Masculinity In The Fall Of The House Of Usher

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Recommended: Gender roles in Literature

Edgar Allan Poe’s, “The Fall of the House of Usher,” is a representation of gender fluidity in American fiction which takes the role of both masculinity and femininity as essential to character development. Although Poe’s tale centers around male characters, the feminine persona cannot be ignored and is also a central feature in the story. The story is centered around the mysterious House of Usher and its inhabitants (Roderick and Madeline Usher). Roderick Usher (the proprietor of the house) becomes ill (both physically and mentally) and invites his friend (the narrator of the tale) to visit him. Madeline Usher (the sister and wife of Roderick) is kept in the background but becomes the main plot focus and key character towards the end of the …show more content…

When the narrator describes his reason for visiting Roderick, he (the narrator) says that the letter Roderick sent him had an “apparent heart…which allowed me (the narrator) no room for hesitation” (200). The word “heart” strongly suggests a feminine quality in Roderick’s writing. Moreover, when the narrator meets Roderick, he (Roderick) greets the narrator with a “vivacious warmth” (202) and the narrator describes Roderick as having “an eye large…lips somewhat thin… but…surpassingly beautiful curve; a nose of a delicate Hebrew model…silken hair” (202-203). Physically Roderick exhibits many female characteristics such as a warming personality and possessing “silken hair.” However, even though Roderick exhibits a feminine appearance a duality between masculinity and femininity within Roderick is noted through his “large” eye and “thin” lips (typically masculine traits) and the fact that up until the end of the story he is the dominant character making decisions for the household (such as inviting the narrator to visit). Despite this, Roderick displays other typically feminine traits such as artistry and interest in romantic novels. For example, the narrator notices Roderick’s “fervid facility of his impromptus” (206) when playing the guitar which shows his musical prowess. In addition, Roderick has a passion for reading romantic novels such as “Mad Trist of sir Launcelot Canning” (213). Both qualities show a gentle and creative side to Roderick that is generally feminine in nature. Ultimately the role of Roderick being the sole masculine identity of the household is blurred and unclear because he is associated with many feminine

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