The Madness As An Aesthetics Of Existence

Ever since The Sound and the Fury was published, the narrator of the first part, Benjy, has been the focus of the discussions. Most of the studies on Benjy focus on Faulkner’s writing strategy rather than systematically appreciate the meaning of Benjy to the theme from the perspective of the aesthetics of existence. The methodology of this thesis is Foucauldian theory of the madness as an aesthetics of existence. This thesis attempts to investigate that Faulkner improves the status of rationality and presents the close connection between the Old South and the madness.The thesis framework is made up of the introduction, the body and the conclusion. Firstly, the introduction contains the literature review, research questions and methodology. The methodology is Foucauldian theory of the madness. The research question is how Faulkner establishes the relation of the madness and the Old South to unveil the truth in history. Secondly, the body contains four chapters. Chapter One constructs the methodology for this thesis. Foucauldian theory of the madness as an aesthetics of existence is constructed from the aspects of ontology, practice and history. Chapter Two, in the sense of ontology, analyzes the problem that the madness is utilized to be the special way to predict the fall of the Old South. Faulkner establishes the connection between Benjy with the madness and Jesus to emphasize that the madman with the ability of mystic perception can predict the doomed decay of the Old South. Chapter Three, in the sense of practice, investigates the problem that the Other with the madness pursues the care for himself and offers the care. The Other utilizes the madness to crave for the self-care and provides the other people with the care, which actually is the Other’s practice to protect the power of the discourse of the Old South. Chapter Four, in the sense of history, solves the problem that the madness is arranged to uncover the truth in the historical development of the Old South after the Civil War. The "otherness" in the narration of Benjy uncovers the unknown truth in the discontinuous historical development of the Old South. Thirdly, the conclusion points out that Faulkner in the novel creates Benjy to emphasize the madness and the Other. From the perspectives of ontology, practice and history, the status of irrationality in society of the Old South is improved.