The Blue Bird (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Maurice Maeterlinck
- First Published: 1909
- Type of Work: Play
- Type of Plot: Allegory
- Time of Work: The early twentieth century
- Setting: An imaginary land, France, and Belgium
- Genres: Drama, Allegory, Symbolist literature
- Subjects: Values, Children, Family or family life, Memory, Folkloric or magical people, France or French people, Courage, Dreams, Emotions, Death or dying, Legends, Folklore, Fantasy, Allegory, Birds, Animals, Happiness, Fairy tales, Fables, Fairies
- Locales: France, Dreamscape, Belgium, Mythical lands
Characters Discussed
Tyltyl (teel-teel), a woodcutter’s son. Dressed in a light-blue jacket, scarlet knickerbockers, and white knee-length socks, he is innocent and naïve. At the beginning of the play, which takes place during the Christmas season, he notices the abundance of gifts and cakes enjoyed by his rich neighbors. Accepting his situation without rancor and jealousy, he participates vicariously in their pleasures. The Fairy Bérylune appears at night and asks him to seek the Blue Bird needed to cure her ill daughter. Adventurous and courageous, he finds the Fairy...
[The entire page is 877 words long]
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