Headnote
ABSTRACT
Objectives: The objective of this study is to examine how creativity in language use sustains romantic relationships, using The Song of Solomon as a model for understanding the communicative strategies that foster intimacy and relational longevity.
Theoretical Framework: Guided by Simpson's (2004) Narrative Stylistics within Narrative Discourse, the research explores how actions and events of "thinking," "saying," and "doing" are expressed linguistically to reveal the dynamics of love between the Shulammite Woman and King Solomon.
Methodology: Employing a qualitative textual analysis of the biblical text, the study identifies structural and functional sentence types, alongside metaphors, similes, and repetitions, as central resources in constructing expressions of affection and desire.
Results and Discussion: The findings demonstrate that both characters creatively deploy language to renew affection, resolve tensions, and sustain emotional connection, offering insights into relational balance, reciprocity, and mutual admiration. The discussion highlights how these strategies provide a communicative framework relevant to contemporary couples and marriage counselling.
Originality/Value: The study contributes to communication scholarship by emphasizing the role of stylistic creativity in relational maintenance and offers practical implications for Christian marriage counsellors in fostering healthy, enduring partnerships. The originality of this research lies in bridging biblical poetics with modern relational communication, positioning The Song of Solomon as both a literary and practical guide for sustaining romantic relationships.
Keywords: Language, Creativity, Romantic Relationship, Sustaining Relationships, The Song of Solomon.
RESUMEN
Objetivos: El objetivo de este estudio es examinar cómo la creatividad en el uso del lenguaje sustenta las relaciones románticas, utilizando el Cantar de los Cantares como modelo para comprender las estrategias comunicativas que fomentan la intimidad y la longevidad relacional.
Marco teórico: Basándose en la Estilística Narrativa dentro del Discurso Narrativo de Simpson (2004), la investigación explora cómo las acciones y los eventos de "pensar", "decir" y "hacer" se expresan lingüísticamente para revelar la dinámica del amor entre la Sulamita y el Rey Salomón.
Metodología: Mediante un análisis textual cualitativo del texto bíblico, el estudio identifica tipos de oraciones estructurales y funcionales, junto con metáforas, símiles y repeticiones, como recursos centrales en la construcción de expresiones de afecto y deseo.
Resultados y discusión: Los hallazgos demuestran que ambos personajes emplean el lenguaje creativamente para renovar el afecto, resolver tensiones y mantener la conexión emocional, ofreciendo perspectivas sobre el equilibrio relacional, la reciprocidad y la admiración mutua. El debate destaca cómo estas estrategias proporcionan un marco comunicativo relevante para la consejería matrimonial y de pareja contemporánea.
Originalidad/Valor: El estudio contribuye a la investigación en comunicación al destacar el papel de la creatividad estilística en el mantenimiento de las relaciones y ofrece implicaciones prácticas para los consejeros matrimoniales cristianos en el fomento de relaciones sanas y duraderas. La originalidad de esta investigación reside en conectar la poética bíblica con la comunicación relacional moderna, posicionando el Cantar de los Cantares como una guía tanto literaria como práctica para el mantenimiento de las relaciones románticas.
Palabras clave: Lenguaje, Creatividad, Relación romántica, Mantenimiento de relaciones, El Cantar de los Cantares.
1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
God in His infinite wisdom instituted marriage for the human race for a number of reasons. This has been confirmed by Gizir (2012) as cited in (Cerkez, 2017 p. 6923) that romantic relationships should affect individuals' social, emotional and personal development as well as forming the quality of the relationship between families and friends. In the views of Cerkez (2017), "for many individuals, having a close, positive and effective relationship means happiness, enjoying life and feeling confident". Yes, romantic relationships are supposed to be healthy, and that is what every partner expects. However, many individuals who are in romantic relationships lack what it takes to sustain healthy relationships. What is mostly observed in most relationships is the fact that only one of the partners contributes to the sustainability of the relationship while the other remains idle. That is what is causing problems in most relationships in recent times when you listen to spouses' relationship matters.
Studies have shown that romantic relationships in their earlier stages are comforting and enjoyable because everything about the partners is new and unfamiliar to each other; therefore, spouses find everything entertaining and soothing (Mackinnon et al. 2012; Raley et al. 2010). However, as the relationships keep growing, everything about the partners grow stale hence the beginning of individuals focusing more on the negative sides of their spouses; this, however, may put an end to their romantic relationships (Medora et al. 2002; James et al. 2002) or create serious conflicts in the relationship. In circumstances of this nature, spouses are supposed to quickly reshape their ways of life in order to enliven their relationship in order that they can always be comfortable around their partners. On the contrary, when issues of this nature begin to crop up, one of the partners is quick to walk out just to avoid responsibilities. This suggests that none of the partners is ready to change their ways of life.
