Ein Happy End im Hohelied? Eine Untersuchung zu Hld 2,8–14; 3,1–5 und 5,2–8 und eine narrative Lesart

Abstract

In this article I intend to show how female and male protagonists are portrayed in the poems of the Song of Songs narrating a plot. After giving specific reasons for choosing Cant 2:8–14; 3:1–5 and 5:2–8, textual criticism and syntactic and semantic analysis of these texts are presented. A synchronic perspective is used to bring out elements of the texts which are repeated in the poems for several times and therefore can be linked. Finally I read these three poems as one story – this way discovering also problematic and disturbing parts of the Song of Songs and differentiating the conventional understanding of the biblical book as a celebration of mutual desire and fulfillment.