Gothic literature has greatly influenced today’s horror and suspense genres. Edgar Allan Poe wrote many short stories, most of which were filled with dark elements and a deep awareness for the capacity for evil. The Fall of the House of Usher is a key example of gothic literature through the use of grotesque characters, bizarre situations, and violent events. All of these elements come together and express dark impulses and emotion. To begin with, one of the most important components in Poe’s writings were his characters. The appearance, demeanor, and emotions that are used to describe them come out as unusual and grotesque. In this short story, the most prominent of these characters is protagonist, Roderick Usher. Once young and handsome, Usher’s features were terribly altered, he now …show more content…
As written above, Roderick and the narrator entomb Lady Madeline before discovering she was alive. While reading a book together, they hear noises coming from the tomb, and Roderick declares that they had buried her alive. After opening the tomb, there stood the Lady Madeline of Usher. “There was blood upon her white robes, and the evidence of some bitter struggle upon every portion of her emaciated frame”(Poe 422). She had been in there struggling to find a way out. She then threw herself upon her brother and after final, violent, death-agonies, Roderick dies with his sister. The works of Edgar Allan Poe consist of many aspects of gothic literature, The Fall of the House of Usher especially. The tragic, horrible nature of the characters, bizarre situations, and events in the story perfectly shape it into a masterpiece of gothic literature. Everything in this short story, from the description of the house, to when the house falls in the end, it all creates a dark, gothic theme and environment. “-and the deep and dank tarn at my feet closed sullenly and silently over the fragments of the ‘House of Usher’”(Poe
Upon entering the dark and dismal house, the narrator was joined with Roderick Usher. Shocked by the appearance of his companion from early childhood, the narrator explained, "I gazed upon him with a feeling half of pity, half of awe. Surely, man had never before so terribly altered, in so brief a period, as had Roderick Usher!" Through conversation with his childhood friend, the narrator finally discovered the true source of Roderick's illness and sickly appearance. Usher said, "I feel that the period will sooner or later arrive when I...
While reading “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, I couldn’t help but feel a constant overwhelming sense of dread. The root of this could have come from the story’s dark setting deep within an “haunted forest” or from Brown’s mysterious “Devil”-esque companion. While I read, another story came into my mind; the story of the “Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe. In Poe’s tale the same heart pounding emotion can be felt as he describes the reunion of two friends within “the House of Usher.” With the manors “eye-like windows” and “sorrowful impression,” Poe wastes no time in setting the Gothic mood. Through their distinct writing styles Hawthorne and Poe establish a common Gothic theme within their stories.
From the onset of the story, it is apparent that Poe is employing a gothic theme upon his work. The narrator’s portrayal of the home of his longtime friend, Roderick Usher was as follows, “I looked upon the scene before me – upon the bleak walls – upon the vacant eye-like windows – upon a few rank sedges – and upon a few white trunks of decayed trees” (Poe, 75). T...
In the short story, “The Fall of the House of Usher”, the point of view is told from our unknown narrator, whom comes to help fix the house, and help comfort Roderick Usher, but does not end up helping him. Also the main theme is evil since the house is evil. After Roderick buries his dead sister, Madeline, she comes back to life and kills Roderick, the unknown narrator runs for his life, and watches the house collapse. In the other themes, madness and insanity, is because Roderick is having mental and emotional breakdowns because of his sister’s death. AN interesting fact about Poe is that he loved cats. Poe’s own cats name was Catterina.
In “The Fall of the House of Usher”, Poe’s use of dark, descriptive words allow him to establish an eerie mood. Poe’s unique style of writing along with his foreshadowing vocabulary is significant in creating a suspenseful gothic story. At the beginning of the short story, Poe describes the House of Usher to be “dull”, “oppressive”, and “dreary” (1265). His choice of words strongly emphasizes a mood of darkness and suspense as he builds on the horrific aspects of this daunting tale. At first glimpse, the house itself is surrounded by the feeling of “insufferable gloom”, (1265) “[t]here was an iciness, a sinking, a sickening of the heart, an unredeemed dreariness of thought [...]” (1265). The atmosphere that Poe describes in the statement above establishes a spine-chilling mood. Poe uses words such as “insufferable gloom”
Edgar Allen Poe is most known for his poems, short stories and creepy tales. The deaths Poe went through, after losing his mother and stepmother, has a great impact on his work. The theme death is in several of Poe’s stories, such as “The Fall of the House of Usher.” “The Fall of the House of Usher” is considered as a supernatural story. The story is about the last of the family Roderick and Madeline, the house where they live and the consequences they face similar to Poe’s life. Poe uses a great use of diction and literary devices: setting, symbols and imagery to make the readers feel like they are there. Poe draws the readers in on the horrible sickness that is killing the house, the house surroundings and everyone that live in it.