It is common knowledge that quite a good number of spouses, mostly men, flee from their matrimonial homes to seek comfort in the arms other women, simply because their partners are no longer comfortable to live with. This simply expresses the fact that those who are involved in such acts lack the strategies to use to resurrect their healthy relationship matters. In circumstances of this nature spouses need to be tactful in dealing with their marital issues. And this is where communication and creativity of language use as one of the strategies to sustain relationships has to come into the picture to break all odds against healthy relationships. Typically, The Song of Solomon, a book in the Holy Bible, teaches spouses the way they should communicate creatively to each other to ensure healthy relationships.
In this study, attention is paid to language and creativity to determine their impacts on sustaining healthy relationships as demonstrated in The Song of Solomon. Rodney (2015) sees creativity in language use, principally, as an individualised self-expression with a creative process that results in a distinctively personal version. This version of creativity is confined largely to writing, and it is defined, largely, both by means of formal aesthetic and evaluative criteria that seek to establish the originality of a work of verbal art. The main concerns of creativity in language use are to establish and to demonstrate the ways in which new things are made by breaking norms or a way of drawing attention to established ways of seeing things. In The Song of Solomon, it is seen that the relationship of both partners does not go stale. Both partners create something new in their use of language to keep their relationships healthy. In this regard this paper seeks to identify the strategies used by the characters (the Shulammite Woman and King Solomon) in The Song of Solomon and use their strategies as a measure to establish marriages in these recent times, especially when marriages are becoming unsuccessful after they have been christened in less than a year.
In an interview with a few Christian marriage counsellors, I discovered that these few counsellors have the strategy of enticing young men and women preparing to marry to read The Song of Solomon if the counselees have not read any book on relationships and marriage and discussions are held thereafter. And for those who have ever read The Song of Solomon, serious discussions are held with the counselees. This is an attempt to help prepare the minds of the counselees before marriage. A counsellor revealed to me:
"I normally ask this simple question: 'How emotionally prepared are you?' at the counselling session. The simple answer that I expect to the question is for the counselees to list the titles of books concerning romantic relationships and marriages they have read and share with me the contents"
If counselees list books they have read without including The Song of Solomon, they are reprimanded and asked to go back and read it thoroughly before counselling would continue. Motivated by the acts of these few Christan Marriage Counsellors I seek to investigate the content of The Song of Solomon to determine if indeed the book displays a high sense of creativity, the extent to which creativity helps in establishing and sustaining the romantic relationship between King Solomon and the Shulamite Woman and how reading The Song of Solomon influences a healthy romantic relationship in recent times.
Most marriages in recent times hit hard stumbling blocks and this is something that keeps bothering my mind. For Sternberg (1986), tying a knot with a partner and maintaining it without any problems shows mutual communication and understanding which form emotional attachment between couples. This implies that what to communicate and how to communicate it requires tactical ingenuity among partners (Stoeber, 2014). Tact in communication in romantic relationships can affect the mental development, self-respect, success and social adaptation of couples positively or negatively (Gizir, 2012).
What seems to be lacking in most romantic relationships in the case of those that have already been established and those yet to be instituted for which reason some Christian marriage counsellors would recommend the reading of The Song of Solomon is what this paper seeks to investigate to determine what the text contains. Using the Narrative Stylistic Model which indicates that life is expressed in language which is connected through a series of events in two clauses temporarily ordered where a change in the order of the clause patterns can cause a change in the way we interpret the assumed chronology of the narrative events. In testing the veracity of Simpson's (2004) principles of Narrative Stylistic Model, we sought to apply the model on The Song of Solomon to see the impact of the variations in the use of clauses by the Shulammite Woman and King Solomon to express their action of events of thinking, saying and doing to demonstrate their erotic love to each other.
The study is significant in solving marital problems in romantic relationships. It sought to contribute to emerging studies in establishing romantic relationships among couples and among young men and women preparing to marry in particular and Christian marriage counsellors in general. It sought to insight other Christian marriage counsellors to enforce the reading of The song of Solomon as one of the basic requirements during marriage counselling in order that the rampant increase of problems in marriages and filing of divorce cases in the law court will drastically reduce. Theoretically, the findings of this research sought to reveal the distinction and similarities between the ways couples narrate their actions of events through thinking, saying and doing.
