The Sound and The Fury is often considered to be William Faulkner’s greatest early work. It was first published in October of 1929, an epochal work during its time and is still respected as one of the most experimental works of American canon. The story revolves around the downfall of the aristocratic Compson family of Jefferson, Mississippi, as viewed from several people’s points of view as well as shifting time periods. The first section is by far the most complex and profound, as it is told by a severely retarded man who is unable to comprehend the present and constantly intertwines events of the past with those unfolding before him. The overall effect of the work is quite astounding, deeply moving as well as enlightening. Despite its difficulties, The Sound and the Fury remains one of Faulkner’s, and also American literature’s finest achievements.