The Fall of the House of Usher The Fall of the House of Usher, narrated by an unknown source, starts off describing a gothic like mansion, one who people might believe to be unusual and scary. The house is portrayed as gloomy with bleak walls and disturbing landscape. Although the image described seemed to talk about an abandoned house or a forsaken place this castle is actually a place in which we might say that life takes place, even if it does in an unconventional way. The main character in this story is Roderick Usher who as described in the tale, is a man who is far from the image of livelihood. Usher is a man taken by illnesses and family phantoms not different from his sister Madeline who throughout the story seems to be more of an apparition than a person. As the story develops the author uncover certain detailed information that brings the audience to different conclusion regarding the whole portrayal of the house and family. There are some clues that Poe gives readers for them to understand the real meaning of the story and the title for that matter. First it is implied that Usher and his sister have illness passed on through the family’s bloodline. This clue is quite interesting because it brings to mind that due to the family’s inflexible bloodline there must have been incestuous relationships to keep the lineage’s “purity”, not noticing that this is what caused the fall of the family’s opportunity of having healthy hearers. Another important clue is that there is doubling throughout the story, comparing Roderick and Madeline to the house, it seemed as is the house was a true image of what they really were. Both the house and its inhabitants are sick, gloomy, about to be ended, that is why the author refers to death of the Ushers and the fall of the house as a symbolism of sameness (when one dies the other does too). As it was shown before, the house of Usher is quite an interesting tale because it unmasks the secrets of a family and it shows how secrecy can later jeopardize the structure of a house causing it to fall and be doomed.
Another important aspect is that throughout the story, it might be said even from the beginning there is a clear view of death. When Roderick's friend arrives, the description given of the surroundings not only tries to describe what the house looks like and what its inhabitants might suffer but also the nearness of death and hell. The author tries to describe the smell and decomposition of death bringing to mind the decayed characters that live in the house. it is quite interesting how this story is used as the portrayal of a well-know family, it seems to be a criticism of family itself specially of the secrecy and decay of the family represented by society. Also another point is the use of female figures in the story, as i mentioned before Madeline is more of a phantom than a real character. This brings to mind how the author takes away women's main characteristic to portray femininity as physical appearance. Women are overlooked and represented as vague and empty(ghostly). This story definitely develops many topics that calls the reader's attention to the development of family, death, love and society's stereotypes. Poe digs deep into the human brain, developing the darkness in it. The concept of the soul and humane phantoms shows us Poe's main aim which is to portray human decaying nature.
The topic of doubling in this story is a key element to analyze the story. Doubling appears between Roderick and his sister Madeline. At the end we realized that they are twins and are connected by this condition; both of them are mentally ill and are dying. On the other hand, the house is the double of Roderick and Madeline. The house as well as the inhabitants is sick, is diyng little by little. The house is the reflection of its inhabitants. It's mysterious, messy, obscure and deteriorated.
I like how Devonne refers to, not only customary Gothic elements, like the grand old house, but how she talks about the uncovering of information or secrets that are kept within the home. Also, she refers to the symbolism of sameness, and about how the ill structure echoes the ill body of the Ushers. Sofía mentions the doubling and reflection that takes place between the twins themselves, and the diseased home and its inhabitants. Well done!
I think that the “destroyer” that Roderick mentions at least two times along the story is either a drug or the family physician. The song in the story says that the palace was radiant, glorious; pointing out that the family was happy those times until the destroyer came. Also, the word “Porphyrogene” is marked by parenthesis, which indicates relevance in the story. I researched “Porphylia:” a hereditary disease in which the blood hemoglobin is metabolized. There is an interpretation that suggests this is a vampire story. However, I would think that it is the effect of the drug that has destroyed the family. The drug, as an addiction or treatment, is the cause of Madeline apparent death, thanatosis. So, Roderick probably restrains from it, being the narrator who helps him to achieve this with his companionship.
In my opinion, the most interesting part of the story is the way Poe uses the setting because as Devonne said, it is working as the double of the Usher siblings. The house shows their mental and physical state; both siblings struggle with their illnesses and at the same time, the house looks like an abandoned and haunted place. The house is a dark and sad place that is falling down as well Madeleine and Roderick are dying of their illnesses.