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
Establishing a healthy romantic relationship between partners and sustaining it requires tactical ingenuity. Studies have shown that about 5% of every one hundred (100) freshly established romantic relationships do not last beyond the first quarter of a year (Carstensen, Gottman, & Levenson, 1995). In addition, Felt, Hewitt, Shapiro, & Rayman (2001) also mention that older adults whose relationships have gone beyond 11 months do complain of problems in their relationships. This suggests that the longer the relationship the higher it stands the risk of collapse. Meanwhile romantic relationships are not meant to suffer break-ups; they are supposed to get the more consolidated with time.
Further studies have also shown that romantic experiences at its early stages play a great role in the development of intimate relationships at later ages (Q'sullivan, Cheng, Harris and Brooks-Gunn, 2007; Davies, 2006; Raley and Sullivan, 2010). In addition, Collins (2003) intimates that an average of 65% of tertiary students experience a romantic relationship at least once during their university years. In this light, Demir (2008) explains that since romantic relationships occupy a great time in the lives of partners, unprepared partners such as tertiary students fail to handle it well.
Romantic relationships affect partners' social, emotional and personal development as well as forming the quality of the relationship between families and friends (Gizir, 2012). Intimate relationships are more important compared to other stages for young adults because at this stage they try to develop their roles and build them up which is why Furman (2002) points out that romantic relationships at university years help them in choosing their spouses as well as the quality of other relationships.
Studies on The Song of Solomon are diverse. Payne's (1984) study on The Song of Solomon indicates that the text teaches about a reciprocal relationship, one of mutuality and equal participation. Similarly, Flett and Hewitt (2002) also indicates that the text demonstrates how the man relates as a man and how the woman relates as a woman, with each belonging to and desiring the other. Each partner addresses the other, delights in the other to demonstrate their love. This is the sort of relationship God has established for persons in romantic relationships and this must be followed by Christians.
Horine (2001) shows that there is no sense of domination of one by the other, no suggestion of priority or of one being the initiator more than the other. There is an equal partnership in this relationship of love. Unfortunately, the world upholds patriarchy to the extent that what God decrees to be the formula for keeping romantic relationships healthy rather contradict customs and traditions; hence, dominations, inequalities and so on. Webb (1990) also reveals that the love issue in The Song of Solomon, is a matter of mutual responsive relationship.
Payne (1984) asserts that The Song of Solomon speaks to us in a more directly practical way and can serve as a model upon which our romantic relationships can be established. This I think is the main reason most Christian marriage counsellors recommend The Song of Solomon for persons preparing to marry. The love expressed in the text is not dependent simply on subjective feelings. However, most relationships throughout the world appear to depend on subjective feelings; hence the rampant break-ups in most marriages. This reason may be that such relationships fail to apply the formula established for us by God in our relationships.
Creasely (2004) has put forward that love is characterized with dependence and yet independence, merging yet separateness; belonging but not possession; and acceptance of the otherness. With these, partners will love each other with respect. Therefore, the love of the lovers in The Song of Solomon is not a smothering love. The lovers stand together on an equal footing, as friends. I support Landy's claim because his assertion will help eradicate domination and suppression which are characterized in most marriages in recent times. Partners strictly apply legal measures to their relationships to the neglect of the measure established by God in The Song of Solomon.
3 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Narrative Stylistics is a concept embedded in Narrative Discourse (Simpson, 2004). It operates on the premise that the experiences of life expressed in language involves a connected series of events in two clauses which are temporarily ordered such that a change in the order of the clause patterns can cause a change in the way we interpret the assumed chronology of the narrative events.
According to Simpson (2004) the aspects of narrative that inform a stylistic analysis are Textual Meduim, Sociolinguistic code (frame), Actions and events, Point of view, Textual structure and Intertextuality. However, for the purpose of this research, only the third narrative component which is Actions and events was used.
Actions and events are linked to characters and basically describes the way in which the development of the character causes and intersects with the actions and events of a story. It accounts for the ways in which the narrative intermeshes with certain kinds of semantic processes such as those of 'doing', 'thinking' and 'saying', and shows how these processes are attributed to characters and narrators. With this in mind, the researcher aims at investigating the creative processes involved in the construction of the clauses of 'doing', 'thinking' and 'saying' and the extent to which such constructions influence the romantic relationship of King Solomon and the Shulammite Woman.
4 METHODOLOGY
This section of the study involves the exploration of the linguistic creativity used to portray romantic relationships in The Song of Solomon. It draws on a flexible approach that allows for an in-depth interpretation of naturally occurring expressions of love and desire. The entire text of the book was examined to uncover how language contributes to the understanding and sustenance of romantic bonds. Attention was given to the structural patterns of expression and the literary devices that shape the emotional and relational experiences of the characters.