Edgar Allan Poe has been debated to be the author of the most dark and horrific pieces of literature. He was favored by many for his complex pieces of literature that have ultimately impacted the world of literature today. However, Poe’s pieces of work did receive harsh criticism before and after his death. Because Poe was generally known for his thought-provoking short stories, his short stories often received mixed reviews. One of Poe’s most arguable short stories is “The Fall of the House of Usher”. This short story was “regarded as an early and supreme example of the Gothic horror story” (Plot Summary: "The Fall of the House of Usher"). Poe himself described this piece as “arabesque” due to its ornate prose (Plot Summary: "The Fall of the House of Usher"). However, many critics disagreed with each other on their views of “The Fall of the House of Usher”.
Usher was settled in a castle that falls because of the crack on the front exterior. To illustrate, “...this fissure rapidly widened… my brain reeled as I saw the mighty walls rushing sunder” (Poe 30) expresses the point where the narrator literally witnesses the castle collapse upon itself. Poe chose to focus on the environment around the castle. He describes the trees and pond to add towards the sensation of the house. For example, “...upon the vacant eyelike windows upon a few rank sedges and upon a few white trunks of decayed trees” (Poe 14) shows how the author decides to focus on the exterior of the castle. Usher consisted of a brother and sister. The plot, however, revolved around the sister escaping her coffin. To prove, “rending of her coffin, and the grating of the iron hinges of her prison, and her struggles within the coppered archway of the vault” (Poe 29) justifies the explanation of the sister trying to escape her coffin. It was very morbid and definitely played on the gore
The human condition, a concept prevalent in several pieces of literature, encompasses the emotional, moral, questioning, and observant nature of humans. This concept is often used by authors to emphasize the characteristics that set humans apart from other living creature. Edgar Allan Poe’s dark fantasy piece “The Fall of the House of Usher” perfectly depicts the human condition as it conveys how fear and over-thinking can control one’s actions and life.
Word by word, gothic literature is bound to be an immaculate read. Examining this genre for what it is could be essential to understanding it. “Gothic” is relating to the extinct East Germanic language, people of which known as the Goths. “Literature” is defined as a written work, usually with lasting “artistic merit.” Together, gothic literature combines the use of horror, death, and sometimes romance. Edgar Allan Poe, often honored with being called the king of horror and gothic poetry, published “The Fall of House Usher” in September of 1839. This story, along with many other works produced by Poe, is a classic in gothic literature. In paragraph nine in this story, one of our main characters by the name of Roderick Usher,
First, in “The Fall of the House of Usher” Poe start to create tension when he started to set the mood and unity of effect by describing the area around and inside the house, he often gives it a gothic feel. Secondly, Poe created tension when talking about Roderick Usher's depression and his illness, which symbolizes him and to the conditions of the house. Thirdly, there is a gothic feel to the story when they mention the Usher family has almost died out, except from Roderick Usher and his sister Madeline who
A grimy, crumbling house, a disease burdened friend from the past, and his sister that is supposedly dead. This is all that awaits in Edward Alan Poe’s horrific tale, The Fall of the House of Usher. It is possible that this story will send a shiver down your spine. This mysterious story qualifies as gothic literature, using grotesque characters, bizarre situations, and violent events. Strong thesis! Wonderful writing, you really command the attention of the reader! Be diligent in your proofreading – be sure and get the author’s name right…Edgar Allan Poe! These simple mistakes make your paper seem rushed and unpolished.
In the Fall of the House of Usher the author Edgar Allen Poe applies gothic elements in order to criticize the white aristocracy in the eighteenth century to bring attention to the travesty and the disaster brought on by it.
As Edgar Allan Poe wrote, "The Fall of the House of Usher", he uses characterization, and imagery to depict fear, terror, and darkness on the human mind.
The Usher twins are genetically close as twins, they are even closer genetically to each other than normal fraternal twins. Roderick tried to kill Madeline because he believed that he was going to die of fear and one of his biggest fears was for his sister dying and himself being left alone. So therefore he wants Madeline to die so he could be alone and he won’t be able to overcome his anxiety for her being alone so he would die soon too. Roderick wants to be put an end to his torture by being forced to face his fears and he believes that would be the cause of his death.