The Fall of the House of Usher
ReplyDeleteThe Fall of the House of Usher, narrated by an unknown source, starts off describing a gothic like mansion, one who people might believe to be unusual and scary. The house is portrayed as gloomy with bleak walls and disturbing landscape. Although the image described seemed to talk about an abandoned house or a forsaken place this castle is actually a place in which we might say that life takes place, even if it does in an unconventional way. The main character in this story is Roderick Usher who as described in the tale, is a man who is far from the image of livelihood. Usher is a man taken by illnesses and family phantoms not different from his sister Madeline who throughout the story seems to be more of an apparition than a person. As the story develops the author uncover certain detailed information that brings the audience to different conclusion regarding the whole portrayal of the house and family. There are some clues that Poe gives readers for them to understand the real meaning of the story and the title for that matter. First it is implied that Usher and his sister have illness passed on through the family’s bloodline. This clue is quite interesting because it brings to mind that due to the family’s inflexible bloodline there must have been incestuous relationships to keep the lineage’s “purity”, not noticing that this is what caused the fall of the family’s opportunity of having healthy hearers. Another important clue is that there is doubling throughout the story, comparing Roderick and Madeline to the house, it seemed as is the house was a true image of what they really were. Both the house and its inhabitants are sick, gloomy, about to be ended, that is why the author refers to death of the Ushers and the fall of the house as a symbolism of sameness (when one dies the other does too). As it was shown before, the house of Usher is quite an interesting tale because it unmasks the secrets of a family and it shows how secrecy can later jeopardize the structure of a house causing it to fall and be doomed.
Another important aspect is that throughout the story, it might be said even from the beginning there is a clear view of death. When Roderick's friend arrives, the description given of the surroundings not only tries to describe what the house looks like and what its inhabitants might suffer but also the nearness of death and hell. The author tries to describe the smell and decomposition of death bringing to mind the decayed characters that live in the house.
Deleteit is quite interesting how this story is used as the portrayal of a well-know family, it seems to be a criticism of family itself specially of the secrecy and decay of the family represented by society.
Also another point is the use of female figures in the story, as i mentioned before Madeline is more of a phantom than a real character. This brings to mind how the author takes away women's main characteristic to portray femininity as physical appearance. Women are overlooked and represented as vague and empty(ghostly).
This story definitely develops many topics that calls the reader's attention to the development of family, death, love and society's stereotypes. Poe digs deep into the human brain, developing the darkness in it. The concept of the soul and humane phantoms shows us Poe's main aim which is to portray human decaying nature.
The topic of doubling in this story is a key element to analyze the story. Doubling appears between Roderick and his sister Madeline. At the end we realized that they are twins and are connected by this condition; both of them are mentally ill and are dying. On the other hand, the house is the double of Roderick and Madeline. The house as well as the inhabitants is sick, is diyng little by little. The house is the reflection of its inhabitants. It's mysterious, messy, obscure and deteriorated.
ReplyDeleteI like how Devonne refers to, not only customary Gothic elements, like the grand old house, but how she talks about the uncovering of information or secrets that are kept within the home. Also, she refers to the symbolism of sameness, and about how the ill structure echoes the ill body of the Ushers.
ReplyDeleteSofía mentions the doubling and reflection that takes place between the twins themselves, and the diseased home and its inhabitants. Well done!
I think that the “destroyer” that Roderick mentions at least two times along the story is either a drug or the family physician. The song in the story says that the palace was radiant, glorious; pointing out that the family was happy those times until the destroyer came. Also, the word “Porphyrogene” is marked by parenthesis, which indicates relevance in the story. I researched “Porphylia:” a hereditary disease in which the blood hemoglobin is metabolized. There is an interpretation that suggests this is a vampire story. However, I would think that it is the effect of the drug that has destroyed the family. The drug, as an addiction or treatment, is the cause of Madeline apparent death, thanatosis. So, Roderick probably restrains from it, being the narrator who helps him to achieve this with his companionship.
ReplyDeleteRoderick restrains form the drug or threatment (just to clarify.)
DeleteIn my opinion, the most interesting part of the story is the way Poe uses the setting because as Devonne said, it is working as the double of the Usher siblings. The house shows their mental and physical state; both siblings struggle with their illnesses and at the same time, the house looks like an abandoned and haunted place. The house is a dark and sad place that is falling down as well Madeleine and Roderick are dying of their illnesses.
ReplyDelete