4.1 DATA SOURCE
The source of data for the study is the Holy Bible. The Holy Bible is the book used by all Christians as the foundation of their faith and practice. It contains teachings, narratives, and principles that guide the moral, spiritual, and social lives of believers. Drawing from its rich content, the study explores key themes relevant to human experience, such as creation, redemption, justice, and marriage, offering insights grounded in a text that holds authoritative significance for the Christian community.
The Holy Bible presents the theme of creation and divine purpose, beginning with the origin of the universe and humankind. It portrays God as the sovereign Creator who brings order out of chaos and establishes a moral universe governed by divine laws. Humanity is made in God's image, entrusted with stewardship over the earth, and called into relationship with the Creator. This foundational theme sets the stage for understanding human dignity, responsibility, and the consequences of disobedience.
A central theme in the Bible is covenant and redemption. Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, God enters into covenants with individuals and nations-such as Noah, Abraham, and the people of Israel-promising guidance, protection, and blessing in exchange for obedience. This covenantal relationship culminates in the New Testament with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, through whom salvation and reconciliation with God are made available to all. Redemption becomes a key narrative thread, emphasizing God's commitment to restoring humanity despite its fallenness.
Another major theme is justice, compassion, and moral living. The Bible provides a framework for ethical behaviour, instructing believers to uphold justice, care for the poor, and live righteously. The prophets in the Old Testament speak against oppression and corruption, while Jesus' teachings in the New Testament highlight love for neighbour, forgiveness, and humility. This moral vision extends into community life, urging believers to reflect God's character in their personal and social conduct.
The theme of marriage and human relationships is also significant. The Bible introduces marriage in Genesis as a divine institution, portraying it as a union between a man and a woman intended for companionship, procreation, and mutual support. It is held as a sacred covenant, symbolizing deeper spiritual truths, such as the relationship between Christ and the Church. Throughout Scripture, marriage is both a personal commitment and a social structure that reflects broader values like fidelity, respect, and unity.
4.2 POPULATION, SAMPLING AND SAMPLE SIZE
The research population for this study comprises all the books of the Bible, taken as individual units of analysis. The Holy Bible contains 66 books classified into Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament consists of 39 books and the New Testament is made of 27 books. Each book varies in length, genre, authorship, and historical context, offering a diverse range of literary and theological material. This diversity provides a comprehensive foundation for textual and thematic analysis, allowing for meaningful comparisons and interpretations across the entire biblical canon.
The study employed purposive sampling; a technique characterized by the deliberate selection of material based on its relevance to the research objectives. This method aligns with the study's aim to explore the role of communication in sustaining romantic relationships by focusing on a source that richly embodies this theme. Rather than relying on random selection, purposive sampling enables the researcher to engage deeply with a specific biblical text renowned for its poetic treatment of love and emotional expression. This approach ensures that the chosen text is not only thematically appropriate but also offers a significant representation of intimate and spiritually grounded communication. By selecting a source that is inherently expressive of romantic and emotional depth, the technique facilitates a focused and meaningful analysis. It allows the study to uncover layers of communicative interaction that resonate with the core objective: understanding how language sustains and deepens human connection in romantic contexts.
Regarding the sample size, the researchers intentionally selected a book from the Old Testament that aligned closely with the study's objectives and the thematic focus of the research. This specific text, The Song of Solomon is also called "The Song of Songs," was chosen for its ability to capture the complex nature of love-its intensity, emotional depth, and the intimate connection it fosters between individuals. The book also demonstrates how such intimacy can calm emotional unrest and serve as a source of stability amid the inevitable challenges relationships face. By selecting a scriptural text that expresses both the sensual and spiritual dimensions of love, the researchers ensured that the sample was contextually rich and thematically appropriate for the study's aims.
Given that the title is The Song of Solomon implies that King Solomon is its author. The Song of Solomon comprised eight chapters, and all were included in the analysis to ensure a comprehensive study. The decision to use every chapter stemmed from the understanding that each one contributed uniquely to the portrayal and development of a romantic relationship. Rather than isolating select verses or sections, it was necessary to consider the entire text, as the progression of the narrative and the recurring imagery offered a holistic view of love-its emotional depth, physical expression, and spiritual significance. By examining the full book, the analysis was better positioned to reveal the foundational elements that foster and sustain healthy romantic relationships.
This choice was further motivated by the observation that many young couples either lacked guidance on cultivating strong relationships or had lost touch with traditional models of love that emphasized commitment, mutual respect, and emotional intimacy. The Song of Solomon, with its rich poetic language and symbolic imagery, provided a timeless framework for understanding these values. Its emphasis on communication, admiration, desire, and the emotional highs and lows of romantic pursuit offered a template that was both relevant and instructive.
