Paul Griffiths on "Identifying the Beloved in The Song of Songs"

This semester I am taking my first level Theology course and as a requirement for our next test we had to attend the lecture presented by Paul Griffiths on “Identifying the Beloved in the Song of Songs.” I had no intention of relating this event to our class discussion but after hearing the lecture I realized that several of the points made by Griffiths could be connected to class.
Paul Griffiths studied as an undergraduate at Oxford University where he received his B.A. in Theology. He went on to get his Masters Degree in Classical Indian Religion. He then obtained his PhD in Buddhist studies at Oxford University as well. He constructed an Indian Buddhist Meditation theory which led to the publishing of his earliest book on Buddhist Meditation and the Mind, Body Problem. He was baptized into the Anglican Church and is now a Roman Catholic. His lecture focuses on the commentary of the biblical text “The Song of Songs” and discusses the problem of identifying the Beloved in “The Song of Songs.” Griffiths analyzes what the meaning is of “The Song of Songs” and who is speaking and to whom. These questions are similar to the questions we ask when we analyze poetry in class.
When seeking to answer the question of what the true meaning behind “The Song of Songs” is and what “The Song of Songs” actually is Griffiths break apart the elements of the biblical work and dissects all aspects of the work similar to what we do when reading poetry. In a sense, the process Griffiths uses to explain “The Songs of Song” is exactly when we do in class discussion on a daily basis. Griffiths first states “The Song of Songs” is a love lyric. He states that if you take its meaning literally and read it on its surface it reads like a lyric. It expresses the speakers/poets feelings. “The Song of Songs” opens with the line “Let me be kissed with your mouths kiss.” This demonstrates that there is a desire for someone or something and the desire is being depicted. Griffiths concludes that “The Song of Songs” is “a series of short lyrics loosely connected into a longer lyric with occasional narrative elements.” “The Song of Songs” is unique because there is not one narrative voice, instead there proves to be three speaking roles. This leads to the next idea of what “The Song of Songs” is. Griffiths next observation is that “The Song of Songs” is a scriptural book; a book of the canon of the scripture. He displays this by stating demonstrating how “The Song of Songs” has a tone, usually one that praises, celebrates, or gratifies the Lord for his deeds. There are also tones of lament throughout as well. Griffiths states “The Song of Songs is a scriptural song that shows an act of confession. It portrays a relationship of the singer to the Lord and this is shown by imagery which intensifies and deepens this relationship. Griffiths states that in order to achieve this relationship “language must be heightened, intensified, and crystallized.” Also, if we focus on the actual title, “The Song of Songs,” it is a superlative – “the best of all songs.” Griffiths final idea of what is “The Song of Songs” states it is a book about God. What is ironic about this idea is that God is never directly mentioned or present throughout the song, but when dissecting the speaking roles it can be implied. There are three voices, the lover (a man), the Beloved (a woman), and the daughters (a group of women). The Beloved calls the lover “a delightful man” twenty-seven times throughout the song. She also calls him “king, lover, and the man in whom my soul delights.” The lover refers to the Beloved as “a dove, delightful woman, bride, and most beautiful.” The daughters fulfill the role of prompting speeches between the lover and the Beloved. They speak in a more Shakespearian soliloquy form. When these three roles are analyzed we see a relationship between the lover and the Beloved especially in lines such as “we shared a bed full of flowers.” This analysis leads to the overall meaning of “The Song of Songs” which is ambiguously about sex. Like all poetry we have read in class, it takes uncovering the underlying meaning to conclude the overall meaning.
Paul Griffiths lecture on “Indentifying the Beloved in the Song of Songs” was interesting and relatable to our class because it to a biblical work and analyzed it to uncover the overall meaning. The way in which Griffiths achieved this made is more clear and understandable to see what “The Song of Songs” is actually saying. This idea of analysis and taking a literary work apart piece by piece represents our daily class discussion and the similarities of how we analyze literary works I class. We look for imagery, tone, the speaker, the setting, and other elements to aid us in uncovering its true meaning. For example, in my presentation on Emily Dickinson’s two poems “I Heard a Fly Buzz – When I Died” and “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” I tried to dissect the poem to the fullest in order to achieve the task of explaining the meanings of each to the class in a well thought out and organized, complete form. I discovered the rhyme scheme, the form of each poem, the speaker, the setting, the atmosphere, and the imagery to assist my explanation. In the poem “I Heard a Fly Buzz – When I Died” concluded with the line “I could not see to see” which implies the speaker had died. The lines prior to that play with the element of light and dark imagery and its significance. This is just one example of a poetic line that can mean one thing on the surface, but can mean something greater when you look beyond it.
In conclusion, Paul Griffiths lecture provided me with sufficient knowledge of “The Song of Songs”; what it is and what its meaning is. It opened my eye to how important careful analysis can lead to a greater understanding and more knowledge about a certain text. The lecture made me appreciate our class exercises more and the importance of each presentation. When ideas are collaborated by many there are more opportunities for understanding and discovering things you yourself may not have noticed.

