In “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner, who is ultimately responsible for the death of Homer Barron?

Miss Emily Grierson is responsible for the death of Homer Barron in William Faulkner's classic short story "A Rose for Emily." Miss Emily is depicted as a tortured soul, who grew up under her father's authoritative guardianship. After her father passes away, she initially refuses to acknowledge his death and rarely leaves her home. Once Homer Barron arrives in Jefferson, he begins courting Miss Emily and the entire town disapproves of their relationship, because they feel Miss Emily is dating below her social class. The community members also mention that Homer likes men and overhear him saying that he was not a marrying man. Miss Emily then purchases arsenic from a local pharmacy and refuses to give the pharmacist a reason for her purchase. After Miss Emily purchases the arsenic, Homer Barron is never seen or heard from again. Miss Emily's arsenic purchase coupled with Homer Barron's disappearance implies that she murdered him. There is ample evidence to suggest Miss Emily is mentally ill and capable of murdering Homer Barron. The fact that Miss Emily's gray hair is on the pillow next to Homer's skeleton also implies that she was engaging in necrophilia. One could also argue that Miss Emily's father is indirectly responsible for Homer Barron's death. If he would have allowed Emily to date local men, socialize with her neighbors, and had not been such an oppressive force in her life, she may have developed into a sane, rational woman, who would not be capable of murdering anyone.


Readers are left to assume that the arsenic that Miss Emily Grierson bought from the druggist is the agent that killed Homer Barron, her erstwhile gentleman companion, whom the narrator and others assumed to have been her fiancé. After Emily bought an engraved toilet set and nightshirt that were obviously for Homer Barron and no wedding was held, Homer Barron disappeared. It is apparent that he had not planned to marry her, and because of her social standing, Emily could not allow her reputation to be compromised in that way, since she had been seen publicly so often in Homer Barron's company. Since Homer Barron's decomposed body was found in Emily Grierson's home, it seems that it could only have been her who killed him. She had the means (arsenic), the motive (shame at being rejected), and opportunity (as he was a frequent visitor).

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