The Analysis of Emily’s Tragic Destiny in A Rose for Emily

【Abstract】William Cuthbert Faulkner is good at writing novels with the theme of tragic conflicts between the new south and the old south.A Rose for Emily is one of his representative works by telling a story about a descendent of the declined aristocrat--Miss Emilys tragic destiny.The text primarily analyses the causes of Emilys tragic destiny.She is the victim of three aspects： patriarchy of the south， cruel social reality and smashed love.

【Key words】the tragic destiny； William Cuthbert Faulkner； the patriarchy；

1.Introduction

William Cuthbert Faulkner is one of the important American novelists in the twentieth century.A Rose for Emily is one of William Cuthbert Faulkners famous short stories.The story happened in a small town in the southern part of America.Emily is an aristocratic maid and lives under her fathers authority.After her fathers death， she falls in love with a construction foreman—Homer Barron.At that time， their love violates the moral values of the south and the past social order.

Although Emily ignored peoples objections， devoted to their love.However， Homer Barron was not willing to get marry， and wanted to live his free life.Emily couldnt stand Homer Barons betrayal.She poisoned him and spent her life with the remains.Emily is an epitome of the transitional period of the Southern New Generation.Emilys tragic destiny mainly caused by three aspects： the puritan familys patriarchy， the cruel social reality of the south and the smashed love.Her tragedy is also the tragedy of her times.

2.The victim of the patriarchy

2.1The patriarchy makes Emily lose her self-consciousness

Before the American Civil War， the Puritanism greatly influenced the southern family ethics.Family is the center of the society and father is the familys authority.Emily was born in a declined aristocrat， his father controlled Emilys life with authority and arbitrariness.He thought that no one would match his daughter and his noble family in the town， which made Emily still single in her thirties.In Emily fathers eyes， she is not a social member， but a subsidiary used to continue family traditional values.Emily submitted to the patriarchy， did everything under the order of his father， which made she lose her self-consciousness.

2.2 The patriarchy makes Emily unsociable and eccentric

With the excuse of keeping Emilys image as a lady， Emilys father ruined his daughters youth， love and happiness.Under the “protection” of her father， Emily gradually lost the opportunity to exchange with the people outside world.Without freedom and normal life， she couldnt form normal character.Eventually， she became unsociable and eccentric.

3.The victim of the cruel social reality

3.1 The victim of the declined aristocrat in the south

After the American Civil War， the slavery system was abolished.The impact of the industrialization in the south was heavily and the plantation economy in the south is going to collapse.Aristocratic stratum is also in danger.In the historical upheaval and change， aristocratic manors lingered to the lifestyle of the noble and the traditional social moral values.

Emily as the last descendent of the declined aristocrat， is the incarnation of the southern tradition.She represents one part of the souths glorious past.With the burden of traditional duties and obligations， Emily did everything by following others thought and rules.After her fathers death， when Homer Barron came into the town.Her depressed emotion released.For the first time， he bravely fell in love with Homer Barron and ignored the values.Homer Barron represented the northern newly-born bourgeoisie.The combination between Emily and Homer Barron posed a threat to the southern traditional values.People in the town sticking to the traditional values objected to their love.They said that Emily is “a grace of the town”.They did everything to prevent Emily from dating with Homer Barron.

When Emily had already bought some arsenic， people all thought that she is going to suicide and do nothing to persuade her not to do.They just want to maintain their southern traditional position， even at the cost of Emilys life.

3.2 The victim of the inhuman doctrine of woman

At that time， the southern society， to some degree， is a puritan society.People advocated “doctrine of woman”.They hold that women should win honor， not to bring shame on their family.Women in the south would only marry people who upper to them.Therefore， when Emily regarded Homer Barron as her lover， she had already violated the “doctrine of woman”.Influenced by the “inhuman doctrine of woman”， her mentality became abnormal.She devoted her love to Homer Barron.However， she was abandoned by Homer Barron.

She couldnt save the situation.At last， she poisons him， and decides to spend her life with the dead body.At that time， her spirit world is on the brim of collapse.In peoples eyes， she is just a monument， losing the right to be a normal girl.People regard him as a defender of traditional values.

From“a slender figure in white”lady became into “She looked bloated， like a body long submerged in motionless water， and of that pallid hue” （Faulkner 4）.Emily had already suffered too much.Therefore， we can say that Emily is the victim of the inhuman “doctrine of woman”.

4.The victim of love

Emilys love view affected by patriarchy and puritan culture， which make her form an abnormal love view and couldnt stand the abandon of her lover.Eventually， she adopted an extreme way to deal with the situation.After she killed her lover， her happiness is doomed to ruin.

For the common people， this is unbelievable and terrible.If a man doesnt intend to marry， we would look for a man truly loves us.But for Emily， she cant accept the betrayal.She attempts to use death to conquer love， and death would stop their broken love.Her abnormal behavior was affected by patriarchy and puritan thoughts.After losing love， she lost all wishes for future.

Emily represents the traditional culture of the south and Homer Barron represents the industrial civilization of the north.The conflict between them is hard to reconcile.Their culture background also influenced their love views.Therefore， Emily is doomed to be a victim of love.

Conclusion

In Emilys times， her tragic destiny is inevitable.Just like William Cuthbert Faulkner once said， “This is an inevitable tragedy， no one could stop it”.Emily is a representative of the declined aristocrat.Emilys tragedy is also the tragedy of the south.

What made William Cuthbert Faulkner admired Emil is her endurance under the great pressure， which is a quality of human being.Therefore， the author offered a rose flower for Emily.

References：

[1]Frank N.Critical Survey of Short Fiction.American： Salam press， 1992.

[2]Millgate， M.The Achievement of William Faulkner.The University of Georgia Press， 1989.

[3]Rubinstein， A.T.American Literature Robert and Flower.Language Teaching and Research press， 1988.

[4]Wu Weiren.History and Anthology of American Literature.Beijing： Foreign Language Teaching and Research press， 1990.

[5]冯亦代.献给艾米莉的玫瑰[M].广州： 广东人民出版社， 1980.

[6]福克纳.献给艾米丽的一朵玫瑰花 福克纳短篇小说集[M].上海： 译林出版社， 2001.

[7]福克纳.杨岂深译： 纪念艾米丽的一朵玫瑰花[M].中国文联出版社， 1985.

[8]肖明翰.英美文学中的哥特传统[J].外国文学评论， 2001.

[9]周定之.英美文学作品赏析[M].长沙： 湖南师范大学出版社， 2002.

[10]王恩铭.当代美国社会与文化[M].上海： 上海外语教育出版社， 1997.

作者简介：吕萌静（1990.3-），女，汉族，山东省青岛人，学历：在读研究生（2014级英语语言文学硕士），研究方向：英语语言文学（翻译理论与实践）。