Female Oppression

Hierarchy plays a huge role in the structure of "There Was a Queen", by Faulkner. This hierarchy is not only found in racial dynamics, but also in the roles which males and females are expected to play. Two prominent examples of these gender roles are the young boys' societal position, and the perception of female sexuality.
It is mentioned near the end of the story that the boy has to move from his dead grandfather's place at the end of the table in order to sit next to his mother. This placement of seating is symbolic on many levels. The first, and most obvious, is that, by sitting in that seat originally, it is expected that one day the boy will take on the responsibilities of the grandfather and inherit the estate (he is, after all, the 'man of the house'). Another less obvious significance which can be taken from this movement is the fact that, by becoming closer to his mother and to women in general, he is in fact giving up some of his power. He is essentially moving down in status by becoming closer to his mother.
Narcissa's reaction to her niece's choice to sleep with a man who was not her husband (in order to have her anonymous love letters back in her possession), is to say the least, a very extreme response to an event which may seem quite frivolous to modern readers. This is representative of the value which was placed on the purity of females, even causing death through shock when it was discovered that pureness had been violated.
This value of purity is enforced by the fact that Narcissa’s niece found the love letters to be a source of embarrassment (although secretly she enjoyed them). It was, after all, not acceptable for women to feel lust during this time period. This sexual oppression is strongly linked to women’s perceived social inferiority to men. A man (which the boy one day will become) is allowed to sit at the head of the table, and is encouraged to accept his feelings of sexuality. This ideal most certainly does not hold true for women.