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Setting
Section 3
Explanation and Analysis—Miss Emily's Relationship:
Miss Emily is a part of the formerly wealthy and influential Grierson family. Because of her family name, the townspeople hold Miss Emily to certain standards. Irony, then, is shown through Miss Emily's transgressive relationship with Homer Barron, which contradicts what the townspeople expect of a Grierson:
She carried her head high enough—even when we believed that she was fallen. It was as if she demanded more than ever the recognition of her dignity as the last Grierson; as if it had wanted that touch of earthiness to reaffirm her imperviousness. Like when she bought the rat poison, the arsenic. That was over a year after they had begun to say "Poor Emily," and while the two female cousins were visiting her.
The older townspeople do not approve of Miss Emily, who is a Southerner, having a relationship with someone who not only does manual labor for a living but who is also a Northerner. The townspeople see Miss Emily's relationship with Homer as a product of her impending madness and desperation. For her part, however, Miss Emily believes that her relationship with someone like Homer shows that she is not pitiable. Rather, it shows that the Grierson name is too lofty to be degraded, even by something as “earthy” and unexpected as dating Homer Barron.
Another instance of irony is when Homer reveals that he is not a marrying man, but Miss Emily still intends to have him:
Then we said, "She will persuade him yet," because Homer himself had remarked—he liked men, and it was known that he drank with the younger men in the Elks' Club—that he was not a marrying man. Later we said, "Poor Emily" behind the jalousies as they passed on Sunday afternoon in the glittering buggy, Miss Emily with her head high and Homer Barron with his hat cocked and a cigar in his teeth, reins and whip in a yellow glove.
This quote is ironic because Homer couldn’t make it any clearer that he prefers male company and doesn’t share Miss Emily’s interest in marrying. Nevertheless, Miss Emily insists on acting the part of a properly matched and equally devoted Southern couple. This irony further highlights Miss Emily’s limited options within the old Southern conventions she insists on upholding.
Section 4
Explanation and Analysis—Miss Emily's Relationship:
Miss Emily is a part of the formerly wealthy and influential Grierson family. Because of her family name, the townspeople hold Miss Emily to certain standards. Irony, then, is shown through Miss Emily's transgressive relationship with Homer Barron, which contradicts what the townspeople expect of a Grierson:
She carried her head high enough—even when we believed that she was fallen. It was as if she demanded more than ever the recognition of her dignity as the last Grierson; as if it had wanted that touch of earthiness to reaffirm her imperviousness. Like when she bought the rat poison, the arsenic. That was over a year after they had begun to say "Poor Emily," and while the two female cousins were visiting her.
The older townspeople do not approve of Miss Emily, who is a Southerner, having a relationship with someone who not only does manual labor for a living but who is also a Northerner. The townspeople see Miss Emily's relationship with Homer as a product of her impending madness and desperation. For her part, however, Miss Emily believes that her relationship with someone like Homer shows that she is not pitiable. Rather, it shows that the Grierson name is too lofty to be degraded, even by something as “earthy” and unexpected as dating Homer Barron.
Another instance of irony is when Homer reveals that he is not a marrying man, but Miss Emily still intends to have him:
Then we said, "She will persuade him yet," because Homer himself had remarked—he liked men, and it was known that he drank with the younger men in the Elks' Club—that he was not a marrying man. Later we said, "Poor Emily" behind the jalousies as they passed on Sunday afternoon in the glittering buggy, Miss Emily with her head high and Homer Barron with his hat cocked and a cigar in his teeth, reins and whip in a yellow glove.
This quote is ironic because Homer couldn’t make it any clearer that he prefers male company and doesn’t share Miss Emily’s interest in marrying. Nevertheless, Miss Emily insists on acting the part of a properly matched and equally devoted Southern couple. This irony further highlights Miss Emily’s limited options within the old Southern conventions she insists on upholding.
