Essay on Exploring the Depths of Love: Insights from Songs of Songs and Contrasts in Plato's Symposium Speeches

How to Attract Commitment

Songs of Songs depicts flowery poetry tucking Solomon’s philosophical wisdom, which is in the form of symbolic lines that are the very flames of Love. Above conveying the transcendent nature of Love, it also depicts the delight, despair, as well as natural ebbs in courtship, which can be used to show how individuals can pursue Love through commitment. More than showing how commitment is foundational to both sex and marriage, Songs of Songs also offers important lessons on how one can attract this commitment from the spouse.

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Firstly, the book of Song of Songs teaches that commitment can be attracted by staying consistent with Love. The woman mentioned in the book is consistent and keeps hopeful about her Love. She even makes the affirmation, “My beloved is mine, and I am his” many times despite knowing what was going on (Longman, 2001). She does not have a double standard mind; she has already made her choice, and she is ready to stick to it no matter what. She is not ready to give up along the way. Her consistency eventually attracts commitment from the man.

Secondly, commitment can be attracted through obsession. As depicted in Songs of Solomon, the woman is so obsessed with her man that she does not have any other plan. It appears she has put all the apples in the same basket as a form of obsession. The woman in the Songs of Songs, even after knowing the challenge in her relationship, is so obsessed that she accepts the challenge, she chooses to stand her ground and makes it right. What seems like madness or naivety reveals that it has innumerable powers on the man in the end.

Thirdly, letting go has a great impact that can significantly attract commitment. In this way, the woman avoided pushing or forcing things. It is about offering freedom to another individual without elements of control. The woman says, “I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned away and had gone!” (Longman, 2001). The verse is a clue that she is letting her lover go. She moves from the possessive stance that it is not him who, to her, but she is the one belonging to the man. By that, she kind of lets him go, but at the same time gives him space to come back to her. Although it appears to be a difficult task to her, it offers crucial freedom to the man, which makes him at the end, search for his Love.

Additionally, having faith in the relationship is depicted to be a significant way of attracting commitment. The woman depicted in Songs of Songs has some magical conviction that her man will be hers no matter what. She is wise and admits that despite many other girls, no one can detach her from the man. She admits that “like a lily among thorns is my darling among the young women” (Longman, 2001). She knows that her man might be out there with other girls, but she still has faith that he is still hers. The statement “My beloved is mine, and I am his; he browses among the lilies” is also a clear indication, as per interpretation, that despite the woman admitting the vulnerability of her ma, she has faith he is still hers. (Longman, 2001).

Besides, the Song of Songs also teaches that commitment can be attracted by being closer or in company with each other. The book depicts many instances of intimacy between the man and woman. The woman affirms that “With great delight, I sat in his shadow” (Longman, 2001). The verse shows that the woman was spending her best time with her man. She even makes a better claim that “his fruit was sweet to my taste” (Longman, 2001). This statement from the woman can be interpreted in two ways; first, she is in the company of her man, and two, there is sexual activity between the two. The man also states, “Your lips are like a scarlet thread, and your mouth is lovely” (Longman, 2001). His commitment to the woman is evident. After taking time together, Solomon teaches that women can attract innumerable commitments from their men, a form of physical intimacy.

Contrast Between the Speeches in Plato’s Symposium

The first speech in the Symposium was Phaedrus. He begins by describing Love as a “great and awesome god” who has a primordial nature, thus making him superior to the rest of the deities (Sheffield, 2008). He argues that it is important to be in Love because it will make an individual “feel shame at disgraceful behavior and pride in good behavior” (Sheffield, 2008). He continues with the speech suggesting that since Love is the oldest, it confers the greatest benefits. He elucidates that Love is worth dying for by giving examples of the famous people who died for it. He further asserts that Love is important on the battlefield and that an army with lovers is unmatchable. Thus, according to Phaedrus, Love is beautiful and nothing sort. Although this speech introduces the notion that Love always leads to a virtuous action, which is the central theme in Diotima’s live account, it contrasts Diotima’s speech, which articulates that Love is neither beautiful nor good. Additionally, the description of Love with the term god contrasts Diotima’s account. According to Diotima, Love is not a god since gods are beautiful and happy. Love desires beauty; he thus cannot be a god because he lacks good and beautiful things. Additionally, according to Diotima, Love is the son of Poros, which means resources, and Penia, which means poverty, therefore is primarily poor and far away from being beautiful.

The second speech was Pausanias’ narrated still by Apollodorus. He approaches the issue of Love differently from Phaedrus. He goes on to insist, on “defining which kind of love we have to praise” (Sheffield, 2008). Pausanias continues in his speech claiming that there are two types of Love. He describes them before praising the one he thinks is more worthy. The two kinds of Love include the “common” kind, which is experienced mostly by ordinary people, and the “celestial” kind, which is greater and more ennobling (Sheffield, 2008). The sublime Love is only achieved when lovers are attracted to both brilliant minds and virtuous characters, but not only physical beauty. The theme of virtue is introduced in this speech. The dichotomy of ‘good and bad’ is also established in the speech (Sheffield, 2008). This speech differs from Diotima’s speech in a number of ways. Firstly, Diotima explicitly challenges Pausanias’ sexist view. While Pausanias views that the female element accounts for the immaturity of common Love, Diotima, on the other hand, argues that Love is not about being loved, but rather, being a lover and is common for all people. Secondly, while Pausanias argues that there are two types of Eros, Diotima's approach elucidates that there are six types of Love, which he calls the Ladder of Love. These kinds of Love include Love for a particular body, all bodies, souls, laws and institutions, knowledge, and Love itself (Sheffield, 2008).

The third speech in Plato’s Symposium is that of Eryximachus. He builds his idea on Pausania’s argument on two types of Love, common and celestial. His view is not only focused on Love as a feeling but also as a phenomenon that can have actual effects on the body and the human mind. He comments “What it takes to be a true professional is the ability to discern, which loves are good and which are bad, and then to effect a change so that a body acquires a good love rather than a bad one” (Sheffield, 2008). His speech introduces the concept of balance and continues generalizing Love as being beyond interactions among people. He also stretches the concept of Love to harmony. Eryximachus, with evidence of a background in medicine, accounts for Love on the basis of scientific principles. In contrast, Diotima has, through the Ladder of Love, reflected the role of Love in human conditions as well as interpersonal relationships. Additionally, while Diotima feels that Love is a desire for physical features, and moves from pure physical attraction to a spiritual one, Eryximachus, on the other hand, views love as a passionless depiction that controls all people.

References

Longman, T. (2001). Songs of Songs (Vol. 26). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.

Sheffield, F. C. (Ed.). (2008). Plato: The Symposium. Cambridge University Press.