Nuptial Motifs in Composition: A Key to the Interpretation of the Song of Songs
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to explore the references to nuptial customs found in the Song of Songs as well as their place in relation to the structure of the text. The first stage of analysis consists of identifying various types of these references, while the second stage involved analysing and evaluating their positioning within the composition of the Song of Songs as an expression of the editorial intent of the biblical writers. The study has used elements of form analysis and lexical analysis as well as a comparative analysis of biblical and non-biblical/sub-biblical texts. The analysis revealed that the most important places in the structure of the Song of Songs are allocated to the so-called “poetic episodes,” which have been distinguished earlier, concerning the different stages of nuptials – engagement negotiations, wedding procession, wedding feast and consummation of the marriage. Therefore, they constitute a point of reference for the interpretation of the remaining songs and at the same time the teachings of the sages in the Song of Songs.
Keywords:
love, nuptials, wedding songs, mohar, wedding procession, bridesmaids, bride, poetic episode, teachings of sagesReferences
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Akademia Ignatianum w Krakowie
Biblical scholar, pedagogue, anthropologist, and Professor at the Pedagogical Department of Jesuit University Ignatianum in Krakow. Her research interests include the Bible in its cultural and educational contexts, the Bible in ancient scribal culture, biblical discourses, and discursive interpretation of the Bible. She recently co-authored the monographs W kręgu dyskursów biblijnych. Różne wymiary identyfikacji – analiza w ujęciu kulturowym i edukacyjnym (2018) and Biblijne dyskursy tożsamościowe w czasach starożytnych i współcześnie – perspektywa kulturowa i edukacyjna (2019).
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