The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe Essay

While most of the primary characters in the American Gothic cannon are members of the aristocracy, their societally dominant position does not guarantee them satisfying lives. The focus of this analysis will be the portrayal of the individual as it relates to his or her economic status: does having wealth mean that upper class characters are more likely to lead fulfilling lives than middle/lower class characters? Through a close reading of Edgar Allen Poe’s â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher,† Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables, Kate Chopin’s â€Å"Dà ©sirà ©e’s Baby,† and Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome, readers can clearly see a pattern of social commentary in which the members of the aristocracy are—in general—the most restricted,†¦show more content†¦And since the lives of upper class Americans were so consumed with physical wealth, the â€Å"fierce† â€Å"fissure† (121) that co nsumes the house shortly after does not come as a surprise. In The House of the Seven Gables, the primary character that is subjected to critical class-related analysis is Hepzibah. At the beginning of the novel, it is revealed that Hepzibah’s financial troubles have forced her into re-opening a shop and entering into â€Å"ordinary life† (Ch.II) As a lifelong member of the aristocracy, this upsets Hepzibah to no end: â€Å"from childhood† she has â€Å"fed herself with the shadowy food of aristocratic reminiscences† (Ch.II) Hebzibah is both frightened and ashamed that she—a â€Å"lady† (Ch.II)—must now do the work of a lower class woman. Continuously depicted with a â€Å"scowl† (Ch.II), the nature of the aristocracy in America causes Hepzibah to feel endless â€Å"shame† (Ch.II) over the loss of her societal position. It is not until Holgrave enters the store that Hepzibah is gently reprimanded for her dramatic reaction to her loss of â€Å"dignity† (Ch.II). Instead of wallowing in Hepzibah’s misery, Holgrave praises her for transforming from â€Å"lady† to â€Å"woman† (Ch.III): now Hepzibah is â€Å"lending her strength†¦to the united struggle of mankind† (Ch.III). Although she initially seems reluctant to adoptShow MoreRelatedThe Fall Of The House Of Usher By Edgar Allan Poe1570 Words   |  7 Pagesingenious Edgar Allan Poe. A prime example of Poe’s spectacular work with single effect would be in the classic short story â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† which was published in 1839 and holds much critical acclaim. In the story, the narrator visits an old, mentally disintegrating friend and his dying sister in a house that invokes anxiety with mere proximity. While the whole tale is wrought with single effect, the most defining creepiness of the story was brought to life through Roderick Usher. ThroughRead MoreThe Fall Of The House Of Usher By Edgar Allan Poe Essay1333 Words   |  6 PagesEdg ar Allan Poe is known for his poetry and short stories especially his tales of mystery and morbidity he was one of the countries first practitioners of short stories such as the Fall in the House of Usher many of his poems and short stories is said to have been inspired by Poe’s real and tumultuous life, in â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† Edgar Allan Poe uses sound, feeling and sight imagery to create and explore an atmosphere of horror and to convey to the reader the idea that fear coalescedRead MoreThe Fall Of House Of Usher, By Edgar Allan Poe1603 Words   |  7 Pagesshown in the previous paragraphs of Cole and Poe, they are very different people who have had contrary life experiences . Yet their works are still very similar. To further prove my case I shall use some of their works as examples. Edgar Allan Poe s â€Å"The Fall of House of Usher† and Thomas Cole s â€Å"Vesper Hymn† will be the first two works of art that are comparable. Poe s â€Å"The Fall of House of Usher† possesses all of the Gothic elements like a haunted house, dreary landscape, unknown sickness, andRead MoreThe Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe1438 Words   |  6 PagesThe Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe The mind is a complicated thing. Not many stories are able to portray this in such an interesting manner as in Edgar Allan Poes The Fall of the House of Usher. The haunting story of a man and his sister, living in the old family mansion. But as all should know, much symbolism can be found in most of Poes works. The Fall of the House of Usher is no exception. First of all, we have the symbolisme of Roderick Ushers mind and the House ofRead MoreThe Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe668 Words   |  3 PagesThe Fall of the house of Usher Literary Analysis A â€Å"Royal house† refers to the Royal family’s members. The house becomes a representation of the family as the reputation of the house relies on the family’s actions and status. The Usher family was at one time a great family in the upper tier of society which is why they titled their family and home â€Å"the house of Usher.† Edgar Allan Poe uses this symbol to draw in the reader by giving the house of Usher human like characteristics similar to Lady MadelineRead MoreThe Fall Of The House Of Usher By Edgar Allan Poe1216 Words   |  5 PagesEdgar Allan Poe is a famous short story writer who writes many short stories, novels, and poems in the 19th century. Although he is obviously a very prolific writer, he is most famous for his macabre literature. This literature of his is best known for its melancholy descriptions that establish a setting and mood that contribute to the overall tale. Poe’s goal through his literature is to evoke horror into the reader’s mind. In â€Å"The Fall of The House of Usher,† Poe presents the demise of a distinguishedRead MoreThe Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe946 Words   |  4 PagesEdgar Allan Poe is known for the suspenseful and mysterious nature in his short stories, and to achieve this he uses repetitive symbolism. In the â€Å"Fall of the House of Usher†, the narrator gets a letter from an old friend saying that he needs his help. When he arrives he starts to hear voices that eventually cause the house to fall and results in the death of usher and Madeline. Poes â€Å"The fall of the House of Usher† portrays a melancholy setting and utilizes a motif of the supernatural, howeverRead MoreThe Fall Of The House Of Usher By Edgar Allan Poe1159 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† by Edgar Allan Poe is an ominous tale, told in retrospect, of a man who visited an old friend, Roderick Usher, who was dying of a mental illness. This visit was quite different then how the narrator believed it would be. The narrator explained the â€Å"insufferable gloom† he felt when he saw the mansion, and this dreary feeling only grew stronger the longer he stayed (Poe 1265). The narrator endured the bleak time with his old friend whoseRead MoreThe Fall Of The House Of Usher By Edgar Allan Poe896 Words   |  4 PagesEdgar Allen Poe is well-known for his frightening and disturbing short stories. He portrays his characters in unforeseen circumstances that create an eerie atmosphere, and this then leads to unsettling actions. In his famous short story, The Fall of the House of Usher, Edgar Allan Poe utilizes dark mood, dreary allegory, and mysterious symbolism to create the thrill and suspense. The mood of the characters set the intensity of fear and gloom, while the story of the Ushers follows psychologicalRead MoreThe Fall Of The House Of Usher By Edgar Allan Poe1104 Words   |  5 PagesThe Fall of the House of Usher Edgar Allan Poe is best known for his unnerving and suspenseful writings, and â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† is no exception. Just like Poe’s other clever writings, â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† portrays a sense of fear and paranoia yet also a touch of curiosity with his extraordinary descriptions about the setting and characters, along with the tone. Poe does a magnificent job creating an eerie tone while describing the setting. Even in the first paragraph of