Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Does Emily fit the description of an antihero?

An antihero is a protagonist who is notably lacking heroic qualities and is the opposite of a conventional hero. While typical heroes are recognized for their strength, intelligence, charm, integrity, and bravery, antiheroes display both positive and negative character traits.
I would argue that Emily Grierson would not be defined as an antihero. Faulkner's protagonist is a mentally ill woman, who hails from an aristocratic family and has suffered under the oppressive rule of her father. Emily Grierson is more of a tortured soul whose actions are not motivated to prove a point or send a message. Her character symbolically represents the Old South and its difficulty transitioning to the post-Civil War environment. Emily Grierson is also not a tragic heroine because she lacks an inherent flaw. Emily's negative personality traits are a result of her mental illness and unfortunate life living with her domineering father. While there are tragic elements to Emily's life, she would not be considered a tragic heroine.
https://literarydevices.net/anti-hero/

No comments:

Post a Comment

Why is the fact that the Americans are helping the Russians important?

In the late author Tom Clancy’s first novel, The Hunt for Red October, the assistance rendered to the Russians by the United States is impor...