Womanist Wisdom in the Song of Songs Secrets of an African Princess
Belonging to Hebrew Wisdom literature, the Song of Songs offers a fresh look at love and relationships through its main female character, the Shulamite, which profoundly differs from traditional religious approaches to love and sexuality. Drawing from exe
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Abi Doukhan
Womanist Wisdom in the Song of Songs
Abi Doukhan
Womanist Wisdom in the Song of Songs Secrets of an African Princess
Abi Doukhan Queens College, CUNY Flushing, NY, USA
ISBN 978-3-030-30051-7 ISBN 978-3-030-30052-4 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30052-4 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Cover illustration: Counter / GettyImages This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG. The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
To my mother, in gratefulness for being a haven of faith, hope and love that I could always run to, for initiating me to the alchemical powers of marriage and for modeling to me the art of infinite patience, a gentle and steadfast luminosity, and the courage and audacity of radical fidelity.
Preface
The Shulamite: Feminist or Womanist? The Song of Songs’ teachings on love have been quoted for centuries to women and men alike in order to extoll the virtues and blessings of marriage. It has been a reference book for couples and for singles alike looking for love. Its oft quoted “do not arouse or awaken love before it so desires” has been used to dissuade young lovers from the reckless passions of their youth and the Shulamite has been set up as an example of virtue. Yet, though the Song has been understood by Christian and Jewish traditions alike as a celebration of virtuous love, I do not believe that the Song of Songs was intended for a virtuous audience, let alone an audience of virtuous women. On the contrary, I would argue that the Song was written for those women who, like its central character the Shulamite, have had the audacity to err, have wandered “off the derech”1
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