The Phoenix

The phoenix is one of the two principal allegorical figures in the poem. She is represented as female in this poem. She is the lover of the turtledove and represents some of the virtues of love. In mythology, the phoenix is a bird that dies and is reborn in flame, thus living forever.

The Turtledove

The turtledove, also sometimes called just "the turtle" or "the dove," primarily to fit the rhyme scheme, is the other lover in the poem. The turtledove is male. However, little else is revealed about this character, because of the theme of absolute fusion with the beloved phoenix.

The Screech Owl

The first other bird referenced in the poem is the screech owl. Though not named, it is called the "shrieking harbinger" (5). The screech owl was an emblem of tragedy and death because of its loud, discordant cry. In the poem, it is...