speaker), The Lizard (speaker), The Student
Related Symbols: The Red Rose
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 16
Explanation and Analysis:
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