Compare And Contrast The Fall Of The House Of Usher

In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” and Julio Cortazar’ “House Taken Over” the short stories represent the genre of Gothic Literature. Gothic Literature is a genre that combines fiction, horror, death, and romance. Some of these traits are seen in both of these stories through characters and settings. However, there are other traits that set them apart.

In “Fall of the House of Usher”, Edgar Allan Poe uses parallels between Roderick Usher and the House to illustrate how one affects the other. The House particularly compares to the physical appearance with Roderick Usher. To illustrate, Rodericks physical appearance is crumbling, much like the Houses “crumbling condition of the individual stones” (Poe 323). With human like qualities, the Houses “vacant eyelike windows” are a direct parallel to Rodericks “large eye, liquid and luminous” (Poe 322-324). In other words, the Usher family is so connected to their home that Roderick begins to physically look like the worn down, dark and mysterious House that is his abode. Not only does the House have similar physical parallels, but Rodericks

The short stories “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe and “House Taken Over” by Julio Cortazar are two well known works of literature that encompass unique literary styles. Poe utilizes Gothic literature in his story, a style of writing that incorporates elements of darkness, gloom, drama, and intense descriptions. On the other hand, Cortazar uses Magical Realism and its realistic characters, setting, and fantastic and unusual events to tell his tale. Despite the two being completely different genres, they share many similar traits, specifically relating to fear.

Fear is something that we all ponder about it, we are often pulled in with many authors different way of trying to explain it. In the gothic setting of “The Fall of the Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe and the magical realism of “House taken over” by Julio Cortazar lies a type of dark force within the extensive houses. In the fall of the house of usher we are introduced to the usher siblings and how they deal with the evil within their vast mansion in the middle of nowhere. In house taken over we met two siblings that live within the city and how they deal with their unstoppable force of evil. Both siblings have a different way of dealing with their house, some go mad because of it. The plot of both stories is similar but the way they explain their thoughts make the stories very different from each other. The authors try develop through the characters, setting, and plot that although both stories are different in many ways both captivate the reader with fear in different ways and create an overall different tone and atmosphere for the reader.

“Fear is not real. It is the product of thoughts you create. Danger is very real, but fear is only a choice.” Fear is not something that is always real, such as when Usher was scared but there was nothing to fear yet, but the danger at the end of the story, especially for Ushers friend, was something to fear for. In the Gothic Literature short story, “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe, the setting is somber and creates an illusion of darkness. On the other hand, “House Taken Over” by Julio Cortazar, portrays the idea of magical realism in, which setting is more realistic and less gloomy. Although Gothic Literature and Magical Realism are similar, there are also many differences, especially in their settings.

Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” and Julio Cortazar’s “House Taken Over” shows the traits of two genres, gothic literature and magical realism. Even though both of these literary works were made in different time periods they show how the effects of fear and loneliness can affect someone. The setting of House Taken Over and House of Usher is similar as they both take place in a house and their interior is bleak, but the two settings are different as one house is surrounded by a decaying forest and the other house is in a neighborhood.

In the story "The Fall of the House of Usher" there is suspense and symbolism that can be written about, this story also provides many Gothic elements. In "The Fall of the House of Usher"

Roderick Usher is a victim of circumstance. The House he has known his whole life seems to have turned against him. Poe

In the story “ The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe, has an American romanticism with its characters. Edgar Allan Poe is considered a Dark Romanticism because of the way he writes his poems and short stories centered around the concept of evil human nature, darkness, and death. Roderick and Madeline Usher were said to be related during the middle of the story; they were twins. It explained how they were sick, Roderick had a mental disorder and Madeline was physically sick. As the narrator enters the desolate house, he finds both Roderick and his sister in a severe state of depression and they both appear sick like. The narrator tries to make Roderick feel better, but Roderick wouldn’t budge. Roderick thinks that the house is making him sick and making him to appear crazy.

Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher,” Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Minister’s Black Veil,” and William Cullen Bryant’s “Thanatopsis” illustrate several Romantic and Transcendentalist (and anti-Transcendentalist) traits. All of these authors are regarded as very important and influential Romantic writers. Their works are renowned all across the entire world. “The Fall of the House of Usher” is a Gothic short story written by Edgar Allen Poe, which focuses on exploring the psychology of the primary character, Roderick. Hawthorne’s “The Minister’s Black Veil” is a grim tale featuring a minister who begins wearing a black veil everywhere he goes - a metaphor for his own internal despair. Bryant’s “Thanatopsis” is a more traditional form of poetry that speaks of nature and death. These works together all share several Romantic themes and together exhibit several traits reflective of the Romantic movement of poetry and art. In particular, these writings all contain darker aspects to them that likely would not have been as appreciated at the time they were written as they are now. It is clear from these writings that Poe, Hawthorne, and Bryant were forefront writers in terms of influence within the Romantic movement.

Throughout history, various works of literature compelled the readers to feel a specific way. The authors used different techniques to illustrate emotions toward their audience. Specifically, Edgar Allan Poe, author of The Fall of the House of Usher, uses literary elements, such as imagery, characterization and word choice, to portray the build up the sense of horror.

The short story Fall of the House of Usher, starts with the quote : “Son coeur est un luth suspendu” can translate to ‘his/her heart is a poisoned luth’ (Poe 18). Madeline, whom the quote refers to, her character vaguely described and rarely shown in the Fall of the House of Usher proves to be the most influential and in fact the most important character of the short story, as the entire plot concerns her. Rodrick, Madeline’s brother, and their relationship with one another, obvious as incestuous as described by signs in the story, is toxic. Poe utilizes limited personal narration and descriptions of Rodrick’s guilt and Madeleine's death to hide and lessen his accountability in the situation.

I had viewed over the movie called “The Fall Of The House Of Usher” based off of Edgar Allan Poe’s story. I had found the movie to be quite interesting, not as a horror movie, but something that seemed comical in some ways for the stereotypical clichés of horror movies with some creepiness added in. First, I’d like to start with how the movie begins, it’s quite similar to how the story describes with the fog and dead trees, how the in-story narrator passes through alone on horseback, and him seeing this House of Usher. In the movie, this narrator is given a name, Philip Winthrop, who looks fairly wealthy. He doesn’t look into the tarn when he arrives at the mansion that looks run down from age.

In the short story, "The Fall of the House of Usher," by Edgar Allen Poe, setting is used extensively to do many things. The author uses it to convey ideas, effects, and images. It establishes a mood and foreshadows future events. Poe communicates truths about the character through setting.

In most stories, the setting creates a backdrop for events to come, sometimes the setting dictates the theme as well as behavior of some of the characters. Between Edger Allan Poe’s The Fall House of Usher and Shirley Jackson’s The lottery, both writers were meticulously keen on using setting as a driving force behind the narrative and also set the tone for the theme.