"In the administration of their laws, or customs, which stand in the place of laws, the Calabar people, when other means fail, have recourse to ordeals and oaths. The ordeal is supposed to detect and punish secret crime, which they apprehend abounds amongst them." -Frazer page 336
The History of Susanna is a heartbreaking story of a woman who is falsely accused, but is saved when God, working through Daniel, proves her innocence. The stories of the Salem Witch Trials came to mind when I read the story. It seems Susanna and the accused witches had the same choices: falsely admit guilt and suffer God's wrath or be executed. The only women allowed to live in Salem were the ones who admitted to being witches. This is interesting since I am sure I read in the Bible witches were not supposed to be allowed to live. I am going to guess that this rule changed in the New Testament. I wonder if they read this story or if it was banned from their cannon of the Bible. If the accused knew the story they would have at least had hope right up until the end. It is my hope that they did.
Peter Quince At The Clavier by Wallace Stevens begins with a man playing music and stating the love he feels is like his music. Then he states, "It is like the strain waked in the elders by Susanna" (I line 9). He describes his love in terms of the feelings the elders had toward Susanna. Interesting. Is this a forbidden love? Does she love him as well; or does she reject him as Susanna rejected the elders? I am not sure if this passionate love he has that, if like the elder's, is beyond his control is really good or really bad. The elders knew they were going against God, but they had no control over themselves. Maybe that is it; maybe it's just this uncontrollable love. This burning passion described with story and music in the poem seems powerful. He leaves in the death of the elders saying, "Of those white elders; but, escaping, Left only Death's ironic scraping" (IV lines 12-13). This leads me to believe his love had been rejected as well, but he cannot seem to stop loving her.
This is an amazing poem about the story of Susanna, and like all truly great poems and like the Bible, it leaves questions that are not fully answered. Was Susanna accepted back into society? There are places that even being falsely accused she may not be. How did her life turn out? What happened to the families of elders? Why would someone write this story? Is it a warning to men about lusting after other men's wives? It gives lessons about lust and lies. These questions and many more rattle around until I seek answers in the text and in finding none I look elsewhere which generally leads to more questions. Both the story and the poem are amazing works.
When part of the Bible does not lead me to mysteries, I feel I have not read it closely. I doubt I will ever truly finish the Bible the way I want to. After this speed reading class, I intend to go back and at my leisure read and search out more from the endless mysteries the Bible leaves me with. I have already found more about Enoch and Lilith, but if I am ever going to finish this class I will have to let these infinite threads lie for the time being.
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