Edgar Allen Poe's View of Death in "The Fall of the House of Usher"

Edgar Allen Poe's Symbolism of Death in 'The Fall of the House of Usher'

Death is defined as, 'The termination or extinction of something' (American Heritage Dictionary). Edgar Allen Poe uses this description in 'The Fall of the House of Usher' in different ways. Poe's intention when writing 'The Fall of the House of Usher' was not to present a moral, lesson, or truth to the reader; he was simply trying to bring forth a sense of terror to the reader. Poe's mind works this way, and critics believe this statement, especially when related to this story.

Edgar Allen Poe was born in Boston on January 19, 1809. His life was filled with tragedies that started when he was ten months old and until he died at age forty. These tragedies might be the answer to why Poe wrote in a way that confuses most of his readers.

"The Fall of the House of Usher" was published wid...

The Fall of the House of Usher

English: The Fall of the House of Usher (1928) is ...

'Abandoned, misunderstood, and broke throughout his life, few would have predicted that Poe would one day achieve the fame and respect now offered him in literacy circles in America and Europe--particularly France' ('The Fall of the House of Usher' - Analysis, 5).

Poe is grouped with other writers in the Romantic period. Writers of this period focused on life, emotions, and the existence of the human race. Although Poe's work has many characteristics of Romanticism, 'The Fall of the House of Usher', falls into the Gothic category. 'It is usually admired for its 'atmosphere' and for its exquisitely artificial manipulation of Gothic claptrap and decor'(Abel, 380).

Bringing forth the symbolism of death is a major part of this writing. All of the characters in 'The Fall of the House of Usher' are linked to death; by physical objects or...