SUMMARY
Love involves risk and daring; it is passionate and ferocious; it is as elemental as death.
ANALYSIS
These lines may be the closest thing in the Song to a mood that is somber, to the risks that love always encounters. The young woman wishes to be united with her lover with a vowA vow is a promise or an oath. God promised to be Israel's God, while in return the people vowed to be obedient to God's commandments. In the book of 1 Samuel Hannah, the mother of Samuel, vowed to dedicate the life of her son... More or oath (a “seal”), something that will provide some security against the forces that can harm or overwhelm the love that lies between them. There is something reminiscent of other wisdomWisdom encompasses the qualities of experience, knowledge, and good judgment. The Old Testament book of Proverbs, which sometimes invokes a Woman as the personification of Wisdom, is a collection of aphorisms and moral teachings. Along with other biblical passages, it teaches, "The fear of the... More writings in the way love is set over against wealth and possessions as possessing far-surpassing value.
The Song here recognizes love as an elemental passionPassion is the theological term used to describe Jesus' suffering prior to and including his crucifixion. The Passion Narrative (the portions of the Gospels that tell of the Last Supper, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus) are often read in church during Holy Week. More that engulfs human beings as much as they embrace it. There is danger here, but also overwhelming promise. To give oneself totally to another risks great loss, but it promises unending gain.