Fortune and Success in Urban Education

Dr. Pedro Noguera, and expert in urban education, and the challenges it faces, spoke at Loyola on this very topic. It cannot be denied that urban education is a huge issue in today’s society. Many of the problems that large, urban school systems face are related to issues of poverty, socioeconomic status, and even broader social issues. Dr. Noguera is quite well rounded with his knowledge on urban education—taking trips to underperforming areas and speaking and publishing extensively on his findings. Although many of his points were absolutely valid, I disagreed with many of his assertions, and maybe even took offensive to some of his ideas.

The urban school system, for the most part, is absolutely broken in the United States. As a specific example, the Baltimore City Public School system has been plagued with problems for years. Failing students, teachers receiving low salaries, after school programs shut down—these are just a few of the numerous problems that occur across the country. You see a headlining story on the news at least a few times a year about the horrible problems, and lack of solutions, that come from the City School System. Dr. Noguera states that standardized test scores, and other measures of “success” accentuate the problems that are occurring. He also says that fortunate members of society should put their resources into helping fix this problem because the students that are failing in our schools are really our future.

This brings me to a few points of which I disagree with. The word fortunate—what does it mean? Webster would say that it means to “receive good from uncertain or unexpected sources.” Others would say those who are able to enter into higher education and have a job that makes a decent living is being fortunate. I would say that both of these definitions are incorrect. Just because one is able to go to college does not make them fortunate—they encounter hardships just like everyone else. All people experience unfortunate events in their life. Making a good living doesn’t mean that you have a fortunate life—the money you receive is just a thing; its not very important and should never be a determinant in leading a fortunate life, or a successful one. I think when someone calls someone else “fortunate,” it comes across in a very condescending way. So my second point—are we lucky because we can go to school and someday make money? I would say no, hard working would be a better description, at least for some of us. Sometimes life has nothing to do with luck or fortune, it’s just plain hard work.

So back to the real question that needs to be answered: what are the solutions to the problems that urban education face? Once again, I’ll admit in my blog post that I don’t have the answer. Some of our brightest and foremost “experts” on urban education cannot even decide what solutions would be to these very complex problems. However, I would assert that everything starts at home. Success in the classroom can only extend as far as success in the home extends. That’s a much larger problem though.

The thought of success in the classroom directly reminds me of the poem “Directions for Resisting the SAT.” This is a great poem—it gets at a very central point. To me, the poem is saying that the SAT isn’t important and it cannot really measure success. The poem may be going as far as to say that school isn’t the most important thing in the world either. I can see, and understand, both of these points. For many, school is just a stepping-stone. It gets you to where you want to be in life; a place where you can find your true happiness and success. To me, life is about more than school. And, success is about much more than school as well. Success is something that is down deep. A letter can’t measure it. Success is about happiness and experiences. I believe that we take so much more from our experiences than we do from school. What we learn from those experiences shape what we are, and define what success is to us.

