Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner is a powerful and complex novel that engages themes of race, class, and family in the American South during the 19th century. It is the story of Thomas Sutpen and his attempts to create a dynasty on his newly acquired plantation in Mississippi. Sutpen moves to the region in 1833, armed with a grand vision to acquire wealth, power, and land. He marries a local woman, Eulalia Bon, and they have two sons, Henry and Charles. After Eulalia's death, Sutpen marries Judith, and together they have a daughter named Judith, who eventually marries Charles. Both of the sons struggle with their own questions of identity and purpose throughout the novel.
The central events of Absalom, Absalom! take place over many years, which are told through stories and gossip among several narrators. The novel engages themes of racial identity in the South, as manifested by the tragic story of Charles, Henry's half-brother, and his own racial identity crisis. Though he is a product of his father's open-mindedness and his mother's Creole heritage, Charles struggles with the conflicting values of his upbringing when he reacts to racist violence against his friend Jim Bond. His story is echoed by Henry's experiences, as he must deal with the outrage of his community when he embraces racial equality and marries a black woman.
The theme of class is also explored in Absalom, Absalom! through the character of Sutpen and the consequences of his attempt to create an aristocratic legacy. His manor and grandfather-clock are symbols of a lifestyle he desires and a status that cannot be achieved in the traditional manner, and in his need to attain this status Sutpen creates a legacy of destruction. His arrogance and disregard for the rights and feelings of others results in multiple tragedies, including his own death.
Another important theme of Absalom, Absalom! is family. Sutpen is driven by his need to build a powerful family, yet he abandons his wife and children upon his discovery that his wife was of mixed heritage. His sons Henry and Charles, meanwhile, both struggle to make sense of the family legacy and try to reconcile with their father before it is too late.
Written in Faulkner's Southern gothic style, Absalom, Absalom! is a complex and captivating novel that engages many of the issues facing the South during the 19th century. It is a story of ambition, family, and racism, and through it Faulkner explores complex themes of identity, race, class, and ambition. The novel is ultimately a tragedy, but one that is filled with insight and compassion for the characters involved.
