A Shift in Power
Feminist writers in the 1900s were stereotypically women who wanted to address gender
inequality. Surprisingly, William Faulkner, a
... [Show More] privileged white male, also addresses feminist
issues in his work. However, Faulkner takes a different approach by using gothic literature to
address feminist issues, since it allows for exaggerations to manipulate cultural stereotypes. “A
Rose for Emily” is considered gothic literature because it does not conform to cultural
stereotypes, specifically when the main character, Emily, transforms from a “damsel in distress”
into a power-hungry individual. This change comes as no surprise because Emily’s father primed
Emily into becoming a megalomaniac. In “A Rose for Emily,” Emily’s shift from a “damsel in
distress” into a perverse person shows that power-hungry fathers create power-hungry children
who ultimately live a corrupted life.
Mr. Grierson represents a traditional male during this era, controlling his daughter’s every
move and thereby setting a poor example. Emily’s father is overly authoritative since he
constantly thwarts Emily’s attempts to get married. He does this to assert his dominance over
Emily, which is a traditional role that fathers carried during the 1900s. This extreme amount of
power is corrupting, as Mr. Grierson continues to assert his authority over Emily. Emily is just as
power-hungry as her father hinting that Mr. Grierson’s actions influenced Emily’s trait. This is
first shown when the narrator states, “She told them that her father was not dead. She did that for
three days, with the minister calling on her, and the doctors, trying to persuade her to let them
dispose of the body” (1). Once Emily’s father dies, Emily refuses to admit that he is dead, thus
abusing her power and not letting others help bury him. This first step that Emily takes gives her
a taste of control and is the start of a slippery slope. With each next step Emily takes, she
becomes more and more power-hungry just like her father. Emily’s father bestows his poor trait [Show Less]