In all, I did enjoy the talk given by Dr. Noguera. It did expose the problem of urban education in today’s world and tried to offer some sort of solution. To me, the talk brought up broader issues, like what fortune and lucky really mean, and what success really is. Hopefully in the next few years, together as a country we can try to shape what urban education should really be like and determine how we can get there.

Life Lesson #1

Every other Wednesday, I am put back in line and reminded how lucky I am. Sometimes, through the week, I complain because so many Loyola students are handed things. My roommate from last year, for instance, didn’t have a job and still managed to have a weekly shopping trip, where she averaged about $150 a week. Not to mention she went tanning and always ate out and could afford absolutely everything. That wasn’t my case; I worked 15 hours a week at Loyola and even tried working at McDonalds on York Road for some extra help and I still couldn’t keep up with her – because I refuse to accept money from my parents. Obviously, this was more frustrating than anything. Though every Wednesday at 6 o’clock, I am reminded just how unimportant that is. I was frustrated that someone had to work less and got more than me, but at least it’s only money. On Wednesday’s, I spend my time with people who’s life story is “I work more and get less than everyone else.”

Last Wednesday, I met a man who said he was coming home from work and just stopped by to get some dinner. We started talking and I asked him where he worked, he told me all about it and then told me, “I work over 50 hours a week and still can’t afford my mortgage.” He said he goes to the grocery store once a month and when he runs out of food – that’s it for the month. Every paycheck he receives goes to outstanding debt or his mortgage and he can’t buy enough food until the creditors stop calling. Now, of course, if he were in debt, you’d think he did something to get there, but according to him, you’d be wrong. He went on about how it’s just not fair that he has to pay all this debt when he didn’t spend a dime. He told me how he was locked up in prison for around six months because his friend stole a car, didn’t tell him, and when they got busted - he freaked out because he thought he did nothing wrong. So, they charged him with association. Well, while he was in prison, his then wife, now ex-wife, decided she was going to go crazy with his money and drove his credit into the ground, and just about took everything with it. So he couldn’t even afford a good enough divorce lawyer to make her pay the debt.

So now this man is working harder than anyone I know and not being able to enjoy any of it. Which makes me learn a few different lessons: 1. There are more important things than work and money, enjoy your life as much as you can and don’t work your life away – because Emily Dickinson will relate more to your life as your life goes on. 2. Feel blessed about everything good in your life, no matter how big or small, because if it ever goes away, you’re guaranteed to miss it. 3. No matter what’s hurting your heart right now, don’t be hesitant to hear other people’s stories – you might just find that what you’re crying over isn’t half bad – or you might even find someone who’s going through the same exact thing as you. 4. Lastly, but somewhat post importantly, maybe, just maybe, don’t get into anyone’s car without seeing their registration first.

Survival of the fittest- NIcole S

Survival of the fittest so something we often hear when talking about a sporting event or particularly strenuous instance, It also seems to be the theme of this weeks readings and even the presentation I attended.

The department of Varsity Athletics hosted Joe Ehrmann two weeks ago as a part of their programming. Ehrmann played NFL football for the Baltimore Colts, but that is not what his story is about. He sat and explained to us that in the world we live in today wee need to stop and consider the situations around us. He said that athletes are among the biggest club in the world and that it is up to us to make a stand and right the wrings in the world. Ehrmann has moved in to one of the more crime heavy neighborhoods where residents live below the poverty line. He does this because he wants to be there other level. In football he learned the concept of survival of the fittest, then realized that he could help others survive.

Richard Hague’s “Directions for resisting the SAT” displays this same kind of theme. The poet it basically telling you to have to live life to its fullest and leave your mark on the world “Make your marks on everything,” is what he says. Ehrmann left his mark in the world of football where he was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1978. Ehrmann told us that he wanted to leave something substantial behind in this world when he died, something more than just football, and so far he has done a lot. He has become a Minister, is highly involved in charity coaching, and helps the people on the streets of Baltimore in the rough neighborhoods where he lives as beast as he can. He talks to groups all over in hopes of encouraging them to leave their mark on the world. He wants to help these people survive through peace not violence.

