Discoursing with an ancient sacred text

This blog is a philosophical exploration of the Song of Songs. My project explores a Cixousian (écriture féminine) encounter with biblical literature along subjective existential lines. In particular I am exploring life, meaningfulness, encounter and freedom as these contradict death, absurdity, separation and oppression. This discourse with the Song of Songs & other biblical texts seeks the critical moment that sparks transformation in the present.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Celebrating the male voice?

I am wondering how to engage with the male voice. The Song is primarily a woman's story, written by a woman, encountered by a woman, speaking of issues experienced by women... A woman's particular experience of death/life, making meaning, encountering the male other, and struggling to be free.

I want to recognise the voices of Kierkegaard, Camus, Sartre, Heidegger, Buber, Levinas ... but they write from the place of 'other', they write as men, write to a male academia, of male concerns ... as such their writings are androcentric. Camus writes about freedom eloquently, but he writes of war, and soldiering and male politics. Sartre has dubious views about women - he is caught up in his own experience. Buber and Levinas reach out to the other Entre Nous and Ich und Du. There might be some hope there.

But perhaps in building the feminine verticality of Irigaray ... I need to look further to Kristeva, Cixous, Beauvoir ... I'm wondering about bell hooks as well.

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