S resent writer to have been found, from Ewald ownwards, in 8°- '. The real aim of the Song of Songs is to glorify trvc love, and, more specifically, true betrothed love, which remains steadfast even in the most dangerous and most seductive situations. The author, as we may perhaps assume with cer- tainty, found the material for his work in the story of Abishng of Shunem (1 K 1. 2), and that in the form which we described above (p. 502 f.). She rem.ained true to the beloved of her lieart, she steadily repelled all the advances of Solomon, into whose harem she had been brought, and finally she triumphed (8" and 8""'), was conducted home and restored to her lover perfectly pure. The poem makes two presuppositions — one being that the Shulammite's heart belonged to a youth in her own home, and the other that meanwhile against her will she has been brought into the royal apart- ments (1^). The dramatical exposition commences at the time when the first meeting of the king with the maiden is close at hand and actually takes place (P). The dialogue between the Shulammite and the 'daughters of Jerusalem ' (the wives and maidens belonging to the royal harem, cf. 6*'-) in 12-8 • gerves to pave the way, in true dramatic fashion, for that meeting, and at the same time to explain the real inward disposition of the Slmlam- mite towards tlie approaching royal suitor, which the poet henceforward makes her retain without wavering. If, now, we would understand aright the further structure of the poem, it must be observed that the scheme chosen by the author for the poetical disposition of his material is based wy/oji the different stages in the courtship and the marriage fcstirities, down to that moment when alone the real victory of loyal love, the preservation of hridely honoxtr in face of all temptations and asiaults, tvas evidenced, and could be evidenced, namely, the morning after the bridal night pas.ied toith the real lorcr.i
The Song of Songs is in fact a lore- or marrinqe- drama, but, by reason of the lyrical tone wliich rules in its various parts, we may more appro- priately call it a melodrama.
If now, kfepinj; In view the lejfend derived from the story of Ahiwliai,', aiirl the progressive sta^'es of the marriat'e procccdinpi, we look at the whole poem, it falls, alike in point of mutter and
• The way In which the particular sentences are to be assigned to the rcspfclive speakers will be found exhibited in the present writer's work Das Lloke Lied, to which be beg« to refer the reader.
t As bearin(f on this, the reader may be reminded of the le^slative enactment of Dt '22iy-. The cloth with its irrefrag- able proof of the virginity of a newlv married woman points to a very serious transaction in the early morning after tlie bridal night. The nra^'ticc forms even at tiie present day part of the proceedings in connexion with a wedding, and is described b? Wetzstein (* Die syriwhe Ureschtafel ' In liastian's ZUchr. * Mtlinot. 1873, p. 280).
596
SOXG OF SONGS
SONG OF SCNGS