When I read “The First Practice” by Gary Gildner I thought of another type of survival; survival by force and violence. The poem starts with men being checked out to make sure they are not severely injured, and when they are not they are transported into a basement where it seems as if they are being prepared for some kind of battle. In the end it looks as if they are lined up to fight each other to see who is the ‘fittest’. This is the kind of power Ehrmann used to use when he played football, but now he disagrees with using violence to survive.

The “Serving up Hope” article displays the same kinds of humanitarian efforts that Ehrmann partakes in. The Deli and Restaurant owners, Galen and Bridget Sampson, have taken two recovering drug addicts under their wing in order to give them a better shot at life. They want to see them make it in the world not by selling drugs but by a successful job where they have pride in what they do. The Sampson’s have the approach to assisting the people of Baltimore that Ehrmann does.

I found the story of “The Father” by Bharati Mukherjee rather interesting. The father in this story seems to have a hard time coming to terms with the modernity of the times. He is still very under the impression that his wife should serve him…..the way he wants, and has denied her certain modern things like a microwave. Because he is so stuck in the past his relationship with his wife and daughter who are woman of the modern world, because they know that’s the best way to survive, is often confrontational. Sometimes you need to change, maybe not completely, in order to survive in our ever changing and advancing world.

As one can see “Directions for Resisting the SAT”, “First Practice”, “A Father”, and “Serving up Hope” all talk about some facet of survival in the world which is what Joe Ehrmann made the basis of his entire speech to us

Perspectives

Last Thursday, the 28^th, I attended a student only discussion of the topic “What is Your Costume Screaming?” In the basement of Knott Hall a group of around 25 students or so gathered to discuss, or perhaps just even listen in on a conversation about, the topic. Right off that bat with the only student setting I could tell that the conversation was going to get very intimate, and with no boundaries that it did.

Right away one of the leaders of the discussion started off by saying a few words. She asked a few things of everyone when discussing, mainly that people’s opinions were going to differ and even though we might not agree we should still respect everyone’s opinions. She also asked us in order to not alienate anyone from the conversation that we not use the words slut, hoe, whore, manwhore, etc. when describing someone’s costume. She asked us instead to use words that would describe what made the costume slutty for example.

Going into this event I really only had one idea of what they possibly were going to discuss, that being that on Halloween girls have the tendency to dress really slutty. I had the mean girls quote on my mind that “In Girl World, Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.” Although right away all that I myself could possibly have to say was thrown out the door since there were certain words I couldn’t use. Soon enough though I would find out that there was way more to discuss that I hadn’t even thought of.

Before the discussion began they played a youtube video about Halloween costumes. The first thing in there was a little bit on how girls costumes tend to be risqué, even including the mean girls clip that I had been thinking of. Then the video moved on to how some costumes can be really offensive. I hadn’t even thought of this as a possibility. They showed a clip of a newscaster talking about how this one white girl dressed up as her favorite rapper and in doing so painted her skin black/dark brown. The newscaster, as well as lot of the people in the room, found this very offensive. Their offense confused me a little seeing as people all the time dress up as Mexicans or Indians for Halloween, yet when someone dresses up as an African or African American people get offended.

Naturally as the discussion moved on it drifted away from the actual Halloween costume discussion to things such as sex, bars, buying people drinks, etc. There were a couple of points people made that really stood out to me. I remember this one girl saying that in general as a girl she felt like when girls where skimpy clothing it is saying to everyone else that they want to put out. In rebuttal to this a guy said that as a guy this is not what guys are thinking at all. Rather, instead of seeing a girl and thinking “Oh she is wearing that because she wants to put out” a guy will think “Oh that girl is really attractive and I want to try and get with her.”