Since the Holy Bible is a public document, I made photocopies of all eight chapters of the Song of Solomon for the purpose of detailed textual analysis. These copies were used solely for academic purposes, enabling a closer exploration of how biblical poetry could inform contemporary understandings of love and relationship-building.
4.3 RESEARCH DESIGN
This study adopted a qualitative research approach, which was particularly well-suited to the exploration of linguistic creativity in The Song of Solomon, especially as it pertains to the portrayal and sustenance of romantic relationships. By employing a qualitative methodology, the research was able to engage in an interpretive, text-centered analysis that privileged depth over breadth. This method allowed for close reading and interpretive analysis of the poetic and symbolic dimensions of the text, revealing how language is artfully employed to communicate emotional intimacy, physical desire, and spiritual connection. The qualitative lens provided the necessary flexibility to capture the layered meanings and aesthetic choices embedded in the text, emphasizing how figurative language, metaphor, and rhythm contribute to the evocation of romantic and spiritual union.
The research was purposefully designed to be exploratory and interpretive, centering on the natural, often unfiltered expressions of love and affection found within this complex literary-religious text. Rather than relying on quantifiable data or aiming for statistical generalization, the study prioritized meaning-making through sustained, detailed engagement with the language and form of the text. This approach allowed for the uncovering of subtle literary features such as tone shifts, symbolic imagery, recurring motifs, and structural patterns, all of which contribute to shaping the emotional and relational dynamics between the characters. By focusing on these elements, the study aimed to understand how The Song of Solomon constructs and communicates the intricacies of romantic connection, not merely as a physical or emotional experience but as a profound spiritual narrative.
4.4 MODE OF ANALYSIS
The data were analyzed using the Narrative Stylistic Model, which posits that the experiences of life expressed through language are represented as a connected series of events across clauses. These clauses are temporally ordered, and any alteration in the sequence of clause patterns can lead to a shiftin the interpretation of the narrative's assumed chronology. The analysis focused on both the structural and functional types of clauses. The structural types include simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex clauses, while the functional types encompass declaratives, imperatives, interrogatives, and exclamatory sentences. In addition to these clause patterns, literary devices such as simile and metaphor were also examined for their role in enhancing the narrative.
The researcher examined the different structural types of clauses, including simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex. By identifying these structures, the analysis was able to investigate how the arrangement of clauses contributed to the unfolding of events and relationships in the text. For example, simple clauses might convey straightforward actions or emotions, while complex and compound-complex clauses could depict more nuanced or layered interactions, signaling shifts in mood, desire, or emotional tension. The sequence of these clauses, and any changes in their order, were analyzed for how they altered the reader's understanding of the characters' evolving relationships.
The model also considered the functional types of clauses, such as declaratives, imperatives, interrogatives, and exclamatory sentences. Each of these functional clause types plays a distinct role in shaping the interaction between characters. Declaratives were likely used to make statements about love, affection, and intimacy, establishing the foundation of relationships. Imperatives might express desire or command, signaling moments of control or vulnerability. Interrogatives could introduce uncertainty or questioning, reflecting the complexities of romantic dynamics, while exclamatories likely emphasized intense emotional states or pivotal moments in the relationship.
5 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
Applying the principles of action and events of thinking, saying and doing of the Narrative Stylistic Model to The Song of Solomon, the study revealed various linguistic structures that emphasize King Solomon and the Shulammite Woman's demonstration of erotic love to each other. Mainly, the functional types of the sentence (declarative, imperatives, interrogatives, and exclamatory) together with the structural types of the sentence (simple, compound, complex and compound complex) have been teased out from the text.
RQ 1: What linguistic resources were creatively used by the Shulammite Woman to express her thinking, saying and doing to demonstrate her erotic love for King Solomon and the significance of the linguistic resources in sustaining a healthy relationship?
This research question focused on the Shulammite Woman's use of linguistic resources that showed the amount of satisfactions she gained in relating to King Solomon. The data showed that the Shulammite Woman expressed her erotic love to King Solomon through thinking, a component of Action and Events of the Narrative Stylistic Model. Simpson (2004) asserts that the experiences of life expressed in language involves a connected series of events in two clauses which are temporarily ordered. With the example below, the addresser's imagination has equally become a narrative event which she addresses in two clauses.
(a) O that you would kiss me with the kisses of your mouth! For your love is better than wine. (1:2)
What the addresser yearns for is what she narrates to her addressee in The Song of Solomon. Example (a) above displays a combination of exclamatory sentence and a simple sentence preceded by a coordinating conjunction for.
