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Yale University

Faulkner's As I Lay Dying - Epic Conventions and Character Analysis - Part 2

Yale University via YouTube

Overview

Explore Faulkner's adaptation of epic conventions in "As I Lay Dying" through this 49-minute Yale University lecture. Examine the blurring of boundaries between humans and non-humans, and the resurrection of the dead. Analyze Tull's relationship with mules and buzzards, Jewel's connection to snakes and horses, and the symbolic significance of these animal associations. Delve into the narrative secrecy surrounding Jewel's genealogy and the parallels between Reverend Whitfield and biblical imagery. Investigate how Faulkner's use of cross-species kinship and scattered representation contributes to the epic tradition, drawing comparisons to Homer's Cyclops, Circe's magic, and Dante's Inferno. Gain insights into the portrayal of poor whites, the mythic qualities of animals, and the epic convention of raising the dead in this comprehensive analysis of Faulkner's literary techniques.

Syllabus

- Chapter 1. Humans and Non-Humans
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- Chapter 2. The Epic Tradition and Homer's Cyclops
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- Chapter 3. Cross-Species Kinship in Circe's Magic and Dante's Inferno
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- Chapter 4. Tull's Animal Identification in As I Lay Dying
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- Chapter 5. The Epic Function of Mules
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- Chapter 6. Poor Whites as Buzzards
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- Chapter 7. Jewel as Snake and Horse
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- Chapter 8. The Mythic Horse, the Snake, and Scattered Representation
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- Chapter 9. The Secretive Narrative of Jewel's Horse
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- Chapter 10. The Epic Convention of Raising the Dead
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