Discuss the role of women in Hebrew society as it is suggested by the voice of the Shulamite in the Song of Songs

Question

Please provide the best answer for the statement.

Answer 1

1. In Hebrew society, the king provided protection to his subjects in return for obedience and fidelity. The same relationship existed between the family patriarch and his household: His wife and children were his possessions, whom he protected in return for their unerring faith in him.
2. However, the Hebrew Scriptures provide evidence that women may have had greater influence in Hebrew society than this patriarchal structure would suggest. The Song of Songs, which most scholars view as a work of secular love poetry, probably written during Solomon’s reign, takes the form of a dialogue between a man and a younger, assertive female lover, a Shulamite, or “daughter of Jerusalem.” This poem describes sexual awakening and fulfillment.
3. The strength of the woman’s voice suggests that the traditions of love-making in Hebrew society were controlled by its women. It is even possible that a woman composed all or large parts of the poem, as women traditionally sang songs of victory and mourning in the Bible, and the daughters of Jerusalem function as a chorus in the poem, asking questions of the Shulamite.