The Fall Of The House Of Usher Essay

In today’s world, seeing a house completely demolished would question even the smartest person, and most would assume this is the case in the 18th century. This is what most would have seen in the time of Romanticism Era when Edgar Allan Poe wrote “The Fall of the House of Usher.” Writers of this time use Gothic elements in their works such as dark or mysterious tone, isolated setting, or paranormal occurrences. The setting in Gothic stories are used to evoke an atmosphere of horror and dread. Poe greatly used these Gothic elements in his works. Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” is filled with macabre examples using character traits and setting. Poe’s way of using a macabre tone through characterization can be found in a variety of ways. Roderick Usher lived in the House of Usher with his sister Madeline. Poe describes Roderick on line 172, “Into what he conceived to be the nature of his malady,” (417). From this quote alone, the readers are told that Roderick has a sickness. Mysterious

The story takes place at the House of Usher, a house isolated from most. Poe states an eerie setting from the get go in the beginning of the story, “During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens,” (412). From the start of the reading, most can comprehend that actions are going to be spooky with word choices such as dull and dark. Gothic elements use intimidating words to describe setting. The story continues to use words such as those to leave the macabre tone. Poe describes the House of Usher, “The general furniture was profuse, comfortless, antique, and tattered. ” (416). Poe describes one of the rooms in the house using words that make the room seem uninviting. This makes the setting of the room sound dull and unwelcoming. The settings Poe uses throughout “The Fall of the House of Usher” sets the atmosphere of horror and