William Faulkner’s An Odor of Verbena †An Act of Courage :: Odor Verbena

William Faulkners An Odor of Verbena An Act of CourageWilliam Faulkners short humbug An Odor of Verbena is the tale of a young, Confederate man, Baynard Sartoris, who must bang to terms with his fathers sudden (but not entirely unexpected) execute. Because this murder takes place in the decade following the Civil War, young Baynard is set close to with the Souths ancient honorary code. This code dictates that, as the however son of his father, he must avenge this death. Should Baynard fail to retaliate on his fathers behalf by confronting the murderer, Redmond, who once was his fathers communication channel partner, both Baynard and his family would lose face within their community.Faulkner uses the deuce primary election women of the novel to represent the two options open to young Baynardeach is trying to bend him in an opposite direction. Drusilla, Baynards stepmother, and his Aunt Jenny represent the two hostile views and solutions that Baynard must struggle with. Do es he challenge Redmond to a duel? or merely walk away from the situation. Both women try to black market on Baynards emotions and intellect in their attempt to sway him to their conflicting points of view. Either choice could have a lasting or fateful consequence for Baynard and his family.In this story Faulkner appears to be using Drusilla as the primary voice representing the old Southern honor system, an honor system that is distinctly masculine. As the grieving widow, it is Drusilla who seems to be pushing the hardest for retribution in the variety of a duelan option that would put Baynards life at risk. Baynard is barely home after his long ride back from college when Drusilla directs, not asks, him to take the dueling pistols (Faulkner 459). Drusilla expects Baynard to challenge her husbands killer with the long honest dueling barrels true as justice (Faulkner 459). She is inflamed and passionate about Baynards chance to kill and speaks glowingly of what so many Southern men in the same position must have conceit to be permitted to kill, to be permitted vengeance, to take into your bare hands the fire of paradise that cast down Lucifer (Faulkner 460). Drusilla expects that Baynard one day will be grateful for her support. She tells him that you will remember me who put into your hands what they say is an portion only of Gods, who took what belongs to heaven and gave it to you (Faulkner 459).