In Sanctuary, Horace Benbow desperately tries to help others (and himself) out of unjust situations, but tragically fails in the end with Temple Drake having changed her mind and testifying not against her rapist, Popeye, but against the innocent Goodwin who is then convicted and lynched. Throughout the novel, Horace clings to fair justice and tries to fight any evil he comes across. But as he does not even accept it to be a part of the world, of humanity itself, he is doomed to lose this fight. An analysis of Horace's character regarding his ideals, his relationships and views (on himself, others, the world) is going to explain this statement.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Horace and his World (and the Real World)
3 Horace's Low Self-Esteem and Fear of Failing
4 Horace's Relationship to the Female Characters around Him
5 Conclusion
6 Works Cited
Objectives & Themes
This academic text examines the character of Horace Benbow in William Faulkner's novel Sanctuary, focusing on his idealistic struggle against evil and his ultimate failure due to his inability to accept the existence of evil within humanity and the "real world."
- The conflict between personal idealism and the harsh reality of evil.
- The psychological impact of low self-esteem and the fear of failure on Horace's actions.
- The influence of complex relationships with female characters on Horace's sense of self.
- The role of the legal system and justice as failed frameworks in Horace's worldview.
Excerpt from the Book
2 Horace and his World (and the Real World)
Horace is a 43 year old lawyer. He went to Oxford. As Ruby observes when he drinks with and talks to the men at the Old Frenchman Place, he is "a man given to much talk and not much else" (Faulkner 8). Horace likes to observe and to talk about things, but when it comes to actions, he says himself that he lacks courage. (see Faulkner 10) So he sees and knows things. He mocks Popeye for not knowing the name of the bird singing in the first Chapter. He also thinks he knows better than Popeye which way to go in order to reach the Old Frenchman Place (which he does not even know) and that he knows better than Ruby that she ought to go back to town. So Horace is intelligent and educated and estimates those aspects as important and as something to be proud of. Additionally, he is innocent; he says to Popeye that he is "harmless" (Faulkner 2) and to Miss Reba that he won't bother her (see Faulkner 184). As he is held captive by Popeye, he tries to talk him out of it. That is what he – being a lawyer – does: he sees, he thinks and he talks. At the same time, he seems to be somewhat passive at times, for example when Popeye is scared by an owl and Horace does not even try to escape.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces Horace Benbow’s struggle to fight injustice in Sanctuary and outlines the premise that his denial of evil leads to his inevitable failure.
2 Horace and his World (and the Real World): This section analyzes Horace’s intellectual, passive nature and his inability to reconcile his idealistic view of justice with the brutal reality of the world he inhabits.
3 Horace's Low Self-Esteem and Fear of Failing: This chapter explores how Horace’s self-perception as a failure functions as a self-fulfilling prophecy, influencing his behavior and his interactions with others.
4 Horace's Relationship to the Female Characters around Him: This part examines Horace’s resentment and dependency regarding the women in his life, suggesting that they serve as reminders of his own perceived weaknesses.
5 Conclusion: The concluding chapter synthesizes how Horace’s empathy and naive idealism prevent him from navigating a world defined by false morality, ultimately leading to his defeat in the courtroom.
6 Works Cited: Lists the primary source and the supporting literary criticism used throughout the analysis.
Keywords
William Faulkner, Sanctuary, Horace Benbow, Justice, Evil, Idealism, Self-esteem, Failure, Law, Human nature, Empathy, Morality, Modernism, Character analysis, Social reality
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this analysis?
The work focuses on the character development of Horace Benbow in William Faulkner's Sanctuary and his inability to cope with the pervasive nature of evil in his environment.
What are the central thematic fields explored?
The core themes include the clash between idealism and realism, the psychological burden of low self-esteem, the nature of social morality, and the dysfunctional gender dynamics within the story.
What is the main research question or objective?
The objective is to explain why Horace Benbow, despite his intentions to fight for justice, is ultimately doomed to fail because he refuses to acknowledge that evil is a fundamental part of the human condition.
Which scientific or analytical method is applied?
The author employs a character-centered literary analysis, using evidence from the text and critical references to interpret Horace's psychological states and worldviews.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body examines Horace’s character traits, his professional life as a lawyer, his internal feelings of insecurity, his complicated relationships with women like Narcissa and Ruby, and his failure to secure justice for Goodwin.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include William Faulkner, Sanctuary, Horace Benbow, justice, evil, idealism, and moral conflict.
Why does Horace Benbow struggle to succeed as a lawyer in the novel?
He struggles because he expects justice to follow a logical, civilized path and is profoundly shocked when confronted with actual, irrational evil, which leaves him unprepared for the harsh realities of the courtroom.
What role do the female characters play in Horace's psychological state?
The women in his life act as mirrors for his own perceived failures; they often command him or highlight his inability to act, reinforcing his feelings of being useless and unappreciated.
How does the author interpret the significance of Horace's "innocence"?
The author interprets Horace’s self-proclaimed innocence as a form of detachment that prevents him from understanding the dark complexities of the real world, ultimately turning his virtue into a liability.
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- Britta Schürmann (Autor:in), 2012, William Faulkner's Sanctuary. Horace Benbow and his fight against evil, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/271951