An exclamatory sentence is one that expresses sudden or strong emotions and feelings and a simple sentence is one that consists of only one clause, with a single subject and a predicate. At this instance the structure preceded by for can be termed as a dependent clause because it requires the presence of the exclamatory clause to make a complete sense or be grammatical. However, the exclamatory sentence can function as the independent clause in order that the second part can depend on it. In this case, the exclamation mark has to be deleted for the sentence to read: O that you would kiss me with the kisses of your mouth for your love is better than wine.
The creativity displayed in the above structure is that they violate the construction of subordinate clauses and compound sentences. But for the fact that the author decided to separate them and make them dependent clauses indicates how dependent the addresser is to the addressee. Her love is dependent on King Solomon's love because the message is directly addressed to King Solomon. The action that the addresser is imagining, that is, kissing, is something that requires great submissiveness which the addresser is ready to do with the addressee in which case the addressee's life is dependent on the addresser at that moment.
Also, the actions of events of thinking is a contrasted idea joined with a comparing device. This linguistic structure can be called compound sentence joined with similes. A compound sentence is a combination of two or simple sentences using coordinating conjunctions and simile is a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind to make a description more emphatic or vivid. Such a combination is one of its kind that the author has creatively designed to draw attention to the addressee. Below is an example:
(b)I am dark but comely...like the tents of Kedar; like the curtains of Solomon.(1:5)
Generally, light skinned women get attention of men than dark skinned women. Therefore the addresser having known that her colour will not get attention of the addressee quickly contrasted her state of appearance with the quality of character traits she possessed and compared with ...the tent of Kedar and ...the curtains of Solomon. These are material things that are considered very pleasant, quality and expensive. The creativity displayed in this linguistic structure is a combination of compound sentence with similes. This structure signifies the addresser's intention as a matter of fact to eradicate any form of blockade that would hinder her from being noticed.
The next set of linguistic resources through which the addresser narrated her action and events was through thinking about herself. She pours out what she thinks she is through the use of metaphors and similes. A metaphor is a figure of speech that pulls comparisons between two unrelated ideas. Metaphors and similes enable the addresser to compare herself to beautiful flowers, and how she thinks she stands tall among maidens. Sentence (c) is a typical example of metaphor and (d) and (e) are typical examples of similes used in the text:
(c) I am rose of Sharon, a lily of the valley.(2:1)
(d) As a lily among brambles, so is my love among maidens.(2:2) plural nouns and disyllabic
(e) As an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among young men. (2:3).
The addresser equates herself to a rose, lily, and an apple, which are all precious and represent the symbol of love. In terms of maidens and men she sees her love to be undefeatable and her beloved to be more precious than any other man. The choice of metaphors and similes allow for a perfect comparison between the addresser and the addressee. Phonologically, brambles and maidens share the same phonological features such disyllabic words and mark plural morphologically. The use of the phonological and morphological values add musical effects to the text.
The next actions of events expressed by Shulammite Woman to King Solomon is known as saying, to sustain her romantic relationship to King Solomon. The author presented the semantic notion of saying in a number of linguistic structures. The example below is an imperative sentence. An imperative sentence is a sentence that expresses a direct command, request, invitations, warning, or instruction and they do not have a subject; instead, a directive is given to an implied second person.
f. Tell me...where you pasture your flock; where you make it lie down at noon. (1:7)
The choice of this kind of linguistic structure is a sort of command which also indicates the care and love the addresser has for her beloved. It simply could be constructed in a direct question such as: Where do you pasture your flock? Where do you make it lie down at noon? However, presented in the form of a direct question the sentence may be too formal which does not show that both parties are even in any sort of relationship. The author's decision to construct it the way he did showed a sign of cordiality between the addresser and the addressee. The addresser delights in the kind of job her partner does and seeks to know where he takes his flock to graze. The creativity demonstrated in this structure is what is known as linguistic parallelism: where you pasture your flock; where you make it lie down at noon which signifies the addresser's love and care for her addressee. People in romantic relationships are supposed to be friends, brothers and sisters etcetera. There is no domination and suppression; therefore they relate to each other in a cordial manner.
Another linguistic structure in which the author presented his message is compound sentences. These are shown in examples (g) and (h).
g. My beloved is mine and I am his; he pastures his flock among the lilies.(2:16)
h. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.(2:4)
The choice of this kind of sentence structure enables the author to demonstrate the unceasing love each partner has for one another. The coordinating conjunction and indicates addition; however in example (g) there appears to be a reciprocal relationship between the partners. This claim corroborates Payne's (1984) claim of reciprocal relationship between the partners in The Song of Solomon. In addition, the coordinating conjunction and in example (h) also demonstrates addition of pleasant things that the addresser enjoys when in company with her beloved. In this regard, the semantic value of and in the above sentences indicate the unceasing love that both partners have for each other.