Overall the whole discussion really got me thinking on different perspectives/opinions/views. A lot of what we read lately has had things in them which can be viewed with different interpretations. Two things in particular were the poem My Papa’s Waltz by Peter Meinke and Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber by Ernest Hemmingway. As we discussed in class in the poem there are two different views that can be taken about what the poem is about. That being that the boy’s father is abusing him, or that they are just having fun and the father is a bit of a sloppy drunk. Also in the short story in the end there are certainly two different views that can be taken of what happened, whether or not Mrs. Macomber killed her husband on purpose or by accident.

Overall thought of different perspectives really got me thinking. A lot of things in general can be viewed with different perspectives and people are certainly going to have views that differ from yours. Also not all the time is their going to be one specific “right” view. That being said, just as the discussion leader stated at the event, we really need to respect one another’s views.

We'll Laugh at Gilded Butterflies

Loyola University’s production of William Shakespeare’s play, Measure for Measure, touches on the issues of mercy, justice, and truth, and their relationship to pride and humility. The main character, Vincentio, the Duke of Vienna, is a prime example of mercy. Through his wise ways to teach a lesson, he enables the ones around him to come to the conclusion he already knows.

Isabella, a novice in a nunnery, shows mercy to everyone around her. She also demonstrates that she has a deep understanding for the importance of being humble when she exclaims, “O! It is excellent
to have a giant's strength, but it is tyrannous
to use it like a giant.” She is referring to Angelo, the temporary ruler of Vienna, who is not so angelic as his name insists. He condemns others, such as Isabella’s brother, yet he lives a life full of sin. Angelo gives Isabella the ultimatum to sacrifice her “virtue” in order save her brother’s life, or, if she refuses, he will not revoke her brother’s sentence. She considers doing this for her brother’s sake, even if it means that she will be destined to an eternity of fiery pits in Hell.

Isabella wondered, “Might there not be a charity in sin
to save this brother's life?” She was contemplating whether or not something is still a sin if it is done for just reasons. She could no longer decipher if something is solely good or bad or if there is a fine line between the two. When the roles are reversed and Angelo is the one begging for his life, Isabella’s unending love for others and the will to do good is so strong that should cannot sit back and let Angelo die, knowing that her word can, and does, save his life.

In the end, everyone gets his or her fair share; The people who are honest and have had good intentions get rewarded, and the ones who lie and have had bad intentions get punished. Angelo is stripped of his power and sentenced to death. Though Isabella is able to save him from dying, he still has to own up to his marriage to the woman, Mariana, which he had tried to avoid. Another man who incessantly insults the Duke behind his back ends up having to marry a prostitute, who he had openly detested throughout the play. Isabella is honest from the very start of the play, which, at times, does not work in her favor, after all, no one would believe that the new ruler who insists on arresting and killing people for fornication is the same person who is trying to get this novice nun to sleep with him. The real Duke is able to see through Angelo’s evil lies and realize that Isabella is telling the truth. Her honesty pays off and her brother is free from his charges.

It is shown through Angelo’s actions that it is more embarrassing to be caught in the lie than to own up to it in the beginning. In Zora Neale Hurston’s “The Gilded Six-Bits,” the character, Missie Mae, tangles herself into a situation that is almost unfixable. Her greed and lies lead to the destruction of her marriage. After her baby is born, her husband is finally able to forgive her for what she had done. In Measure for Measure, Isabella’s actions prove that it may be hard to decipher what the right thing to do is, but it is always important to remember to ask for forgiveness and forgive others in the process of deciding. The Misfit in Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” is incapable of forgiving. He has become so hardened from life that he has become desensitized to normal human emotions. The ability to forgive no matter what happens is a humbling experience. Angelo should be honest when first questioned about his actions, instead, he digs himself into a deeper hole that eventually buries him. He illustrates why it is important to put honesty above everything else. It takes humility to be honest because pride prefers lies.

No one knows when the roles will be reversed, therefore it is wise not to judge others because they can judge right back. How fair they judge will depends on the treatment given to them. In Shakespeare’s King Lear, the king says, “we’ll…laugh at gilded butterflies,” essentially referring to having the last laugh when the mighty fall. No one can stay high and mighty forever. For the good of everyone, no one should fault others for common mistakes.

