Go Down Moses

By giving his short story the title “Go Down Moses,” Faulkner not only references the popular African American spiritual song, but also draws a parallel between antebellum American slavery and the enslavement of the Jews in Egypt. This analogy plays an interesting role in the story. The parallelism makes it seem like Benjamin is taken away from his grandmother merely because he was sold to man in Chicago. As a result, Mollie Beauchamp, blames slavery for his death. However, this idea denies what seems to the audience as the truth. Mollie Beauchamp’s frame of mind—which is resolute—neglects to recognize that Benjamin dies as punishment for his own actions. Thus, at first glance, it seems that the title is inappropriate.

However, I believe that Faulkner uses this title to signify that the audience is supposed to take up Mollie Beauchamp’s way of thinking when examining the execution and following procession. Under this precept, the law symbolizes the Pharaoh, because it is the southern laws of slavery as well as the laws of punishment for murder that take Benjamin away from his grandmother. Thus, the law becomes responsible for his death. Next, the attorney Gavin Stevens becomes the Moses figure of the story for Gavin is responsible for not only freeing Benjamin’s body from a shameful burial among strangers, but also returning Benjamin’s and Mollie’s dignity. To further the analogy, the procession, led by Stevens, also mimics the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. Thus, through the title Faulkner creates an analogy that allows his readers to see what many would term as a ordinary act of justice, into grand event.