Phoenixes have proved an enduring allegorical symbol, symbolizing rebirth, renewal or uniqueness and often appearing in modern popular culture.
In literature Classical references to the phoenix include the Greek historian Herodotus,Herodotus, Histories, volume 2 the Latin poet Ovid, the Latin historian Tacitus,Tacitus, Annals, and one of the early Christian Apostolic Fathers, the First Epistle of Clement. William Shakespeare frequently mentions the bird in his plays, and also wrote the poem The Phoenix and the Turtle. In certain works of Renaissance literature, the phoenix is said to have been eaten as the rarest of dishes, as only one was alive at any one time. Ben Jonson, in Volpone (1605), III, vii. 204-5 wrote: 'could we get the phœnix, though nature lost her kind, shee were our dish.' Another mention of the phoenix as a culinary delicacy occurs in John Webster's The White Devil (1612). Edith Nesbit's children's novel The Phoenix and the Carpet is based on the phoenix and its friendship with a family of children. The Vermilion Bird is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations. D. H. Lawrence frequently used the phoenix as a symbol for rebirth in life. The Cambridge Edition of the Letters and Works of D. H. Lawrence carries the motif on its covers. In Robert E. Howard's tale of King Conan of Aquilonia, "The Phoenix on the Sword", the supernatural scribe Epimetreus inscribes a mystical Phoenix symbol on the blade of Conan's broadsword, to aid against a supernatural enemy. Edward Ormondroyd's children's novel David and the Phoenix features the phoenix as a main character. In C. S. Lewis's book The Magician's Nephew, a marvellous bird guards an Eden-like garden. It appears later, and is identified as a phoenix, in The Last Battle. The phoenix was also famed for being a symbol of the rise and fall of society, Montag and Faber in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. The pattern of a complacent and abusive society's destruction yielding a fresh new start was compared to the Phoenix's mythological pattern of resurrection. Sylvia Plath alludes to the phoenix in the end of her poem "Lady Lazarus". In TJ Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea the master of the orphanage of Marsyas island, Arthur Parnassus, is revealed to be a phoenix. J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels feature a phoenix named Fawkes. In the setting of Harry Potter, phoenixes can carry enormous weights, and their song is said to strike fear into the hearts of the impure and courage into those who are pure of heart. The tears of the phoenix can heal severe poisoning, and other illnesses and injuries. The wands of both Harry and Voldemort contain feathers from Fawkes. In addition, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix features the titular Order of the Phoenix, founded by Albus Dumbledore to oppose Voldemort and the Death Eaters. In Neil Gaiman's short story "Sunbird", a party of Epicureans answer the question of what happens when a Phoenix is roasted and eaten; the eater bursts into flames, and 'the years burn off [them]'. This can kill those who are inexperienced, but those who have swallowed fire and practised with glow-worms can achieve eternal youth. In Terry Pratchett's novel Carpe Jugulum, the search for the phoenix forms an important side plot. In Phoenix Rising by Karen Hesse, Trent mentions the Phoenix several times while he is lying in bed, and the main character questions Trent multiple times about the Phoenix and its background. In Steven Brust's books set in the world of Dragaera, the House of the Phoenix is linked biologically to the phoenix and metaphorically to the theme of rebirth. Phoenix and The Phoenix Guards are the titles of two of Brust's books, in the Vlad Taltos series and the Khaavren Romances, respectively. Catherine Asaro's near future thriller The Phoenix Code features an AI version of the phoenix mythology. Sylvia Townsend Warner's short story "The Phoenix" centers around a phoenix that a nobleman obtained for his aviary, and the commercialization thereof after his death. In the SCP Foundation collaborative writing project, SCP-5467 is described as a species of bird which is capable of breathing fire in order to kill and cook its prey. When members of this species die, they combust into a brilliant blue flame, leaving behind ashes, which were historically used as a mind-altering drug.
