Relationship Between Siblings In The Fall Of The House Of Usher

The bond between twins is unlike any other sibling connection. Being born at almost the exact same time and sharing a mother's womb establishes an instant interconnection amongst twins. Although they might be born as two different individuals they share the same milestones and experiences as one another. Quite often though as inseparable as twin siblings may seem there can sometimes be a power struggle between them. One twin sibling may feel as though they are more superior and better than the other. The link of the two twin siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher is a prime example of internal power struggle. In the book “The Fall of The House of Usher”written by Edgar Allan Poe, the twins Roderick and Madeline Usher are symbolic of the struggle

In the story “The Fall of The house of Usher” Roderick takes part in many different sophisticated activities. Those activities include composing music, reading great works of demonic literature, and creating illustrious works of art. In the story it mentions how Roderick’s works of art were “phantasmagoric” and the story reads “If ever mortal painted an idea, that mortal was Roderick Usher.” (Poe 11). Roderick Usher loves the fine arts. As it is shown through his cultivative works of art and the music he writes, he is a very creative man. Rodericks undying love for the fine arts makes him the perfect specimen to represent intelligence and the human brain. Also similar to the human brain Roderick is very sensitive. In the story it mentioned how he was a fragile human being, someone who was looked upon as abnormal. The description of his delicate skin, and fragile senses are key examples. A Quote from the story. “He suffered much from a morbid acuteness of the senses;... he could wear only garments of certain texture; the odors of all flowers were oppressive; his eyes were tortured by even a faint light;” (Poe 9) All of these characteristics of Roderick Usher correlate to one another, and can compare to that of the sensitive human

Roderick and Madeline may struggle for complete dominance in one’s inner human nature but they can not live without each other. The way in which Madeline returned after being buried alive shows their dependence and clinginess. A quote from the story on Madeline’s return from the grave to retrieve her twin brother. “ For a moment she remained trembling and reeling to and fro upon the threshold—then, with a low moaning cry, fell heavily inward upon the person of her brother, and in her violent and now final death-agonies, bore him to the floor a corpse, and a victim to the terrors he had anticipated.” (Poe 24) This shows how they need each other and how they struggle to live without one another. She arose from her tomb in which she was buried alive in to reclaim her twin companion. Both the mind and the body are necessary to complete each person and make them whole, which is again why they are so dependent upon each other. When Roderick and the narrator had buried Madeline alive they had been hearing strange noises. Roderick had a sick feeling that it was his sister who was making those strange noises. A quote from the book about how Roderick had been hearing noises that made him aware that it was his sister who wasn’t really deceased. “Not hear it?—yes, I hear it, and have heard it. Long— long—long—many