Song Of Solomon Rhetorical Analysis Essay

This passage is indicative of many controversies and conflicts of interpretation that theologians about the Song of Solomon, arguably the most critically examined and controversial book of the Bible. In considering the rich imagery impacting the verse as a piece of literature as the Bridegroom marvels over his beloved’s beauty, and the historical context of Egyptian love poetry and marriage tradition, one can primarily consider the Song as a highly erotic poetry between two lovers. Further of note is how the passage is tethered to the rest of the Bible through its use of prevalent motif, an interesting observation considering how many dispute the validity of the work’s inclusion in the Bible itself. Furthermore, whilst commentaries attempt

The verses structure and poetic technique notable, particularly in the use of a refrain of ‘thou art fair’, enclosing the love comparisons and giving them further significance and intensity. The framing effect is furthered by the addition of ‘all’ to the end refrain, giving a sense of conclusion to the bridegrooms feelings. The difference in description of the first comparison ‘thou hast doves’ eyes within thy locks’ compared with the rest of the passage, where the body part appears first, and the metaphor second, is also interesting, as if the bridegroom speech’s structure develops after the first comparison and his way to express his love becomes more concrete. Further inversions can be seen in the order of features described. Gianni Barbiero suggests the order is ‘poetic, not logical’. The text seems to disagree in describing her from the eyes downwards to the neck, but then uses another single inversion in reversing the position of the cheeks and lips positions being reversed. However, it does comply with Barbiero’s view that the eyes are described first, as in romantic tradition they are the most important feature on the face, telling of the soul. Thus we can agree with Tod Linafelt when he says ‘strict use of parallelism adds a heightened sense of formality to the passage’, and indeed the style of the passage could highlight the new found formality of their love now the couple is married and their union