Hightower's+Wife

Looking at Hightower's wife in LIA the reader gets a look at the general view of women in the novel. Hightower's wife is a quick anecdote as to what happens when women express their sexuality and then ramifications that come with that. Hightower's wife is someone that was most likely institutionalized for hysteria. Hysteria in the early 1920's was on the decline, but still relevant. During the late nineteenth century, hysteria was a prominent diagnosis for women. Although LIA is not taking place in the 19th century there are still some tricklings of Victorian views on women specifically with hysteria by looking at Hightower's wife. "Similarly, doctors during the latter half of the nineteenth century considered hysteria the most common of the functional nervous disorder among females" (pg 497). It is not hard to imagine that Hightower's wife was institutionalized for hysteria as that was a blanket term for many issues with women. Many married women were diagnosed with hysteria, "Frequently women, especially married women with children, complained of isolation, loneliness, and depression. Physicians reported a high incidence of nervous disease and hysteria in women who felt overwhelmed by the daily exercise of housekeeping and family management" (Smith-Rosenberg, 657). Looking at Hightower's actions in the few pages we meet her it is obvious that she falls into this category.

After Hightower's wife is sent to the institution the word "wild" pops up multiple times in the description of him. He preaches with "wild hands" and a "wild rapt" that ultimately confuse the parishioners. The description of wild evokes the feeling of releasing of sexual tension/frustration. Looking at characters like Burden women who are in charge of their own sexuality are oft characterized as "wild." With Hightower's wife away, institutionalized for her "wild" behavior behind closed doors, her husband is able to showcase his "wild" mannerisms in front of a parish without ramification (at least for now).

When Hightower's wife returns from the institution she is eerily compliant, and gets along with the other church women and attends mass regularly. Hysteria was regularly treated with behavioral methods to push for compliance, "Assume a tone of authority which will of itself compel submission" (Smith-Rosenburg 675). It's clear that when Hightower's wife came back and with her newfound compliance and "chastened" look that she was pushed into this submissive state, which resembles a more lobotomized state than anything.

Faulkner shifts Hightower's wife hysteria into the early 20th century by having her act on her sexual impulses not once, but twice. The act of betrayal and cheating after her treatment allows for Hightower's wife to break out of the Victorian mold of the "docile" woman. She like the other women in the novel can't be "tamed" by the men and won't be tamed by the men. Hightower and the town's final push to control his wife not only lead to her suicide but her suicide by doing the very thing that broke the Victorian mold.

Works Cited:

Micale, Mark S. “On the ‘Disappearance’ of Hysteria: A Study in the Clinical Deconstruction of a Diagnosis.” //Isis//, vol. 84, no. 3, 1993, pp. 496–526. //JSTOR//, www.jstor.org/stable/235644.

SMITH-ROSENBERG, CARROLL. “THE HYSTERICAL WOMAN: SEX ROLES AND ROLE CONFLICT IN 19th-CENTURY AMERICA.” //Social Research//, vol. 39, no. 4, 1972, pp. 652–678. //JSTOR//, www.jstor.org/stable/40970115.