Song of Solomon
Song of Solomon does not sit comfortably in one single category when it
comes to labeling its genre. In fact it has characteristics of a variety of
different novel types such as the detective novel and folktale. Drawing from
a variety of styles Morrison blends history with folktale and myth to create
a novel that seeks meaning of the present by looking to the legends of the
past. Although Song of Solomon cannot be wholly regarded as a 'historical
novel,' its use of the historic and the consequent relationships with other
genres, such as the bildungsroman and quest novel, can help us to interpret
meanings within the narrative.
Song of Solomon is largely set in the 1950s and 60s but what we see in the
novel is very much influenced by previous historical events of the twentieth
century including the Great Migration and the aftermath of a World War conflict.
There is an immense and passionate sense of history within Morrison's novel
that is clearly influenced by her own experiences as an African-American woman.
For example, her own parents experienced migration from rural Georgia and
Alabama and her great grandfather had land taken away from him, subsequently
being forced to become a sharecropper. These real events in Morrison's family
history become part of the fictional narrative of the novel. Rigney adds great
significance to this historical aspect, not only in Song of Solomon, but in
all of Morrison's novels, stating that they are, 'in a real sense "historical
novels," quasi documentaries that bear historical witness. Her characters
are both subject of and subject to history.' This is to suggest that these
characters are not only caught up in and influenced by the large-scale events
of history, but are also involved in smaller, component parts of history.
For Morrison, the focus within this more personal history is that of family
history and tradition. This is where the term 'historical novel' perhaps becomes
less useful to our interpretation of the novel. Ordinarily historical authenticity
can be checked by referring to previous records and historical documents,
but in the case of family histories and experiences, the influences that Morrison
draws from are not necessarily documented.
The historic oral tradition of African-American folklore is one of the major
characteristics of black art. It stems from a time when laws prohibited the
teaching of slaves and is characterised by communication through word of mouth.
In the words of Bjork, 'oral narratives and songs spoke of alienation and
frustration in black people's search for freedom and equality which, for many
black writers, began in the quest for cultural literacy.' Clearly, historical
events have had a bearing on the forms of communication open to the black
community in the past, particularly the effect of a ruling against slaves
being able to receive education. The fact that the information it conveys
is concealed from the average historian does not make it any less historically
significant. Throughout the novel, Milkman constructs his identity through
the stories of others as these are the only sources available to him. In fact,
the power and longevity of verbal communication is presented to the reader
very early on in the form of street and place names. 'Doctor Street' is merely
changed to 'Not Doctor Street' when a notice is put reminding the community
that it should be referred to as Mains Avenue. Consequently, a street name
that grew popular through word of mouth is merely transformed by the same
means and 'gave Southside residents a way to keep their memories alive.' The
oral tradition seems to strengthen the bonds of the community and give them
something to belong to. In interviews Morrison herself frequently refers to
the huge importance she attaches to the oral tradition: 'Because it is the
affective and participatory relationship between the artist or the speaker
and the audience that is of primary importance.to make the story appear oral,
meandering, effortless, spoken.' This narrative technique enables the reader
to be drawn into the story, even if they cannot relate directly to the history
it portrays. Thus, an active, universally inclusive history is offered to
a much broader readership. Where Zora Neale Hurston uses narratives involving
authentic speech patterns of the black folk tradition to recreate the spoken
word, Morrison aims to take on the role of the storyteller while the reader
interactively pieces together the information they are given. This process
is similar to the experience of Milkman who is also presented with numerous
narratives with a view to solving the puzzle in a manner somewhat like that
of a detective novel.
Biblical allusions in Song of Solomon benefit greatly from a historical reading
of the novel. Even from reading the title of the novel (alluding to the biblical
book of the same name) we begin to expect a text concerned with Christianity
on some level. Knowledge of the book of Solomon can perhaps also provide us
with a hint at issues to be approached in the novel: this book describes a
conversation between the two lovers of King Solomon and his black bride. However,
this is not the only interpretation of the novel's title, an issue that will
be dealt with in a later discussion of conflicting myth interpretations across
different cultures. In a continuation of this theme, Morrison gives many of
the female characters in the novel biblical names. This means that not only
do they own a personal history, but also that of their namesake. This creates
a double history so to speak, which can only prove to bring to their attention
the importance of history concerning identity. In most cases characters succeed
in mirroring their namesake in some way. For example, the biblical Hagar is
a handmaiden who is banished after bearing Abraham's son; similarly, the Hagar
of Song of Solomon is used by Milkman only to be tossed aside when he grows
tired of her. By comparing female characters to such epic biblical figures
as Magdalene and Pilate, such characters seem to take on more symbolic meaning
and come to represent more than just an individual being. These biblical allusions
can be used as points of reference as we watch the female characters develop.
They serve to give a starting-block with regard to characterisation and introduce
the important related topics of identity and history.
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