Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of The House of Usher” is widely regarded as one of Poe’s finest works of prose. Poe’s writing generally falls under the category of “Romanticism,” a cultural movement that blossomed in the beginning of the 19th century. Romanticism, in many ways, was a response to—and rejection of—the Enlightenment thought that dominated the previous century. While heroes of the enlightenment valued reason, logic, and empiricism, the Romantics valued the irrational, intuition, and the poetic imagination. The works of Edgar Allan Poe, however, like the works of Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne, are often grouped into a subset of Romanticism known as “Dark Romanticism.” In contrast to the Romantics, who believed in the transformative power of the imagination and espoused a general sense of optimism, the dark Romantics emphasized human fallibility, and man’s expansive capacity for sin. Poe, in particular, was interested in these themes, but was also interested in the psychology of the macabre.
From the very outset of “The Fall of The House of Usher,” Poe cultivates an atmosphere of dread that is infectious. As his protagonist ponders the Usher estate, he is overwhelmed by feelings of intense anxiety that he is unable to account for. Like Poe’s protagonist, the reader soon finds him/herself being snuck up on by feelings of diffuse agitation. While normal Romantic writers generally view scenes of nature as emblems of the interconnectedness of all things—that inspire feelings of elation—Poe’s view of nature shares some elements of the sublime, but with all the positive connotations curiously absent. In other words, the only recognizable emotions that Poe inspires are terror and fear. Upon entering the house of Usher, Poe introduces the character of Roderick Usher. Roderick Usher provides Poe with another vehicle to explore the dark side of Romanticism. Roderick’s delicate constitution and sensibility of temperament, traits usually lauded by Romantics, in this case, are responsible for his physical and mental deterioration. Through Roderick’s mental and moral disintegration, Poe explores the relationship between mind and body. Throughout this process of decay, the fate of the house of Usher—the ancestral home itself—becomes inextricably tied up with its living inhabitants. This piece is perfect as part of an introductory lesson on Edgar Allan Poe, American Romanticism, and portrayals of mental illness in literature. Because of the heavy use of symbolism, and other literary devices, this piece also works well as part of a lesson on the conventions of writing.
Standards Addressed
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).
Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.
Before Reading
If you had to evoke feelings of terror simply by describing a natural setting, how would you go about it? In only two sentences, try to describe a landscape in ways that would inspire feelings of fear and anxiety. In another few sentences, justify your decisions, and share your responses in small groups.
During Reading
At one point during the course of events in the story, the narrator reveals that Roderick Usher believed firmly in the “sentience” of all “vegetable things.” In relation to Usher’s fears about the nature of his estate and the surrounding property, why is Poe’s word choice of “sentient” so significant? Furthermore, if Roderick’s fears prove true, what are their implications? Support your answers with evidence from the text. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2)
Poe’s narrator describes Usher’s mind, as being able to “pour forth..darkness” as if it were an “inherent positive quality.” What is the significance of Poe’s metaphor? And what does it suggest about the human tendency to project one’s thoughts or emotions? (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.4)
After Reading
In a short summary, describe the progression of Roderick Usher’s mental and physical deterioration over the course of the story. In your opinion, what brought on his illness? And what does Poe suggest about the relationship between Usher, and his ancestral home? (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3)
Connections in Text
Edgar Allan Poe was actually a friend, and contemporary of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Although their writings, arguably, can both be characterized as romantic, they also differ in a number of ways. Using the Books That Grow library, compare “The Fall of The House of Usher” with the short story “Young Goodman Brown.” In a paragraph or more, describe the similarities and differences in the style and themes of each story. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.9)
Further Readings
For Teachers:
https://www.poemuseum.org/teachers.php
This link provides teachers with a valuable teaching resource when it comes to teaching “The Fall of The House of Usher,” or Edgar Allan Poe in general. The link provides information regarding Poe’s life, style, literary contributions, etc.
