Literary Devices In The Fall Of The House Of Usher

Edgar Allen Poe’s Gothic horror classic, “The Fall of the House of Usher”, has been read and appreciated for many generations making it a must read in American literature. Although there are only three characters who appear in this short story, Poe’s unique writing style creates a setting and atmosphere from these characters and their actions. Poe uses a number of literary devices in “The Fall of the House of Usher”. Madness seems to be a major theme in this story, that contributes to other factors addressing the house and the the people who live in it. “The Fall of the House of Usher” is a story that revolves around a sick man, Roderick Usher. A nameless narrator travels to the Usher mansion when summoned by Roderick himself. Upon reaching

We already get a feel of the story in the first sentence, “During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens... as the shades of the evening drew on, within view of the melancholy House of Usher.” (1) We get a sense that the narrator fears being in the Usher home when he describes the interior of the mansion. Poe’s choice of words describe the narrators thoughts, “There was an iciness, a sinking, a sickening of the hear-an unredeemed dreariness of thought which no goading of imagination could torture into aught of the sublime.” (1) Then there’s Roderick, he only fears fear itself. He is afraid of his own death which he has predicted. He knows that he will die, and is just waiting for it to end. The anticipation that Roderick’s death drives him insane. Roderick thinks a trivial event would bring upon his death, but little did he know that his sister, Madeline, and his collapsing house did it. One interpretation of the “Fall of the House of Usher” is that it presents the characters personality split in two, or better known as split-personality disorder. Differences between the mental and physical parts of self are explored throughout the story. Both Roderick and Madeline make two parts of one personality. Both of their identities causes the fall of the house of Usher. Their connection makes them dependent on each other. Poe

Minute fungi overspread the whole exterior... Yet all this was apart from any extraordinary dilapidation... and there appeared to be a wild inconsistency between its still perfect adaptation of parts... In this there was much that reminded me... that rotted for long years in some neglected vault, with no disturbance from the breath of the external air. Beyond this indication of extensive decay, however, the fabric gave little token of instability. Perhaps the eye of a scrutinizing observer might have discovered a barely perceptible fissure, which... until it became lost in the sullen waters of the