Part 3: Challenging Modern Victorian Ethics

Song of Songs 5:1 (NET)

1 I have entered my garden, O my sister, my bride;

I have gathered my myrrh with my balsam spice.

I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;

I have drunk my wine and my milk!

The Poet to the Couple:

Eat, friends, and drink!

Drink freely, O lovers!

The Song of Solomon’s portrayal of nudity and sexuality before marriage is a challenge to modern Victorian ethics and societal norms. The book’s explicit language and erotic imagery have led many to allegorize and spiritualize its meaning, avoiding its obvious implications about human relationships and intimacy.

However, a closer reading of the text reveals a nuanced and beautiful portrayal of love and desire, one that challenges traditional views of courtship and marriage. The Song of Solomon presents a picture of two lovers who are comfortable with each other’s bodies, who enjoy each other’s company, and who are intimate with each other before they are married.

This portrayal is a challenge to modern Victorian ethics, which emphasize the importance of waiting until marriage before engaging in physical intimacy. The Song of Solomon suggests that physical and emotional intimacy are essential components of a healthy and fulfilling relationship, and that they should not be delayed until after marriage.

In Song 1:2-4, the beloved says, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than wine. Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, your name is like purified oil; therefore the maidens love you. Draw me after you; let us run! The king has brought me into his chambers” . This passage implies a level of physical intimacy between the lovers, where they are comfortable with each other’s bodies and are able to express their desire for each other.

The Song of Solomon also challenges modern Victorian ethics by presenting a picture of a healthy and mutually respectful relationship between two people. The lovers are depicted as being equal and respectful of each other, with a deep emotional connection and a strong physical attraction.

In Song 4:1-7, the lover says, “Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful; your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats that have descended from Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes that have come up from the washing, all of which have twins, and not one of them has lost its young. Your lips are like a scarlet thread, and your mouth is lovely. Your cheeks are like a bed of spice, like sweet-smelling perfume. Your neck is like the tower of David, built in layers, on which a thousand shields are hung, all the quivers of the warriors” . This passage implies a level of mutual respect and admiration between the lovers, where they are able to appreciate each other’s beauty and enjoy each other’s company.

The Song of Solomon’s portrayal of nudity and sexuality before marriage is also a challenge to modern societal norms around sex and relationships. The book presents a picture of two lovers who are comfortable with each other’s bodies, who enjoy each other’s company, and who are intimate with each other before they are married.

In Song 7:1-10, the lover says, “How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O noble one! The curves of your thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a skilled craftsman. Your navel is a round bowl, that never lacks mixed wine. Your belly is a heap of wheat, surrounded by lilies. Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle. Your neck is like an ivory tower. Your eyes are like the pools of Heshbon, by the gate of Bath Rabbim. Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon, that looks toward Damascus” . This passage implies a level of physical intimacy between the lovers, where they are comfortable with each other’s bodies and are able to describe their desire for each other.

In conclusion, the Song of Solomon’s portrayal of nudity and sexuality before marriage is a challenge to modern Victorian ethics and societal norms. The book presents a picture of two lovers who are comfortable with each other’s bodies, who enjoy each other’s company, and who are intimate with each other before they are married. This portrayal is a challenge to traditional views of courtship and marriage, and suggests that physical and emotional intimacy are essential components of a healthy and fulfilling relationship.