As I Lay Dying and its Greek inspirations
As I Lay Dying is, at its core, deeply tied to stories from Greek legends told thousands of years ago. Both the Odyssey and Faulkner’s novel take place in the aftermath of era-defining armed conflicts. As in most ancient literature, the Odyssey starts in media res. The ramifications of the Trojan War permeate throughout the text, but Homer refrains from depicting it. Similarly, the Bundren family live in an American South where social concepts of the planter class and noblesse oblige have been lost. The Civil War enjoys even less direct implication from the novel than its Greek analogue had. As I Lay Dying diverges from its inspiration even further with its depiction of both Anse and Addie. Both characters could seemingly fit the role of Odysseus. Anse is the patriarch of his family, he often has the final say and his children suffer or benefit (usually the former) from his decision. Meanwhile, it is Addie’s hometown that is the final destination of their journey. It is her Jeffe...