"A Rose for Emily"

virulent    p.93

"Then we knew that this was to be expected too; as if that quality of her father which had thwarted her woman's life so many times had been too virulent and too furious to die."

definition - actively poisonous; violently or spitefully hositle; intensley bitter, spiteful, malicious.
definition - found at dictionary.com

I think the word virulent in the story means that, because of the way Emily was treated by her father when he was alive made her bitter and hositle.  He stopped her woman's life.  She never really had a bow or boyfriend.  She lived a sheltered life. Her father never thought anyone was good enough for her.   Now her father is dead, she is alone, and she is an old-maid.  She resents not having a life outside of her father and family.  She has never been without her father and his ways and beliefs are still with her and refuse to die.  She cannot escape him even after he is dead.  She loves and repects him and the families good name.  But she wants to have a life with someone else and be happy. Her life has been somewhat lonely.  She yearns for companionship.  Knowing the definition of the word virulent helps me understand why at the end of the story Hormer Barron's body is found in her house.  She was afraid of being alone again.  She wanted to live out her days with someone she loved and someone who loved her.  When Homer died it was like losing her father over again.  I think Faulkner chose this word to emphaize the way Emily felt deep down inside.  Who she really was.  I think Emily was very proud of her family's name and heritage.  She wanted to be the person her father was and carry on the family name.  But at the same time she was very sad and lonely.