Published in 1936, Absalom, Absalom! was initially unpopular. Since its publication, however, it has come to be considered by some not only William Faulkner's greatest novel but the greatest Southern American novel of all time. The novel continues to feel relevant both for its searing exploration of the past as well as its illumination of the present. Any study of Faulkner requires consideration of his problematic comments on segregation, the potential shortcomings of his works of fiction, and how these influence one's approach to the novel.
The novel tells, and continuously retells, the story of Thomas Sutpen as received by Quentin Compson, a character from Faulkner's The Sound and The...
