Editing Chiasmus (section)

==Thematic chiasmus==
The ''[[Wilhelmus]]'', the national anthem of the [[Netherlands]], has a structure composed around a thematic chiasmus: the 15 stanzas of the text are symmetrical, in that verses one and 15 resemble one another in meaning, as do verses two and 14, three and 13, etc., until they converge in the eighth verse, the heart of the song. Written in the 16th century, the ''Wilhelmus'' originated in the nation's struggle to achieve independence. It tells of the [[Father of the Nation]] [[William the Silent|William of Orange]] who was [[Stadtholder|stadholder]] in the Netherlands under the [[Philip II of Spain|king of Spain]]. In the first person, as if quoting himself, William speaks to the Dutch people and talks about both the outer conflict – the [[Dutch Revolt]] – as well as his own, inner struggle: on one hand, he tries to be faithful to the king of Spain,<ref>[http://cf.hum.uva.nl/dsp/ljc/geuzenliedboek/ CF.hum.uva.nl]</ref> on the other hand, he is above all faithful to his conscience: to serve God and the Dutch people. This is made apparent in the central [[Wilhelmus#Lyrics|8th stanza]]: "Oh [[King David|David]], thou soughtest shelter from King [[Saul]]'s tyranny. Even so I fled this welter". Here the comparison is made between the biblical David and William of Orange as merciful and just leaders who both serve under tyrannic kings. As the merciful David succeeds the unjust Saul and is rewarded by God with the kingdom of Israel, so too, with the help of God, will William be rewarded a kingdom; being either or both the Netherlands, and the [[Kingdom of God (Christianity)|kingdom of God]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eqPvAwAAQBAJ|title=The Reformed David(s) and the Question of Resistance to Tyranny: Reading the Bible in the 16th and 17th Centuries|last=DeLapp|first=Nevada Levi|date=2014-08-28|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=9780567655493|pages=87–89|language=en}}</ref>