Biblical Analysis of Song of Solomon; Names of Women (Part I)

In Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison gives biblical names to most of the women characters. Since there are so many women characters in the novel, I will be focusing of Ruth Foster Dead and Pilate Dead. These are my opinions on what was Morrison’s purpose and symbolism through these names.

Ruth Foster Dead is married to Macon Dead II, who dominates and abuses Ruth. She is the daughter of Dr. Foster, a wealthy black doctor. Ruth relies on her dead father and Pilate to live through the struggles in her life. The biblical Ruth originates from a poor background and takes care of her mother, Naomi. In order to get food to survive, she picks grain off of a field owned by a wealthy man, Boaz. Ruth ends up marrying Boaz who loves her and takes care of her family. She is the heroine in the book of Ruth. In this way, Morrison’s purpose in naming Ruth is very ironic. Ruth Foster marries a poorer man who abuses her. Boaz’s love that she longs for is nonexistent in her life; she is unhappy and powerless. However, this powerlessness is a similarity between the biblical and Morrison’s Ruth. Even though Ruth had to work to provide for herself and mother in the Bible, it is Boaz that ultimately saves her with his love. Likewise, Morrison’s Ruth is oppressed and unable to stand up against Macon II. This portrays Ruth Foster as the powerless, traditional woman that searches for a hero to rescue her.

Pilate Dead is the sister of Macon Dead II, and is very independent and unorthodox. She possesses magical abilities and helps Milkman find purpose in life. Pontius Pilate in the Bible is the Roman governor that judged Jesus to be crucified. The two Pilates seem very different on a literal level, but are actually similar symbolically. In the Christian faith, Jesus had to die for the sins of all people for them to be saved. Pontius Pilate was the unlucky but required part in Jesus’s death. Similarly, Pilate Dead went through discriminations and rejections because of her “unlucky” lack of a navel. But through her journey, she is able to break from the traditional roles of women. Pilate “cut her hair” and “stared at people” (149). Symbolically, Pilate’s sufferings were necessary for her to be able to break from norms.

By giving biblical names to women, Toni Morrison not only fights for equality of races but equality of gender as well. The portrayal of the female characters reveal how women are oppressed by the ignorant society that labeled women in their traditional roles. Comparable to breaking from the internal racisms present, Morrison wants women to break from the society norms as well.