Emily’s father plays an important part in shaping Emily’s perception of what is acceptable female behavior. At a young age he teaches Emily that the man is always in charge. He convinces Emily that no man is good enough for her. Keeping Emily away from possible mates insures him that she will be his forever. The townspeople thought of Emily and her father as a “tableau”; “Miss Emily a slender figure in white in the background, her father a spraddled silhouette in the foreground, his back to her and clutching a horsewhip, the two of them framed by the back-flung front door” (Faulkner 428). Judith Fetterley asserts, “The violence of this consuming relationship is made explicit in the imagery of the tableau” (

The patriarchal analysis, that it is not in a woman’s nature to participate in an act of violence, is evident when Emily enters the drug store and asks for “arsenic” (Faulkner 429). The town assumes Emily is going to use the poison to kill herself because she has been abandoned by her suitor. Fetterley explains, “When Emily buys the poison, it never occurs to anyone that she intends to use it on Homer, so strong is the presumption that ladies when jilted commit suicide, not murder” (456).

whose back is turned on her and who prevents her from getting out at the same

Jefferson, Mississippi is a town that lives in the past; full of antiquated views and misconceived notions of what a woman is capable of doing. In trying to keep with its valued traditions and the illusion of male chivalry, this patriarchal society has failed to question the concept that one of their “ladies” could commit an unthinkable act and in doing so has allowed Emily Grierson to get away with murder.

Fetterley contends, “Faulkner’s story is an analysis of how men’s attitudes toward women turn back upon themselves, [...]” (453). This statement becomes apparent as the townsmen invade Emily’s privacy even after her death. Following Emily’s funeral the patrons of Jefferson return to her home to investigate a room that no one has

Some topics in this essay:
Colonel Sartoris’, Judge Stevens’, Judith Fetterley, Jefferson Mississippi, Emily Grierson, Colonel Sartoris, Keeping Emily, Judge Stevens, William Faulkner, Miss Emily’s, patriarchal society, colonel sartoris, judge stevens, unthinkable act, emily grierson, emily’s father, faulkner 426, prevents getting, jefferson mississippi,