Symbolism In The Fall Of The House Of Usher
The first line I had taken note of while reading Edgar Allen Poe's "The Fall of the
House of Usher" was, "I was aware, however, that his very ancient family had been noted, time out of mind, for a peculiar sensibility of temperament, displaying itself, through long ages, in many works of exalted art, and manifested, of late, in repeated deeds of munificent yet unobtrusive charity, as well as in a passionate devotion to the intricacies, perhaps even more than to the orthodox and easily recognizable beauties of musical science." (594) Through writing this sentence, Poe was able to effectively further enforce the eerie illustration of the Usher family. Despite this family's ability to physically coexist with others on this planet Earth, …show more content…
2) The second annotation that I had noted involved the line, "..."House of Usher" an appellation which seemed to include, in the minds of the peasantry who used it, both the family and the family mansion." (594-595) Poe makes it apparent through the articulation of the aforementioned quotation that the designation "House of Usher" not only serves as a representation of the family, but it also represents the mansion itself.
The significance of this double-representation is particularly emphasized as the story progresses and ultimately leads up to both the metaphorical collapse of the
Usher family, as well as the physical collapse of the Usher family's house.
3) The third sentence I had noticed as being particularly striking was, "Perhaps the eye of a scrutinizing observer might have discovered a barely perceptible fissure, which, extending from the roof of the building in front, made its way down the wall in a zigzag direction, until it became lost in the sullen waters of the tarn." (596) In this line, Poe reveals to his readers a noticeable crack discretely embedded within …show more content…
4) The fourth line I had taken note of while reading Edgar Allen Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" was, "The windows were long, narrow, and pointed, and at so vast a distance from the black oaken floor as to be altogether inaccessible from within." (596) The idea of being unable to escape is a plausible fear that many individuals have, and it is quite clear that the narrator is experiencing this sense of fear as he observes the inside of this seemingly-odd mansion. The fact that he acknowledges his inability to escape from within already hints at his slight apprehension and possible regret concerning his entrance of his friend's house.
5) The fifth and final line I had annotated was, "His voice varied rapidly from a tremulous indecision (when the animal spirits seemed utterly in abeyance) to that species of energetic concision--that abrupt, weighty, unhurried, and hollow-sounding enunciation--that leaden, self- balanced and perfectly modulated guttural utterance, which may be observed in the lost drunkard, or the irreclaimable eater of opium, during the periods of his most intense excitement." (598) In this quotation, Poe uses
House of Usher" was, "I was aware, however, that his very ancient family had been noted, time out of mind, for a peculiar sensibility of temperament, displaying itself, through long ages, in many works of exalted art, and manifested, of late, in repeated deeds of munificent yet unobtrusive charity, as well as in a passionate devotion to the intricacies, perhaps even more than to the orthodox and easily recognizable beauties of musical science." (594) Through writing this sentence, Poe was able to effectively further enforce the eerie illustration of the Usher family. Despite this family's ability to physically coexist with others on this planet Earth, …show more content…
2) The second annotation that I had noted involved the line, "..."House of Usher" an appellation which seemed to include, in the minds of the peasantry who used it, both the family and the family mansion." (594-595) Poe makes it apparent through the articulation of the aforementioned quotation that the designation "House of Usher" not only serves as a representation of the family, but it also represents the mansion itself.
The significance of this double-representation is particularly emphasized as the story progresses and ultimately leads up to both the metaphorical collapse of the
Usher family, as well as the physical collapse of the Usher family's house.
3) The third sentence I had noticed as being particularly striking was, "Perhaps the eye of a scrutinizing observer might have discovered a barely perceptible fissure, which, extending from the roof of the building in front, made its way down the wall in a zigzag direction, until it became lost in the sullen waters of the tarn." (596) In this line, Poe reveals to his readers a noticeable crack discretely embedded within …show more content…
4) The fourth line I had taken note of while reading Edgar Allen Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" was, "The windows were long, narrow, and pointed, and at so vast a distance from the black oaken floor as to be altogether inaccessible from within." (596) The idea of being unable to escape is a plausible fear that many individuals have, and it is quite clear that the narrator is experiencing this sense of fear as he observes the inside of this seemingly-odd mansion. The fact that he acknowledges his inability to escape from within already hints at his slight apprehension and possible regret concerning his entrance of his friend's house.
5) The fifth and final line I had annotated was, "His voice varied rapidly from a tremulous indecision (when the animal spirits seemed utterly in abeyance) to that species of energetic concision--that abrupt, weighty, unhurried, and hollow-sounding enunciation--that leaden, self- balanced and perfectly modulated guttural utterance, which may be observed in the lost drunkard, or the irreclaimable eater of opium, during the periods of his most intense excitement." (598) In this quotation, Poe uses