The Horror of “the Fall of the House of Usher”

The Horror of “The Fall of the House of Usher”

What is a horror? What does it mean to be terrified? The definition of a horror fiction is “fiction in any medium intended to scare, unsettle, or horrify the reader.” Since the 1960s, any work of fiction with a morbid, gruesome, surreal, or exceptionally suspenseful or frightening theme has come to be called “horror” (Wikipedia) . “The Fall of the House of Usher” is a great example of a story on the basic level of a gothic horror, in which the element of fear is evoked in its highest form. There are many different elements, such as setting, feelings, themes, and characters, that play an essential role in suggesting this.

One of the greatest aspects of Poe’s writings is that he makes the reader actually experience the feelings of his characters. As in many “scary stories” the characters start doubting themselves and those around them. Everyone has been in a situation where they know something is not quite right and immediately paranoia sets in. These feelings overcome many characters in horror fiction; Roderick Usher is one of these characters. His fear of the situation and his mental agitation soon engulfs him. His insufferable gloom drives him strait into madness. He fears his situation and anticipates his death. Curiosity overwhelms the reader as the secrets of the Usher house are unveiled. As one enters into the house with the narrator he or she quickly becomes curious about Lady Madeline, Roderick, and the history of the Usher family. All of these

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feelings can be found in any typical horror story.

The setting of a story plays a critical role in creating the mood. Every detail of this story, from the opening description of the dark tarn and the dark rooms of the house to the unearthly storm which accompanies Madeline’s return from the tomb, helps in conveying the terror that is the mood (Womack) . In fact, the first five paragraphs of “The Fall of the House of Usher” are devoted to creating a gothic atmosphere. An ancient, decaying castle paints an eerie, moldy picture. The surrounding moat seems stagnant and sullen. The time period also ties into this mood. It’s autumn and the weather is cool and dreary. How many horrors take place in the daytime? Not many, and this story is no different. It’s dark, or at least semi-dark. Immediately Poe entraps the reader. There is a sense of being confined within the walls of the Usher house. Outside a storm is raging and inside there are mysterious rooms where windows suddenly whisk open, blowing out candles. Creaking and moaning sounds fill the air. The wind is whipping, and the landscape is barren. This is gothic writing and these are its trappings. The darkness of everything symbolizes death to come. Upon entering the gothic archway of the deteorating mansion, the narrator is led “through many dark and intricate passages” filled with “somber tapestries” and “ebon blackness”. Over everything, Poe drapes his atmosphere of sorrow and irredeemable gloom. He evokes his primary effect, the anticipation that some fearful event will soon transpire.

Poe keeps the theme of fear and horror throughout, but he uses other

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themes to help suggest this fear. He uses the Doppelgдnger theme, which is used when he describes the reflection of the house in the tarn and a striking resemblance between Roderick and Madeline Usher. A doppelgдnger is the ghostly double of a living person or any double of a person. It’s also referred to as an evil twin (Wikipedia) . The death and resurrection of a woman, Madeline, is also a main theme in “The Fall of the House of Usher” (Wikipedia) . The theme of mental illness is also explored in this work. Besides his own illness and being depressed by Madeline’s deteriorating condition, Roderick becomes “…enchained by certain superstitious impressions in regard to the house…” (Womack) . He quickly enters an unstable, mental state. This state is characterized by his anxiety, depression, and other symptoms. Besides Roger and Madeline, the narrator himself may suffer from mental instability, given his reaction to the depressing scene he describes in the opening paragraphs. Evil has been at work in the Usher house for generations. Roderick Usher’s illness is “a constitutional and family evil…one for which he is despaired to find a remedy.” Roderick and Madeline seal themselves inside their mansion, cutting themselves off from friends, ideas, and progress. They have isolated themselves, and have become musty and mildewed, sick unto their souls for lack of contact with the outside world. The narrator realized that he is entering a world of mystery when he crosses