The short story “The Fall of the House of Usher”, written by Edgar Allen Poe, was published the first time in the year 1839 in the September issue of Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine; it was and still is considered one of Poe’s most popular stories. Many critics and interpreters have brought to attention, that this story, more than any other of Poe’s works, contain information and hints about the life of Edgar Allen Poe himself.
While the character of Roderick Usher seems to be an image of Poe himself, the character of Roderick’s twin sister Madeline Usher can be seen as an image of Virginia Clemm, who was actually Poe’s first cousin as well as his child bride. Virginia died on January 30, 1847, on behalf of tuberculosis. “Certainly, the wasting away of Madeline Usher strongly calls to mind the suffering of […] Virginia Clemm.”
In this term paper I am going to point out the parallels and similarities between Edgar Allen Poe and Roderick Usher, as well as those between Virginia Clemm and Madeline Usher. I too, like many others, believe that Poe was inspired to write “The Fall of the House of Usher” by his own life as well as the life of his child-bride Virginia, especially the events of Virginia’s death, which had sent Poe into deep depression and inspired many of his tales and poems.
Table of Contents
Introduction
"The Fall of the House of Usher": A short summary
"The Fall of the House of Usher": Parallels between fact and fiction
I. Edgar Allan Poe and Roderick Usher
II. Virginia Clemm and Madeline Usher
Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This term paper investigates the biographical parallels between Edgar Allan Poe's personal life and his short story "The Fall of the House of Usher," specifically exploring the connections between the author and his characters.
- Analysis of the psychological similarities between Edgar Allan Poe and Roderick Usher.
- Examination of the tragic link between Virginia Clemm and Madeline Usher.
- Exploration of the theme of premature burial and mental decay.
- Assessment of the influence of tuberculosis and loss on Poe's literary creation.
Excerpt from the Book
I. Edgar Allan Poe and Roderick Usher
At the beginning of the story Edgar Allan Poe describes Roderick Usher as follows: "The character of his face had been at all times remarkable. A caderousness of complexion; an eye large, liquid, and luminous beyond comparison; lips somewhat thin and very pallid, but of a surpassingly beautiful curve; a nose of a delicate Hebrew model, but with a breadth of nostril unusual in similar formations; a finely molded chin, speaking in its want of prominence, of a want of moral energy; hair of a more than web-like softness and tenuity; these features, with an inordinate expansion above the regions of the temple, made up altogether a countenance not easily to be forgotten."
Many of Poe’s critics liked and still like to explain that Poe is actually describing himself while writing about Roderick Usher. Hervey Allen says that “the description of Roderick Usher is the most perfect pen-portrait of Poe himself which is known. It might be labelled `Self Portrait of the Artist at the Age of Thirsty.´ “
And, in fact, Roderick Ushers outward appearance, as it was described by Poe, bears a remarkable resemblance to Poe himself. But outward appearance is by far not the only thing that acts as a link between the life of the writer and the story he wrote. According to Scott Peeples the subject of death was, due to Poe’s personal encounters with the matter, something that had a direct influence on his work, including and especially “The Fall of the House of Usher”.
Chapter Summary
Introduction: This chapter introduces the research context, highlighting the persistent belief among critics that "The Fall of the House of Usher" contains autobiographical elements related to Poe's life and the illness of his wife, Virginia Clemm.
"The Fall of the House of Usher": A short summary: This section provides a concise overview of the plot, detailing the narrator's visit to Roderick Usher, the eerie atmosphere of the house, the illness of the siblings, and the tragic, climactic ending.
"The Fall of the House of Usher": Parallels between fact and fiction: This chapter analyzes how Poe projected his personal experiences of grief, mental decay, and the fear of losing loved ones onto his characters.
I. Edgar Allan Poe and Roderick Usher: This section examines the physical and psychological resemblances between the author and the protagonist, focusing on their shared vulnerability and obsession with death.
II. Virginia Clemm and Madeline Usher: This section explores the parallels between the real-life suffering of Virginia Clemm from tuberculosis and the fictional representation of Madeline Usher's decline.
Conclusion: This chapter summarizes the arguments, acknowledging the temporal discrepancies while emphasizing that the emotional resonance between Poe's life and his fiction remains too significant to be merely coincidental.
Keywords
Edgar Allan Poe, The Fall of the House of Usher, Virginia Clemm, Roderick Usher, Madeline Usher, Tuberculosis, Premature Burial, Literary Analysis, Autobiography, Romanticism, Mental Decay, Gothic Fiction, Symbolism, Suffering, Grief.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this paper?
The paper examines the biographical parallels between Edgar Allan Poe's life—specifically the illness and death of his wife, Virginia Clemm—and the events and characters in his story "The Fall of the House of Usher."
What are the primary thematic areas?
The themes include the influence of personal trauma on artistic creation, the nature of mental and physical decay, the experience of grief, and the intersection of reality and fiction.
What is the main research objective?
The goal is to demonstrate how Poe's personal suffering and his wife's battle with tuberculosis informed the development of his characters and the atmosphere of his famous short story.
Which methodology is used?
The author uses a comparative literary analysis, correlating biographical data about Poe and Virginia Clemm with specific plot points and character descriptions within the short story.
What topics are discussed in the main section?
The main section covers the physical description of Roderick Usher as a self-portrait of Poe, the role of tuberculosis in both the lives of the Clemm family and the Usher family, and the theme of the premature burial.
Which keywords define this work?
The work is characterized by terms like autobiography, Gothic fiction, tuberculosis, mental decay, and literary symbolism.
Does the author consider the publication date of the story?
Yes, the author addresses the fact that the story was published in 1839, three years before Virginia showed symptoms of tuberculosis, but argues that the themes were already part of Poe's life experience.
How is Madeline Usher compared to Virginia Clemm?
Madeline is portrayed as a metaphorical mirror to Virginia; both are depicted as "fading away" and both are seen as being, in different ways, "buried alive" by the circumstances of their lives and their husbands.
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- André Düser (Autor:in), 2007, "The Fall of the House of Usher" - More than fiction, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/89409
