Edgar Allan Poe comparison essay

Edgar Allan Poe Essay

After reading both Edgar Allan Poe's stories, "The Cask of Amontillado" and "The Fall of the House of Usher", it is evident that both characters Roderick Usher and Montresor are very similar. The characters' similarities are not only in their actions but also in their personalities. And though it is not that clear at first, after carefully examining both characters and in what manners they behave, their personalities become evidently similar. For both of these characters their personalities have emerged through the situations that have occurred recently within their lives. Poe has a repetitious theme of having his main characters gloomy. This is shown in both his stories that are being compared within this essay. Usher and Montresor are both alike in many ways. Their personalities seem to be both insane, mysterious, and family oriented.

Insanity seems to be evident in both characters, Usher and Montresor.

Burton's Gentleman's Magazine, September, 1839, co...

Illustration for Edgar Allan Poe's story "The Cask...

Edgar Allan Poe's house in the Bronx. Photo taken ...

The following two quotes prove that Usher is insane.

A letter, however, had lately reached me in a distant part of the country--a letter from him--which, in its wildly importunate nature, had admitted of no other than a personal reply. The MS. gave evidence of nervous agitation. The writer spoke of acute bodily illness--of a mental disorder which oppressed him--and of an earnest desire to see me, as his best, and indeed his only personal friend, with a view of attempting, by the cheerfulness of my society, some alleviation of his malady. (574)

This quote shows that in fact Usher had a mental disorder and that he was suffering because of it. The disorder was oppressing him and caused him to go insane. Usher's insanity grew bigger and bigger after the death of sister. "Not hear it?--yes, I hear it, and have heard it. Long--long--long--many minutes, many hours,