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Song of Songs: A Poetry of Lovers and Those Who Lust
The Song of Solomon portrays sex in the bible in a new light. This piece of poetry
introduces and suggests the idea of sex as an act of pleasure in a loving and sexual relationship
between male and female. The writers of this piece reveal the ability for male and female to
engage in both a sexual and loving relationship without shame or repercussions; this is done
through their choice of pronouns and their use of imagery. The song of songs is a vibrant piece
of poetry that reveals the sexual and love perspectives of both male and female; this poetry is
both an erotic and love piece due to the fact that it is the first-time the act of sex between male
and female is introduced as a pleasurable act in the bible.
It is known to the readers that the relationship depicted in the song of songs is that of a
heterosexual relationship due to the word choice of the writers as well as the description of the
two bodies. The narrators shift between the voice of a female and male throughout the song of
songs; the first being the voice of a female. The second verse of the Song of Solomon discloses
the fact that the woman’s lover is a male when she says, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his
mouth!” (The Song of Solomon. 1:2). This not only reveals that her lover is male, but also
emphasizes her desire to receive a pleasurable act from him. Through a heterosexual perspective
one can assume this is a female narrator, but it is later strongly confirmed when she says, “My
beloved is to me a bag of myrrh that lies between my breasts” (The Song of Solomon. 1:13).
The description of her breasts serves as confirmation that a woman is the narrator as well as
providing a description of a romantic relationship when she refers to the male as her “beloved”
(1:13). Not only does this depict a loving relationship, but it shows her admiration for her lover
by her choice to describe him as “a bag of myrrh”. This fragrant incense is considered to be
luxurious and an indulgence therefore it must be an honor to be compared to such a luxury item.
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It is also known that the male’s relationship is with a woman in the 4th chapter of The Song of
Solomon. The first evidence that his lover is a female is through his description of her cheeks
when he says, “Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil” (The Song of
Solomon 4:3). His choice in the word veil tells the readers that he is alluding to the veil of a
bride. This image of a bride is later displayed when he says, “You have ravished my heart, my
sister, my bride” (The Song of Solomon 4:9). He explicitly reveals the gender of his lover by
referring to her as a “bride” and “sister”; he then also describes the loving nature of their
relationship when he describes her as stealing his heart (4:9). The relationship depicted in The
Song of Solomon is indeed between a male and female and their loving and erotic relationship is
soon revealed through their imagery and descriptions of each other.
The writers incorporate both their loving and lustful feelings towards each other in this
poetry. There is no doubt that this relationship is that of a loving one and there is evidence in
both the descriptions of the male and female to reveal the loving nature of their relationship. The
female narrator confirms her love towards her lover early in the poem; it is no secret when she
says, “For your love is better than wine, your anointing oils are fragrant, your name is perfume
poured out; therefore, the maidens love you” (The Song of Solomon 1:2-3). She compares the
love he has for her to luxury items such as wine and oils. This image conveys the message that
their love is valuable. She also reveals his desirability when she describes it as something that
several women aspire to obtain. The narrator continues to describe their love as mutual when she
says, “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his intention toward me was love” (The Song
of Solomon 2:4). When she includes his intentions towards her as mutual it confirms their love
towards each other. The male voice describes his love towards her in a nonsexual manner when
he says, “you have ravished my heart with a glance of your eyes”. His choice to describe her
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eyes implies a more intimate love rather than sexual. It is known that his love towards her is not
only in a sexual manner because he mentions that she stole his heart unexpectedly by just her
glance. Although the romantic aspect of their relationship is less noticeable it is still revealed
through the less subtle erotic parts of this poetry.
The erotic sentiments of both narrators are also greatly unveiled through their imagery of
each other’s bodies. The female narrator uses discreet language and metaphors to describe her
sexual desire for her partner when she says, “My beloved thrust his hands into the opening, and
my inmost being yearned for him. I arose to open my beloved, and my hands dripped with
myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh” (The Song of Solomon 5:4-5). Through this scene it is
made known that her desire for him is great due to the fact that she has these lustful thoughts
even when he is not present. Her perspective of her self-worth is also conveyed through her
description of myrrh; she thinks of herself highly enough to use an indulging item to describe
herself. The male narrator uses fruit and honey to describe his bride’s desirability. He describes
her entire body from top to bottom when he says, “Your lips distill nectar, my bride: honey and
milk are under your tongue; the scent of your garments is like the scent of Lebanon” (The Song
of Solomon 4:11). By using delightful tasting food to describe her lips it is known that he desires
her and receives pleasure and satisfaction from her as you would when eating a delicacy. His
reference to this promise land, Lebanon only furthers the argument that he views her as someone
worthy and pleasurable. He continues down her body when he describes her and says. “You are a
garden locked up, my sister, my bride; you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.” (The Song
of Solomon 4:12). This reference to the garden alludes to the garden of Eden when eating from
the fruit was forbidden, but in this context exploring her body results in a non-shameful and
unpunishable act. When he describes her as a “sealed fountain” he may be referring to her
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fertility and her sexual abilities that are only meant for him (4:12). The erotic nature of this piece
is more evidently exposed through metaphors of fruit and luxuries when he says, “Your plants
are an orchard of pomegranates with choice fruits…with every kind of incense tree, with myrrh
and aloes and all the finest spices” (The Song of Solomon 4:13-14). His sexual desires towards
her is made known through his description of her vagina as an orchard of pomegranates. His
choice to use incense and fine spices explains the appeal of the woman because almost all can
relate in the desire to yearn for luxuries. The female narrator continues to exert her desires and
invites her partner to engage with her in sexual acts when she says, “Awake, north wind! Come,
south wind! Blow upon my garden that its perfumes may spread abroad. Let my lover come to
his garden and eat its fruits of choicest yield.” (The Song of Solomon 4:16). Her reference to
fruit alludes to the pomegranate metaphor her lover used when describing her body. There is no
doubt that this sexual and romantic desire is mutual due to the fact that they refer to the same
metaphors of the body.
The two lovers proclaim their desire for each other back and forth through erotic
metaphors of the body and euphemisms for sexual acts and thoughts. It is not known whether a
romantic or sexual inclination came first but both desires are clearly seen through their exchange
in words. The romantic wish is sometimes hidden in the sexual passion but it is very much
present in this piece. This piece incorporates erotic and romantic descriptions to convey the
message that sexual acts and desires in the bible does not have to be punished, instead it is
something pleasurable that two can benefit from.
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References
Coogan, Michael D., Marc Z. Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, and Pheme Perkins, eds. The New
Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrytha: New Revised Standard Version. 4th ed. New
York: Oxford University Press, 2010.