The Novels of William Faulkner

“[Vickery’s] analyses of the structure of the novels are often nothing less than brilliant. . . . These are acts of genuine critical perception which pass from explication to illumination.”—Dalhousie Review



When Olga W. Vickery’s revised edition of The Novels of William Faulkner appeared in 1964, two years after Faulkner’s death, it was immediately hailed by reviewers. Thirty years later Vickery’s work remains the preeminent interpretation of Faulkner in the formalist critical tradition while it inspires Faulknerians of all methodologies. Part One contains detailed analyses of every novel from Soldiers’ Payto The Reivers, with particular emphasis on elucidation of character, theme, and structural technique. Part Two discusses interrelated patterns and preoccupations in Faulkner’s writing generally. The Novels of William Faulkner continues to be of enormous benefit and delight to readers and scholars.