Absalom, Absalom!

This postbellum Greek tragedy is the perfect introduction to Faulkner’s elaborate descriptive syntax.

Quentin Compson and Shreve, his Harvard roommate, are captivated by the tragic rise and fall of Thomas Sutpen. Sutpen’s story unfolds as a tale of ambition, determination, and eventual downfall:

• Early life: As a poor white boy, Sutpen is turned away from a plantation owner's mansion by a black butler. This humiliating experience ignites his determination to force his way into the upper echelons of Southern society.
• Relentless ambition: Sutpen’s willpower drives him to achieve his ambitions—acquiring land, securing a marriage, having children, and even forming his own troop to fight in the Civil War.
• Tragic aftermath: Returning from the conflict, Sutpen finds his estate in ruins and his family disintegrating.

As secrets from his past resurface, they threaten not only the lives of his children but also everything he has worked tirelessly to build.