Listening to the Swan Song

The volume explores the manner in which literature and culture across various historical periods have responded to the sounds produced by more-than-human beings. The study examines both symbolic and literal representations of these voices, demonstrating how they shape human imagination and interspecies relations. The book is structured in three parts: the first analyses symbolic soundscapes; the second focuses on encounters and exchanges between species; and the third highlights ethical and technological efforts to protect endangered animals and to commemorate those already lost.