Religion and Song of Solomon

Campbell Glass

Survey!

Reincarnation?

Afterlife?

No life after death?

Undecided or Unsure?

Anything else?

Death in Song of Solomon

?

Death in Song of Solomon

• On first glance it appears to be less prevalent than it is in other books we have read, at least before chapter 5

• Suicide (?) at the beginning of the novel• Dead as a last name• Occasional discussion of beatings• Pilate is willing to kill to save her family

Pilate

• Her name itself is a death reference“‘…Pilate.’‘Like a riverboat pilot?’‘No. … Like a Christ-killing Pilate.’”

(Morrison 19)• Has witnessed her own father’s death• “’I saw Papa shot. ...’” (Morrison 140)• She herself has an interesting take on death

Chapter 5

• Hagar attempts to kill Milkman for leaving her• Stabs with a knife, but can’t do it• Later Ruth comes to Pilate’s house to confront

Hagar• Pilate and Ruth have an important and

intriguing conversation on….

Page 140

“Nobody lives forever, Pilate.”“Don’t?”

“Of course not.”“Nobody?”

“Of course, nobody.”“I don’t see why not.”

Page 140

“Death is as natural as life.”“Ain’t nothin natural about death. It’s the

most unnatural thing they is.”“You think people should live forever?”

“Some people. Yeah.”“Who’s to decide? Which ones should live and

which ones shouldn’t?”

Page 140

“The people themselves. Some folks want to live forever. Some don’t. I believe they decide on it anyway. People die when they want to and if they want to...”

“Don’t nobody have to die if they don’t want to.”

(Morrison 140)

Death as a choiceIs death avoidable?

Also seen in other mediums

• The musical “Les Misérables Student Edition”

“ ‘You will live … you’re going to live, it’s too soon, too soon to say goodbye.’

‘Yes … forbid me now to die, I’ll obey, I will try.’”

Suicide

“Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.”

-Phil Donahue

Is suicide the choice to die or the choice to get away from one’s problems, with death being an

unfortunate side affect?

Which begs the question:

Thoughts?

Death in World Religions• In Christianity, when a person dies their soul

goes to either Heaven or Hell– This is based upon the choices they made during life

• Heaven is generally the same, but Hell has varying interpretations– Often a place of eternal punishment– However some more liberal Christians believe that

Hell is simply a concept, as it is too harsh for a ‘loving God’

– Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that there is no Hell, the unsaved simply are annihilated

Death in World Religions

• Hinduism– Salvation is attained by escaping the cycle of birth,

death, and rebirth– This can be done in four ways:• Jnana yoga: the way of knowledge• Bhakti yoga: the way of devotion or love• Karma yoga: the way of action• Raja yoga: via meditative yoga techniques

Death in World Religions

• Islam– When a person dies, they do not go immediately

to either Heaven or Hell– Instead this is determined on the final day of

reckoning– Each person is judged as an individual by their

own abilities– Everyone is judged by God

Death in World Religions

• Buddhism– After death, one is reborn again continuously into

a new being– This new being is determined by actions in life– The only way to break the cycle of reincarnation is

by reaching Nirvana• An enlightened state of complete knowledge

– Ignorance is the barrier to overcome

Death in World Religions

• Judaism– Behavior does determine afterlife– However very little emphasis on personal reward

and salvation– One can always atone before God– When the messiah comes, everyone will receive

eternal judgment and reward

• http://www.clker.com/clipart-11180.html• http://library.thinkquest.org/16665/afterlifefr

ame.htm