A Startling Voice: Woman's Desire in the Song of Songs

The current article examines the use of horticultural metaphor in detailing lust between the two lovers in the Song of Songs. It suggests that the metaphor's vehicle, that is, the image used, has to be grasped before the possibilities of its tenor, i.e., what that image can represent, become apparent. Once the metaphor's vehicle is properly understood, its aptness for conveying female bodily arousal is readily, even shockingly apparent. The benefits of this metaphoric study are essentially twofold: one an interpretive gain and one feminist. They yield a deeper appreciation of the poetry of this biblical songbook and give a long overdue hearing for a startlingly bold, female voice in the Bible.