Vocabulary
G10 Challenging Vocabulary: dissolution (10), educe (10), gossamer (10), importunate (10), palpable (10), sashes (10), stupor (10), trellised (10), trepidation/trepidancy (10), abeyance (9), abhorrence (9), alluded (9), antiquity (9), appellation (9), commingled (9), divulge (9), equivocal (9), fervid (9), forefathers (9), inconsistency (9), inverted (9), luminous/luminousness (9), munificent (9), orthodox (9), pallid (9), paradoxical (9), parley (9), ponderous (9) agitated/agitation (8), apathy (8), counterpart (8), deduced (8), demeanor (8), deplorable (8), dilapidation (8), discernible (8), discordant (8), habitual/habitually (8), impetuous (8), incoherence (8), insipid (8), intelligible (8), perusal (8), pestilent (8), prodigious (8), profuse (8), prostrating (8), sentience (8), potency (8), stealthy (8), tremor (8), tremulous (8), upbraid (8), vivacious/vivacity (8), waned (8)
G8 Challenging Vocabulary: adamancy (8), agitated/agitation (8), apathy (8), caprices (8), copious (8), counterpart (8), deduced (8), dejected (8), demeanor (8), deplorable (8), dilapidation (8), discernible (8), discordant (8), elegies (8), evoke (8), gallant (8), habitual/habitually (8), impetuous (8), incoherence (8), idiosyncratic (8), indulged (8), insipid (8), intelligible (8), latency (8), outlandish (8), permeated (8), perusal (8), pestilent (8), potency (8), prodigious (8), profuse (8), prostrating (8), refute (8), reverent (8), semblance (8), sentience (8), stealthy (8), subsequent (8), succumbed (8), tangible (8), tremor (8), tremulous (8), upbraid (8), vivacious/vivacity (8), waned (8), wholly (8), accosted (7), accustomed (7), adjacent (7), aghast (7), aspect (7), brooded (7), collateral (7), contemplation (7), diagnosis (7), disclose (7), eluded (7), futile/futility (7), illustrious (7), impelled (7), inscribed (7), luster/lustrous (7), proprietor (7), reeled/reeling (7), rustled (7), tarried (7), turrets (7), velocity (7), zealous (7), acute/acuteness (6), alternately (6), appalled (6), associates (6), ballad (6), basis (6), bear/bearing (6), brass (6), centuries (6), chamber (6), coincidence (6), complexion (6), concrete (6), conflicting (6), consideration (6), contradicting/contradiction (6), converse (6), deeds (6), deficiency (6), desolate (6), despaired (6), devotion (6), eaves (6), elapsed (6), elegant (6), enchantment (6), enterprises (6), excavation (6), facility (6), fantastic/fantastically (6), grating (6), identified (6), inaudibly (6), indeed (6), indefinite (6), inspire (6), premises (6), prophesying (6), quaver (6), reigned (6), reminiscences (6), substance (6), sullen/sullenly (6), sympathies (6), temperament (6), vain (6), ventured (6)
G6 Challenging Vocabulary: acute/acuteness (6), alternately (6), anxiety (6), appalled/appalling (6), associates (6), ballad (6), bear/bearing (6), blisses (6), brass (6), centuries (6), coincidence (6), complexion (6), complied (6), concrete (6), conflicting (6), conscious/consciousness (6), consideration/considered (6), contradicting/contradiction (6), converse (6), deeds (6), deficiency (6), desolate (6), despaired (6), devotion (6), dormant (6), eaves (6), elapsed (6), elegant (6), enchantment (6), enterprises (6), excavation (6), fantastic/fantastically (6), grating (6), identified (6), inaudibly (6), indeed (6), indefinite (6), inspire (6), phenomena (6), premises (6), prophesying (6), quavered (6), reigned (6), reminiscences (6), substance/substances (6), sullen/sullenly (6), sympathies (6), temperament (6), vain (6), ventured (6), atmosphere (5), baffled (5), bitter/bitterly/bitterness (5), brink (5), burden (5), carcass (5), character (5), comprehending (5), conclusion/conclusions (5), conducted (5), deceptive (5), descent (5), distinct/distinctly (5), dominated (5), dreariness/dreary (5), exposed (5), extent (5), incomprehensible (5), manor (5), merge/merged (5), narrative (5), nature (5), neglected (5), novelty (5), perish (5), persistent (5), physician/physicians (5), prime (5), radiant (5), raging (5), retiring (5), splendor (5), sufficient (5), utterance (5), vacant (5), valorously (5), variation (5), verses (5), vicinity (5), vitality (5), vivid/vividly (5), woeful (5), abandon (4), acknowledge (4), affecting (4), agonies (4), angles (4), annihilate (4), appeared (4), attempt/attempts (4), aware (4), banners (4), canvas (4), chamber (4), chaotic (4), condition (4), contented (4), decay/decayed (4), desire (4), different (4), dread/dreadful (4), effect/effects (4), gleam/gleams (4), hilarity (4), manner (4), mockery (4), nooks (4), passionate (4), reason (4), resounded (4), scanned (4), scene (4), vague/vagueness (4), vapor (4), vast (4), wonder (4)
G4 Challenging Vocabulary: abandon/abandoned (4), acknowledge (4), affecting (4), agonies (4), angles (4), annihilated (4), appeared (4), attempt/attempted/attempting (4), aware/unaware (4), banners (4), chamber (4), chaotic (4), contented (4), decay/decayed (4), desire (4), dread/dreadful (4), effect (4), gleam/gleams (4), hilarity (4), manner (4), mockery (4), nooks (4), pattern (4), passionate (4), reason (4), resounded (4), scanned (4), scene/scenes (4), vague/vagueness (4), vapor (4), vast (4), vault/vaults (4), wonder (4), abrupt (3), accent (3), alarmed (3), astonishment (3), bare (3), charity (3), cloaked (3), company (3), decorations (3), delicate (3), extraordinary (3), foul (3), gruesome (3), hideous (3), hollow (3), horrid (3), huskiness (3), massive (3), must (3), numerous (3), occurrence (3), opinion/opinions (3), peered (3), rattled (3), realized (3), reckless (3), relieve (3), remarkable (3), roamed (3), slave(3), sorrow/sorrowful (3), startled (3), structure (3), texture (3), tormented (3), toxic (3), trembling (3), valley (3), wanderers (3), absolute (2), beauty (2), beyond (2), bloomed (2), blush/blushed (2), change/changes (2), compare (2), confused (2), conqueror (2), convinced (2), destroyer (2), disappointing (2), dim (2), dull/dullest (2), dungeon (2), dusk (2), excessive (2), faint/faintly(2), familiar (2), furniture (2), gloom/gloomily/gloomy (2), horror (2), influence/influences (2), law (2), melody (2), odors (2), provide (2), rapid/rapidly (2), rare (2), reply (2), ruler (2), settle/settled (2), scattered (2), slays (2), sincere/sincerity (2), soul (2), strip (2), struggle/struggled/struggles (2), suffered/sufferer/suffering (2), terrified (2), tunnel (2)
G2 Challenging Vocabulary: absolute (2), beauty (2), beyond (2), bloomed (2), blush/blushed (2), change/changes (2), compare (2), confused (2), conqueror (2), convinced (2), decrease (2), destroyer (2), dim (2), dull/dullest (2), dungeon (2), dusk (2), excessive (2), faint/faintly(2), familiar (2), furniture (2), gloom/gloomily/gloomy (2), horror (2), influence/influenced/influences (2), law (2), melody (2), odors (2), provide (2), rapid/rapidly (2), rare (2), replied (2), ruler (2), scattered (2), slays (2), sincere/sincerity (2), soul (2), strip (2), struggle/struggled/struggles (2), suffered/sufferer/suffering (2), terrified (2), tolerated (2), tunnel (2), aided (1), approaching (1), awful (1), behavior (1), breeze (1), building (1), carved (1), certain (1), continued (1), corners (1), evening (1), explain/explained (1), favorite (1), glowed/glowing (1), greeted/greeting (1), hero/heroic (1), idea/ideas (1), illness (1), lake (1), lamp (1), letter (1), moment/moments (1), mystery (1), painted (1), palace (1), perfect (1), pillows (1), questions (1), read (1), remember/remembered (1), still (1), strange/strangely/strangeness (1), studied (1), visit (1), weeds (1), alive (0), book/books (0), brother (0), cloud/clouds (0), darkness (0), doctor/doctors (0), dragon (0), dream (0), fingers (0), flowers (0), forget (0), friend/friends (0), gray (0), king (0), laugh (0), light (0), lips (0), listen/listened/listening (0), moon (0), sky (0), sleep (0), small (0), song/songs (0), sound/sounds (0), stones (0), storm (0), story/stories (0), tiny (0), tree/trees (0), voice/voices (0), wall/walls (0), whisper (0), word/words (0), years (0)
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