THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN FAULKNER’S SOUTHERN LANDSCAPE

Abstract

This article focuses on the role of women and their portrayal in William Faulkner's Southern Landscape. In Faulkner's works, women in Southern society struggle between their traditional roles and personal dreams. The article examines how Faulkner's writings reflect the role of women in Southern society, their struggle against societal expectations, and their personal transformations. Although women in Faulkner's Southern Gothic genre are often portrayed through violence, pathos, and moral complexity, they are also characterized by resistance, strength, and individuality. The Southern landscape itself plays a significant role in shaping the lives of Faulkner's female characters. The weight of history, the legacy of slavery, and the rigid social hierarchy all contribute to the challenges women face. Faulkner explores how these factors intersect with gender to create unique experiences for women in the South. Critical interpretations of Faulkner's work through a feminist lens have shed light on the ways in which his female characters navigate and resist patriarchal structures. Scholars have examined how these women exercise agency, express their desires, and challenge the limited roles assigned to them. In conclusion, Faulkner's portrayal of women in the Southern landscape is a complex and often contradictory one. His female characters embody both the constraints and possibilities of their time and place, offering a nuanced exploration of gender, race, and identity in the American South. This article reflects on how patriarchal values ​​are reproduced in Southern society through Faulkner's female characters, and how they are sometimes combated.