From the data, it was also realised that the author used direct quotations to capture the messages being reported by the addresser. An example is shown below:
i. My beloved speaks and says to me: Arise my love, my fair one, and come away; for lo the winter is past, the rain is over and gone.(2:10-11)
In the example above, the there is a clause within a clause. These are the reporting clause and the reported clause. The use of speaks and says can be said to be semantic compounding as both of them are common semantic features. The elements in the reported clause: my love; my fair one are in paradigmatic association particularly synonymous relations. Synonymous relations come to play when two or more lexical elements share a general semantic feature such as my love; my fair one. The significance of this linguistic structure indicates the fact that both partners' love demonstrates a sign of doing things in unison.
Finally, the study showed that the Shulammite Woman demonstrates her love to King Solomon through doing, the last component of Action and Event of the Narrative Stylistic Model to sustain her romantic relationship to King Solomon.
The text displayed the notion of contrast which are expressed in compound sentences and questions. The issue of contrast comes into play when the efforts of one partner to seek the welfare of the other seem to be fruitless. The examples below demonstrate the assertion:
j. I sought him but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer.
k. ...for why should I be one who wanders beside the flock of your companions? (1:7)
Example (j) is a typical example of parallel structure which, according to Yankson (2007), is the use of pattern repetition in a text for a particular stylistic effect. The use of this kind of structure indicates the author's intention to emphasize the worrisome nature of the absence of her beloved and the efforts made to find him. Example (k) confirms the addresser's situation of being worried about the absence of her beloved. This suggests that what affects her beloved affects her too and for her not to be in that worrisome situation anymore she would want to get hold of her beloved and would not let him go. This is expressed in example (l) below:
l. ...I held him, and would not let him go until I had brought him to my mother's house, and into the chamber that conceived me.(3:4)
Also, considering the fact that life outside her mother's house can be detrimental to her relationship, the addresser thought of finding her beloved and taking him to her mother's house. The creativity displayed in the structure above concerns the fact that the author used mainly monosyllabic words and a few disyllabic words. The choice of monosyllabic words promotes the easy pronunciation of the string of words which gives a rhythmic pattern to the structure. In addition the only disyllabic words: mother, chamber and conceived in the structure give some sort of rhythm. The rhythmic flow of the monosyllabic words in the structure signifies the addresser's easy influence on the addressee in order not to jeopardise their relationship.
RQ 2: What linguistic resources were creatively used by King Solomon to express his thinking, saying and doing to demonstrate his erotic love to Shulammite Woman and the significance of the linguistic resources in sustaining a healthy relationship?
This research question focused on King Solomons' use of linguistic resources that show how much he delights in the Shulammite Woman. The linguistic resources within which data were analysed include the actions of events of thinking, saying, and doing.
Thinking as a semantic element of action and events of the Narrative Stylistic Model emphasizes a character's ideas and opinions about something, a person or a concept. The characters in The Song of Solomon have demonstrated certain disposition toward each other. In The Song of Solomon King Solomon has formed certain ideas and concepts about his beloved. The concepts and ideas have been expressed by the author in the form of exclamation, metaphors and repetitions. The example below shows how King Solomon expressed what he thinks about the Shulammite Woman.
(m) O fairest among women!(1:8)
Beauty, according to Shakespeare, lies in the eyes of the beholder; therefore King Solomon who is the beloved of the Shulammite Woman thinks that his beloved is the only woman of beauty. This he exclaims to his beloved and would proudly announce to the whole world. The creativity identified in the structure above is the comparative mechanism adopted by the author. This expresses King Solomon's desire to let his beloved know that there is none like her hence his choice of the lexical item fairest. Phonologically, the author is conscious in selecting words in the structure above this is because all the lexical words in the structure are disyllabic and allows for a smooth pronunciation of the words. Syntactically, there exists an intra-textual cohesion between fairest among women because they collocate perfectly. Most homes will be peaceful if those men tagged as irresponsible will emulate the King Solomon's virtuous treatment and apply it.
