The "I" in As I Lay Dying
The Odyssey follows Odysseus on his long and dangerous trip home after the Trojan War. At one point, he meets Agamemnon in the underworld--a former powerful King murdered by his wife’s lover, who warns: “As I lay dying, the woman with the dog’s eyes would not close my eyes as I descended into Hades.” That line—bitter and full of betrayal—inspired the title of William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying, which is also loosely based on The Odyssey and includes direct references (like the title).
The key question is: who is the “I” in the title? I think there are two ways to look at it.
The first is through Anse’s point of view. If we take the quote literally and look for a character who had a similar experience, it lines up with Anse. Addie, in this case, would be the “woman with the dog’s eyes”—a symbol of betrayal and unfaithful wife. She hides her affair but seems indifferent about whether the truth coming out (pg. 103). Jewel, the child from the affair, is a constant reminder of it. Meanwhile, Anse is falling apart. He has back problems, can't work, and it feels as though he already is some ghostly figure. So maybe the “I” is him, and the title is about how Addie abandoned him even before she died.
https://fathersonholygore.com/2014/12/05/as-i-lay-dying-2013-review/
But I think Addie is the subject of the title. For one thing, she is literally on her deathbed. Her dying wish—to be buried in Jefferson—becomes the goal the rest of the family struggles to meet. In this way, Addie becomes the center of the journey, like Odysseus. But unlike him, she’s already dead. In the quote, “would not close my eyes” could also relate to how her body is treated after she dies. Cash drills holes in the coffin—and accidentally through her face (pg. 54). The family also takes so long to get to Jefferson that her body starts to rot, releasing a pungent odor. They talk about her constantly, but instead of honoring her, it feels like they’re dragging her along, never really letting her rest. Her eyes are never “closed,” in a symbolic sense, because she’s not being given peace.
https://fathersonholygore.com/2014/12/05/as-i-lay-dying-2013-review/
I’m also interested in how the story might be preparing us for another death—maybe Cash. His leg is broken, he’s clearly in pain, and he’s lying right on top of Addie’s coffin. It feels like foreshadowing, or at least like he’s next in line to suffer. These are just some of my thoughts, but I’d love to hear other takes on what the title could mean. I’m especially curious how different translations of Homer’s line might change our understanding, or how other characters in the novel might fit into this kind of hero’s journey in their own ways.
Really good post Noor! I've never read the Odyssey but you do a great job explaining it in context of As I Lay Dying. I agree that Anse may literally fit the title if we go off of that one quote, but I don't think that's necessarily the best way to view it. Even though Addie has died so early on, we can see how she shapes the entire narrative and it still follows her journey in a way. I really like the way include that this journey has been so rough that she really hasn't had an opportunity to "close her eyes," since her family is obviously struggling to honor her after her passing.
ReplyDeleteI also thought about who the "I" in As I Lay Dying is referred to. You make a good case with Anse. The line from the Odyssey points out to someone who is unfaithful, which would be Addie. However, like you also mentioned, in the context of only the title, Addie makes more sense. The plot of the book moves forward as Addie lays dying. This also alludes to the hero's journey found within the book. I also like that you included your prediction of the book. There seems to be a lot of dark foreshadowing, and Cash seems to be very unlucky in his fate. Maybe the "I" refers to Cash as he lays dying (?). Overall, great blog Noor!!
ReplyDeleteHi Noor! Even though I haven't read the Odyssey, I think that you did a good job relating the book As I Lay Dying to this story. I have been wondering a lot about who the "I" is in the title, and I think you make a lot of great points about who it could be. You make a strong claim for Addie, which I think makes sense too. Great post!
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ReplyDeleteIf you look at things from a philosophical standpoint, As I Lay Dying could refer to every character in the story--everyone is always dying, just at different rates. With this interpretation, every character in Faulkner's novel is the protagonist. Furthermore, because Faulkner chooses to tell the story from separate, fragmented point of views, we really get the idea that everyone in the novel is concerned with their own lives above anything else (perhaps with the exception of Cash). And as cliche as it sounds, the "everyone is the main character of their own story" maxim actually fits in a story like this; it even lines up somewhat with Campbells' hero's journey template. Regardless, your interpretation of the story still makes perfect sense, and could be exactly what Faulkner intended for all we know--I just like putting weird ideas on the table because they're fun to mull over. Great post!
ReplyDeleteHi Noor. I thought that your blog post was really interesting. I liked how you gave two persepectives on who the 'I' could be. Personally, I feel as if the 'I' is reflective of everyone and their own individual journeys. In some sense, each of the characters is 'dying' as they go through the story and this is what connects all of the family members together. I do agree with you that Addie is most likely the 'I' though because of her literal death. Great post!
ReplyDeleteHi Noor! I like your interpretation of who the "I" could be, and I really enjoyed reading your blog. I like how you said Cash was "next in line" to suffer because he does sort of overlap with Addie a lot in his story. Both Cash and Addie seem to prefer actions to words, and are more selfless, Addie giving herself up to give Anse kids, and Cash giving himself up to fulfill Addie's wishes. In many ways Cash is the closest living person to Addie in character, and I like how you hint at that in your blog. In a way I think there's a possibility of both of them being the "I" with a connection via Animal Magnetism.
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