Faulkner's As I Lay Dying And Death Stories In Greek Mythology

In the trend of modern western writers returning to mythology,William Faulkner is also good at using the Greek mythology,which has already been reflected in his early poetry.When Faulkner began to write novels,he incorporated mythological elements in many novels.One of his representative works,"As I Lay Dying" was no exception.Furthermore,the theme of death is also an important topic in Faulkner's novels.This thesis starts with the interpretation of the mythological archetypes in the novel,and takes the theme of death as the main research object,analyzing Faulkner's creation of a death world.The introduction comprehensively collected the domestic and foreign research about Faulkner.From the research,the interpretation of Faulkner's works is mostly biased towards the perspective of Christian culture,but a few from the perspective of Greek mythology.This thesis tries to interpret it from the title of "As I Lay Dying",and then analyzes the connection between the specific image in the novel and Odysseus's way to Hades and way home,and explores the deeper meanings in the novel.The first part of the "title's meaning" mainly analyzes the title of "As I Lay Dying" from the source,the specific meaning,and the author's intention.This title comes from Odyssey,quoted by Agamemnon.Between the novel and Agamemnon's story,Eddy and Agamemnon's wife Clytaemestra formed a correspondence.In addition,the "I" in the title also refers to Odysseus,and the novel is also related to the story of Odysseus.In the novel,Eddie is one narrator of 19 narrators,and Agamemnon is also one of the narrators of Odysseus's way through Hades.Faulkner uses Odysseus's story in the novel,and to Burdrens,the way of funeral also means the way to Hades.The second part of the "lay dying and the way to the Hades" mainly explores the specific contents of the story of Eddie's death and the family's funeral.According to the title "Lay Dying" and Addie's "stay dead a long time",death is time-consuming.The burden of the Burdrens is long-term death,which is also the difficult way to Hades.The way of funeral is similar to the way to Hades in several contents.Faulkner intended to place the way of funeral in the background of the way to Hades.The Burdrens fighted with various difficulties and obstacles,fighted with the destiny of death.The purpose of the way of funeral is to bury the body,combining the story of Aeneas,it can be known that the burial ceremony before entering Hades was important.A fish "in the dust" representing Eddie is shown as a burial,linking to Faulkner's another novel "Intruder in the dust,it shows that the grave is leading to Hades.The third part of the "the way home" mainly relates the issue of life and death in the novel to the story of Odysseus 's way to Hades and way home,and Dionysus,the god of wine.In the novel,the Burdrens' way of funeral is to send Eddie back to her hometown and then return to their home.This way of funeral is not only Eddie 's way home but also Burdren's way home,which coincides with Odysseus' way home.However,living away from Hades is a more difficult process.Faulkner is trying to find a way for the characters to return home from Hades.The way home is in the link between life and death.For example,the bridge and ship in the novel carry death and life at the same time,which includes the Rebirth power of Dionysus.As a narrator,Faulkner is the same as the narrator Odysseus,and Faulkner's use of Odysseus' way home is Faulkner's spiritual way home.