In music In Mozart's opera Così fan tutte, a faithful woman is said to be as hard to find as the mythological Phoenix. In her song "Troy" from her first album The Lion and the Cobra (1987), Sinéad O'Connor sings "But I will rise, I will return, the phoenix from the flame". Bulgarian pop-folk artist Gloria wrote a song called "Feniks" (in Bulgarian - "Феникс", literally translated as phoenix). The second track of the album Immortal by Pyramaze is named "Year of the Phoenix". Phoenix was the intended title of the album (Untitled) (1970) by The Byrds. Transsylvania Phoenix is the name of a Romanian rock band with folkloric lyrics. The logo of the British band Queen has a picture of a phoenix on the top part. The logo was designed by lead singer Freddie Mercury. In the song "Grey Seal" by Elton John, a phoenix bird is mentioned: "If the phoenix bird can fly, then so can I". Rock groups Thirty Seconds to Mars, Lostprophets, and Mike Mangione & The Union all have a phoenix as their official logo. Phoenix is the name of a French indie pop–rock band. La Fenice ("The Phoenix") is an Opera house in Venice, Italy. It burned down twice in 1836 and in 1996, only to be rebuilt, likening it to its mythical namesake. The alternative rock band Live makes reference in the song "The Dolphin's Cry" saying "this phoenix rises up from the ground, when all these wars are over". The Phoenix is used in this context to help symbolize the cycles of love and sexual union being reborn over and over again. The post-hardcore band Senses Fail has at the end of their song "(Bite to Break Skin) the Verse". "The phoenix will die inside the firestorm". One of the most famous songs by progressive rock band Wishbone Ash is entitled "Phoenix", which tells of a Phoenix being reborn from the ashes. The underground hip hop group Unspoken Heard mentions the phoenix in the song "Dream Birth". The rock band AFI has a song and EP titled "The Days of the Phoenix". Christian rock band Kids in the Way has a song "Phoenix with a Heartache" on their debut album Safe from the Losing Fight (2003). On the album I've Been Expecting You (1998) by Robbie Williams, a song called "Phoenix From the Flames" is the fourth track. Phoenix is the title song of a 1979 double-platinum album by American singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg; the cover features a representation of a phoenix bird. The Dropper (2000), an album by the experimental jazz-fusion trio Medeski Martin & Wood, features a phoenix as part of the cover art. The heavy metal band Trivium mention 'Phoenix' and 'ascending above the ashes of the world I once knew' in the song "Ascendancy"; a reference to Judas is also made in the same song. In the song "Call the Shots" by Girls Aloud, the phoenix and its powers of re-creation are mentioned: "Out of the fire that burns inside me / A phoenix is rising". French electronic music duo Daft Punk has a song called "Phoenix". Finnish power metal band Stratovarius has a song called "Phoenix" from their album Infinite (2000). In "Right Between the Eyes", a song by alternative rock band Garbage on their album Bleed Like Me (2005), lead vocalist Shirley Manson sings, "Stick it to them like a phoenix rise." In the "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" remix by Kanye West, Jay-Z raps "people lined up to see the Titanic sinkin' instead we rose from the ashes like a phoenix". In "Thou Shalt Always Kill" by Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, Scroobius Pip raps "Thou shalt spell the word 'phoenix' P-H-E-O-N-I-X not P-H-O-E-N-I-X, regardless of what the Oxford English Dictionary tells you". The Finnish singer Tarja Turunen has a song called "My Little Phoenix" from her album My Winter Storm (2007). The hip hop duo Cannibal Ox refers to themselves as phoenixes in the song "Scream Phoenix" on their debut album The Cold Vein (2001). Ani DiFranco's song (covered by Alana Davis) "32 Flavors" contains the line "God help you if you are a phoenix and you dare to rise up from the ash; a thousand eyes will smolder with jealousy while you are just flying past" The song "Ashes On Your Eyes" by Deb Talan has the chorus, "You are a phoenix with your feathers still a little wet/baby, the ashes just look pretty on your eyes." The song "Emancipate" by Kelis from her album Flesh Tone (2010) includes the lyric "Like the phoenix from the ashes / Or a sunrise off in the distance / I'll try again / I'll try again / I'll try again / we'll try again". The longest music video in history, "Runaway" by Kanye West, primarily focuses around a phoenix who has fallen to Earth and after being discriminated against, she bursts into flames to return to her original world. Additionally, the West album from which Runaway was taken, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", features cover art that depicts West engaging in sexual intercourse with an armless human female represented as a phoenix. Phoenix symbolism is used heavily in the music video for "Marry the Night" by Lady Gaga, particularly in the final scene. The song "Rize of the Fenix" by Tenacious D, from the album of the same name, features the lyrics "Just like the Phoenix, we'll f***ing rise again". The composition "Fénix" (Phoenix) by Argentine composer Juan María Solare, for violin and cello, is dedicated to a survivor of domestic violence. The Norwegian black metal band Satyricon released a melodic song dubbed "Phoenix" on their self-titled album Satyricon (2013). The composition Phoenix for mixed choir and organ or piano four-hands by Frederik Magle On 11 May 2014, the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 was won by the Austrian artist Conchita Wurst with the song "Rise Like a Phoenix". The Brazilian singer-songwriter Jorge Vercillo has a song titled "Fênix" (Portuguese for Phoenix). American actress and singer Olivia Holt's debut single, "Phoenix", released on May 13, 2016. In her EP entitled Olivia - EP, the song "Phoenix" is the first track; the song references the rebirth of a Phoenix. The phoenix is the symbol of Chanyeol, member of Korean boy band EXO. Phoenix (1972) is the album of the same title by Grand Funk Railroad. During the disco era, the band Aquarian Dream released their track "Phoenix". The key verse in the chorus is "I have the wings of a Phoenix". The rock band Fall Out Boy released a song named "The Phoenix" on 16 July 2013. Daft Punk refers to phoenixes in "Get Lucky" (recorded in 2012, published in 2013): "Like the legend of the phoenix ... All ends with beginnings." Violinist Lindsey Stirling has a song titled "The Phoenix" on her album titled Brave Enough (2016). American musician Illenium frequently uses phoenix imagery, including in his logo and in the names of his albums Ashes (2016), Awake (2017) and Ascend (2019).
In art The Phoenix has been depicted numerous times as a motif for collectors’ coins and medals, one recent one being the Belgian 10 euro silver coin 60 years of peace. The obverse depicts the Phoenix as a representation of a new Europe, post 1945. Sculptor Theodore Roszak used the phoenix as inspiration for his 1958 "Night Flight". The phoenix can be found in much of ancient Eastern artwork from Sung Dynasty vases.