Characters and Setting in Poe's Fall of The House of Usher

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Characters and Setting in The Fall of the House of Usher

The primary objective in “The Fall of the House of Usher” is to give the reader a sense of horror. Through the creation of elaborate imagery and dreary circumstances Poe conveys a story that elicits in the reader the dark feelings he has hoped for. In this analysis I will focus on Poe’s characters and setting, and how he structures them to produce the overall effect.

The story begins with a description of our narrator’s first impressions of the House of Usher. He has been summoned there so that he might provide comfort to his boyhood friend. The particular friend, Roderick Usher, is an eccentric character which the narrator has not seen in quite some time. The reason for his visit is so that he, Usher’s only friend, may provide some companionship which will ease Usher’s lonely, disturbed mind. The setting for this story takes place in what is known as the House of Usher. The house is reminiscent of a sovereign insane asylum. The family who has lived in the house for many years is described by Poe as having a stem with no branches (p.665). The occurrences which have taken place throughout the years of this family’s incessant and peculiar behavior give the house a life of its own which tells an eerie story. In the particular passage we have chosen the narrator describes the effect upon seeing the house: “It was a mystery all insoluble.”(p.654) The mysteriousness surrounding the house gives it a sense of darkness. The term “mystery” also serves to tap into the reader’s curiosity. This quality is important to the overall effect of Poe’s story. By leaving the effect of the house as something somewhat unknown he lures the reader to join the narrator in a disc...

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...ing set the stage, Poe’s story culminates with a battle between Usher and his sister. This episode provides the reader with an exciting display of the horror for which he has been warned throughout the story. Earlier in the story the narrator told of the entombment of lady Madeline -- Usher’s sister. Although the reader knows she has been entombed, it is not until the end that it is revealed she was buried alive. On the last night of the narrator’s stay lady Madeline erupts from her coffin to battle her brother. The narrator darts out of the house as the House of Usher and sees its’ final demise.

The style and structure of Poe’s story are excellent. His use of descriptive phrases and psychology paint a twisted picture for the audience. The slow -- moving style creates a feeling of suspense that is perfectly released as the story comes to a dramatic ending.

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