“The Nightingale and the Rose” written by Oscar Wilde and published in 1888 is an allegorical short story about the egoism and selflessness of people. The story begins with a young man who is weeping. He studies philosophy and metaphysics and is in love with his Professor’s daughter, whom he wants to take to a ball that the Prince is having. She agrees on one condition - he must give her red roses. The conflict is that in the Student 's garden there are no roses due to the winter weather, so he reflects upon his misfortune. A nightingale, who sings about love, has compassion and understands his agony, and decides to help him. As she goes in search of the rose, the Student continues crying, pitying himself. Only one tree, which had red roses, but the storm broke its branches, tells her that to get a red rose she must sacrifice herself if she wants to get a red rose. The bird agrees and a rose is born from her sacrifice, but when the Student finds it and gives it to the girl, she says it will not go with her dress. In his anger at being refused, the Student throws the rose under a cartwheel which destroys it. Through the use of literary devices, readers can see the blind self-obsession and selflessness of the characters.

First, from the first line in the story, Wilde reveals the thoughts of the young student, who is thinking about the request from his crush. He wants to take her to a ball that the Prince is having, but the girl “said that she would dance with [him] if [he]