In Edgar Allan Poe’s short story, “The Cask of Amontillado,” the speaker, Montresor, is quick to judge Fortunato, who has wronged him somehow. He becomes bloodthirsty for revenge and never once thinks about how it would be if the roles were reversed. As it happened to Angelo, things can get turned around quite quickly. Montresor and Angelo should not have been so quick to judge, considering neither are exactly perfect.

The very title, Measure for Measure, alludes to a biblical verse that can be translated to “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” In Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, it is clear that forgiveness and honesty are the best options. “Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall,” but, in the end, justice will always prevail.

Delis, Drinks, and Drugs

Care-A-Van is a volunteer experience that surprises me every time I go. I see new faces each week, and hear new stories, while still enduring the presence of those who come regularly. Last week when I gave out “iced tea, lemonade, or both?” I met a woman who used to be addicted to meth.

After we had run out of sandwiches she began talking to me about her life. She was not trying to prove her validity for experiencing homelessness nor was she throwing herself a pity party. This woman just wanted someone to listen. She told me about how she had terrible tooth problems (I saw her later that week at Health Care for the Homeless for that issue), and that she was in pain constantly. She admitted that her physical and emotional hurting was a consequence of her own actions. This took me by surprise because most people in her situation blame others. They blame society for forcing them into that hole. They hold their bad parents responsible or that one teacher in high school who made their life a living Hell. This woman however did not. Grant it, some of those influences may have affected her negative decisions (she did not get into detail with this), but she could have said no and rose above the stereotype.

The woman was pleasurably drinking her Arnold Palmer and telling me about how some of her teeth have randomly fallen out, and she needs a few more pulled. She also told me that she has had relapses, moments in her life she is not proud of. Those relapses further encouraged her to continue with abstinence from meth. The drug ruined her life. Her daughter does not speak to her, her health has decreased significantly, and she replaced meth with another addictive drug; cigarettes. As she lit one in front of me she prefaced the first drag with, “well and on to the next killing drug”.

I felt it strange that she knew cigarettes will cause her health to decline even further, when the whole reason she stopped meth was to get her life back on track. Although they do say it is easier to replace an addictive drug with a ‘healthier’ addiction, like cigarettes. I really despise the use of cigarettes as they are dangerous, deadly, and negatively affect the people around them. Surprisingly however, I accepted her smoking. When I thought of the alternative, it made me shudder. The woman was making small steps to a better life.

She also relished in the fact that she was going to see her daughter in a few weeks for the first time in years. After she was definitely on the right track for herself, and not for the façade of others, her daughter agreed to see her. I was so happy for my Care-A-Van guest. Family is an important aspect in anyone’s life and it was wonderful that the woman could have that in her life again.

My experience with this woman reminded me of the article by the Baltimore Sun called “Serving Up Hope; Noted Chef Galen Sampson Offers Help for Troubled Lives by Teaching Culinary Skills”. In the news story, a couple runs Dogwood Deli and invites addicts to work there, and save people because of this. The two employees mentioned are Jennifer Brock and Tyrone Lewis. Both are recovering addicts who found the deli through a recovery program, and now hold a steady job.

It is hard to first realize the addiction is a problem. It is then even more difficult to want to get help, and then actually seek it. Jennifer, Tyrone, and the woman at Care-A-Van are the lucky few to come past their addictions and save their lives. The article did not mention what the employees were addicted to but if it is anything like meth, all three probably had a terrible time stopping. They chose to better their lives, health, and relationships with others by quitting their drugs and living to the fullest.

There are many stereotypes surrounding addicts, such as low-life, brain dead, or hopeless. These three amazing real life people leaped over those assumptions and saved themselves. I was thankful to have met one of them as it inspired me to appreciate what I have and never take anything for granted. Maybe the consistent Care-A-Van has been a tremendous help in her recovery process, and my famous Arnolt Palmers have helped someone in the tiniest way But that small way can make all the difference.