Another structure that interprets Simpson's (2004) action and events of the Narrative Stylistic Model is the use of metaphors to express what King Solomon thinks about his beloved. Let us look at the examples below:
n. My beloved is to me a bag of myrrh that lies between my breast(1:13)
o. My beloved is to me a cluster of henna that blossoms in the vineyard of Engedi.(1:14)
The author used metaphors to express how King Solomon perceives his beloved. He used ...a bag of myrrh... and ... a cluster of henna... which demonstrate King Solomon's notion of his beloved as a very expensive and beautiful person that he cannot be toyed with. The creativity in the structures is the repetitive use of the same sound pattern /b/ in beloved, bag, between, and breast. As /b/ is a voiced bilabial plosive and requires a lot of energy in its production, King Solomon also has to think deeply to bring out those elements that he can compare his beloved with. This is how every couple should devote much energy and time for to be able to keep the relationship healthy.
The study also established that King Solomon expressed his love to the Shulammite Woman through saying, a tenet of the Action and Event aspect of the Narrative Stylistic Model to sustain his romantic relationship with her. Under this semantic element of saying, King Solomon verbally expressed his love to his beloved in order to maintain a healthy relationship with her in the form of repetitions to emphasize his seriousness. The illustration below shows King Solomon's linguistic resources:
(p) Behold, you are beautiful, my love: behold you are beautiful; your eyes are doves. (1:15).
There appears a lexical and syntactic repetition in the structure above. A typical significance of both lexical and syntactic repetition is that they add musical quality to the text. This is the notion that King Solomon has planted in the relationship between him and Shulammite Woman. For us to also maintain a healthy relationship between our partners, we need to emulate the traits of King Solomon.
Also, the semantic element of saying has produced countless comparison devices in the forms of metaphors and similes to make King Solomon's beloved feel at home. The examples below show some of the ways by which King Solomon expressed his love using metaphors and similes.
p. Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats moving down the slopes of Gilead.(4:1)
q. Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes that have come from the washing, all of which are twins, and not one of them is bereaved.(4:2).
r. Your lips are like scarlet thread and your mouth is lovely. Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil.(4:3)
s. Who is this that looks forth like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army with banners?
In extracts p, q, r, s,there are the use of similes and metaphors which help to demonstrate the creativity of the expression of love. The styles of these expressions (metaphors and similes) are the author's choices of linguistic elements to equate King Solomon's beloved to things of important values. Things that can make her feel accepted in order that she can be comfortable in the relationship no matter how long they have been in the relationship. As noted by Medora et al. (2002) and James et al. (2002) that older relationships tend to grow stale hence the beginning of partners focusing more on the negative sides of their spouses it is noticed in the case of King Solomon and his partner that they both renew their love every moment and that makes their relationship grows new, hence the reason for them "to have a close, positive and effective relationship, enjoying life and feeling confident" (Cerkez, 2017).
Finally, the study proved that King Solomon could not express his love to the Shulammite Woman through the action and events of doing. There is no linguistic resource that marks the fact that King Solomon has expressed his love through the process of doing to sustain his romantic relationship to the Shulammite Woman. This probably may be the fact that King Solomon likes to perform actions rather than describe actions. In addition, it also confirms the common notion that women like to hear than they like to see or do. However, the Shulammite Woman uses expressions that mark the action and events of doing. This confirms the fact that women talk more than men.
It is also discovered that romantic relationships of partners require the involvement of both partners. What seems to be breaking most relationships in recent times is the fact that one partner is over dependent on the other. Considering the current economic hardships amidst the joblessness of most partners, most relationships turn sour. It is for this reason that both partners have to support each other to bring happiness into the home.
6 CONCLUSION
This study discussed language and creativity and their roles in demonstrating healthy relationships in The Song of Solomon in the Holy Bible. Typically, the paper identifies the linguistic resources and some literary devices that have been creatively used by the Shulammite Woman to express her action of events of thinking, saying and doing to demonstrate her erotic love to King Solomon and same applies to King Solomon who reciprocates the love shown by his beloved through thinking, saying and doing.
As a theoretical foundation of the paper, Simpson's (2004) Narrative Stylistics theory embedded in Narrative Discourse underpins this research. It operates on the premise that the experiences of life expressed in language involves a connected series of events in two clauses which are temporarily ordered such that a change in the order of the clause patterns can cause a change in the way we interpret the assumed chronology of the narrative events.
The study shows that actions of events of thinking, saying and doing manifest in two unique ways. The first is on the account of the Shulammite Woman revealed through a combination of exclamatory sentence and a simple sentence preceded by a coordinating conjunction for, contrasted compound sentences, metaphors and similes. For actions of events of saying the study shows the imperative sentence joined with interrogatives, compound sentences and direct quotations. In terms of actions of events of doing the study reveals contrasted compound sentences and compound complex sentences. Second, the actions on the account of King Solomon reveal thinking-exclamation and superlative, saying- repetition, metaphors and similes.
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