Essays on The Fall of the House of Usher

Introduction "The Fall of the House of Usher" is a haunting and enigmatic tale penned by the master of macabre, Edgar Allan Poe. This short story, first published in 1839, has captured the imaginations of readers for generations with its eerie atmosphere, psychological depth, and gothic elements. In this essay, we will embark on a journey to unravel the mysteries of the House of Usher, exploring its themes, characters, symbolism, and the literary techniques employed by Poe. Edgar Allan Poe…

The American writer, Edgar Allan Poe, is known for short stories, such as ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ and ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’. These stories are described as disturbing, even in modern-day society, almost 200 hundred years after having been written. By using a variety of literary devices such as personification, sibilance, imagery along with the use of punctuation, these disturbing stories classify as ‘enjoyable horror’. From the first paragraph of ‘The Fall of The House of Usher’, Poe…

“The Fall of the House of Usher” is one of the many short stories written by Edgar Allan Poe, first published the year 1839. This short story belongs to the gothic genre and handles various topics such as illness, family, loneliness, death, weaknesses... Nevertheless, there is a theme in the tale which is not directly mentioned or addressed but insinuated: this is the topic of incest. The purpose of this essay will be to explore the underlying theme of incest…

The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe goes to a great extent to explore transcendental beliefs and related philosophy. Traditional transcendental philosophy ideally hints at an elevation upwards into unity and oneness with heaven. From the introduction, however, the reader is readily invited to the symbolism, the allusions and dark overtones that hint at the ordeals of death, transformation and a potential afterlife. The opening paragraphs provide subtle hints about reversed transcendental hierarchy in their description…

Throughout Edgar Allan Poe’s life, he wrote many short stories with deeper meanings that could be found through psychology, “The Fall of the House of Usher” being one of them. When looking at a story from a psychological standpoint, the unconscious mind of the author can be interpreted and shown in the stories that the author has written. The psychoanalysis of a story simply builds on this by using Freudian’s theories of psychology. Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Fall of the…

A comparison of Alfred Hitchcock and Edgar Allan Poe, focussing on the themes common to both authors. Hitchcock vs. Poe Fear, terror and suspense are the most vivid emotions created by Poe's stories and by Hitchcock's films. Several themes are common to both: the madness that exists in the world, the paranoia caused by isolation which guides people's actions, the conflict between appearance and reality along with the double aspect of the human nature, and the power of the dead…

A review of the novel "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allen Poe The Fall of the House of Usher is definitely a piece written in Poe's usual style; a dark foreboding tale of death and insanity filled with imagery, allusion, and hidden meaning. It uses secondary meanings and underlying themes to show his beliefs and theories without actually addressing them. It convinces us without letting us know we're being convinced, and at the same time makes…

Fear, a universal emotion, is a powerful force that impacts individuals both mentally and physically. Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of The House of Usher" vividly illustrates how fear can profoundly alter a person's state of mind, as exemplified through the character of Roderick Usher. This essay explores the nuanced ways in which fear manifests in the story, reflecting broader societal anxieties and the transformative impact of fear on human psychology. Fear as a Societal Mirror At its core, "The…

The Gothic novel dominated English literature from 1764 when 'The Castle of Ortranto' by Horace Warpole was published, until the early to mid 19th century. The Gothic novel is characterised by darkness, dense forests, old castles, dreary rooms and melancholy characters. Although Gothicism began to relinquish its dominance around 1815, it influenced many emerging genres and can still be seen in some of today's popular styles. Stephen King, a famous horror writer, draws on suspense, the fear of loneliness and…

Show how Poe uses language to create atmosphere and describe the state of mind of the murderer and Roderick Usher. Consider how the modern reader might respond to these stories. Daniel Tiernan 4U Edgar Allen Poe was an American short story writer, editor for magazines and poet during the early to mid 19th century. Two of his short stories, 'The Tell Tale Heart' and 'The Fall of the House of Usher' were both written during the Victorian times when Gothic…

Freud's psychoanalytical method provides a rich framework for understanding the depths of individual characters, unraveling the intricacies of the human mind. In Edgar Allan Poe's haunting tale, "The Fall of the House of Usher," the character Roderick Usher becomes a captivating subject for Freudian analysis. Freud's model posits three layers of the mind: the ID (subconscious), the super ego (conscience of right and wrong), and the ego (conscious self). The Unconscious Mind and Freudian Slips Roderick's actions, as depicted in…

“The Fall of the House of Usher” is a short story written by Edgar Alan Poe and first published in 1839. The genre of the can be described both as mystics and as psychological thriller, or even as a horror story, although it’s plot appears to be pretty simple at the first sight. “The Fall” touches several themes, which are usual for Poe’s writing, including fear of loneliness, fear of death, flaws and human weaknesses. On the other hand this…

Introduction "The Fall of the House of Usher," penned by Edgar Allan Poe in 1839, stands as a quintessential example of Gothic literature, replete with gloom, darkness, and an unsettling atmosphere. Poe masterfully weaves a narrative that captivates readers with its melancholic ambiance and enigmatic characters. This essay delves into the profound elements of Poe's classic, exploring its themes, characters, symbolism, and the ingenious use of description that adds depth to the tale. The Essence of Gothic Elements "The Fall…

The narrator is a very altruistic character in “The Fall of the House of Usher”. He sincerely cares about Rodrick, even though his friend is slightly mentally insane, which creates a very complex relationship between the souls. Although the narrator initially intends to save Roderick from his own demise, he was forced to reject Rodrick as Mr. Usher was the source of his own torment. The narrator originally earnestly desires to go to Rodrick’s house. In the text, the narrator…

Comment closely on the writing of the (following) passage, paying particular attention to ways Poe creates a sense of fear. In this excerpt of “The Fall of the House of Usher”, Edgar Allan Poe makes use of personification, supernatural features, character portrayal, foreshadows and setting to create a sense of fear and to set a gothic tale. It also illustrates the beginning of Roderick Usher’s mental breakdown. One of the main ways Poe creates a sense of fear for the…

Symbolism is the practice of representing things by symbols, or of investing things with a symbolic meaning or character. Symbolism in "The Fall of the House of Usher" begins with the title. At the end of the story, the house itself does indeed fall; in the beginning and through out the short story, however, the narrator has effectively described the different symbols portrayed. There is much symbolism associated with the house itself, the house's front wall, as the narrator describes,…

"The Fall of your house of Usher (1939 )", arguably Edgar Allan Poe's most popular short story, is a tale centered around the mysterious Home of Usher and its equally indiscernible inhabitants. These topics are pestered with physical and mental deterioration-- the Usher siblings experience different abnormal ailments and unexplained worries, while the home itself appears to be tethering on the edge of collapse. The gothic aspects in the story are distributed kindly, and the plot is significantly ridden with…

A discussion of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher", focusing on the symbolism of death. Edgar Allen Poe Edgar Allen Poe's Symbolism of Death in "The Fall of the House of Usher" Death is defined as, "The termination or extinction of something" (American Heritage Dictionary). Edgar Allen Poe uses this description in "The Fall of the House of Usher" in different ways. Poe's intention when writing "The Fall of the House of Usher" was not to…