The Fall Of The House Of Usher Essay
Name
Dr. Lisa Moody
English 232 Section 12
18 March 2014
Edgar Allen Poe: “The Fall of the House of Usher”
Background on author:
Although Edgar Allen Poe is one of the most well-known American authors, he had a somewhat miserable life. He was born a second child in Boston, Massachusetts in 1809. His father abandoned him and his mother died when he was only two years old. Through his life he faced even more difficulty and sadness from the death of his wife, his struggle to make a living from his writing, and his alcoholism. Despite this, his work is loved and studied by many to this day (Poe Museum).
Background on literary text:
"The Fall of the House of Usher" was one of Edgar Allan Poe 's first contributions to Burton 's Gentleman 's Magazine. The story was printed in 1839. “The Fall of the House of Usher” undoubtedly belongs in Gothic tradition, and features language of such lyrical beauty that it has become timeless. With its blunt yet mysterious telling of mental collapse, its startling imagery, and its horrific finale, it is, today, probably Poe 's best-known and most cherished story (Dougherty).
Historical or Social Context: …show more content…
Poe differed from many other writers of fiction of his time in that he disliked didactic writing (writing with underlying political or religious meaning).
His main concern in his writing was creating emotional effects. Before his time, short stories such as his were not regarded as serious; his tales were instrumental in establishing the short story as a viable literary form. The two factors that greatly influenced Poe’s creation of “The fall of the House of Usher,” were John Locke’s idea of Empiricism and Transcendentalism. These two ideas clashed in that John Locke believed reality was constituted by the material world and Transcendentalists believed it was constituted by the spiritual world. In “The Fall of the House of Usher,” Poe emphasizes aspects of Empiricism as well as the ideas of Transcendentalists
(Dougherty).
Discussion Questions:
1. In “The Fall of the House of Usher,” What does the deterioration of the house symbolize?
2. In the story, The narrator is asked by Roderick to help him in is time of need. They are said to be boyhood friends, but how well do you think Roderick and the narrator really know each other? Find a quote from the text to support your answer.
3. What do you think is the overall mood of the story? Find a quote from the text to support your answer.
Works Cited
Dougherty, Stephen. "Foucault In The House Of Usher: Some Historical Permutations In Poe 's Gothic." Papers On Language & Literature 37.1 (2001): 3. Academic Search Complete. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.
“Poe’s Life: Who is Edgar Allen Poe?” poemuseum.org. Poe Museum. 2013. Web. 18 March 2014. http://www.poemuseum.org/life.php.
Dr. Lisa Moody
English 232 Section 12
18 March 2014
Edgar Allen Poe: “The Fall of the House of Usher”
Background on author:
Although Edgar Allen Poe is one of the most well-known American authors, he had a somewhat miserable life. He was born a second child in Boston, Massachusetts in 1809. His father abandoned him and his mother died when he was only two years old. Through his life he faced even more difficulty and sadness from the death of his wife, his struggle to make a living from his writing, and his alcoholism. Despite this, his work is loved and studied by many to this day (Poe Museum).
Background on literary text:
"The Fall of the House of Usher" was one of Edgar Allan Poe 's first contributions to Burton 's Gentleman 's Magazine. The story was printed in 1839. “The Fall of the House of Usher” undoubtedly belongs in Gothic tradition, and features language of such lyrical beauty that it has become timeless. With its blunt yet mysterious telling of mental collapse, its startling imagery, and its horrific finale, it is, today, probably Poe 's best-known and most cherished story (Dougherty).
Historical or Social Context: …show more content…
Poe differed from many other writers of fiction of his time in that he disliked didactic writing (writing with underlying political or religious meaning).
His main concern in his writing was creating emotional effects. Before his time, short stories such as his were not regarded as serious; his tales were instrumental in establishing the short story as a viable literary form. The two factors that greatly influenced Poe’s creation of “The fall of the House of Usher,” were John Locke’s idea of Empiricism and Transcendentalism. These two ideas clashed in that John Locke believed reality was constituted by the material world and Transcendentalists believed it was constituted by the spiritual world. In “The Fall of the House of Usher,” Poe emphasizes aspects of Empiricism as well as the ideas of Transcendentalists
(Dougherty).
Discussion Questions:
1. In “The Fall of the House of Usher,” What does the deterioration of the house symbolize?
2. In the story, The narrator is asked by Roderick to help him in is time of need. They are said to be boyhood friends, but how well do you think Roderick and the narrator really know each other? Find a quote from the text to support your answer.
3. What do you think is the overall mood of the story? Find a quote from the text to support your answer.
Works Cited
Dougherty, Stephen. "Foucault In The House Of Usher: Some Historical Permutations In Poe 's Gothic." Papers On Language & Literature 37.1 (2001): 3. Academic Search Complete. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.
“Poe’s Life: Who is Edgar Allen Poe?” poemuseum.org. Poe Museum. 2013. Web. 18 March 2014. http://www.poemuseum.org/life.php.