Just as in nearly every other short story by Edgar Allan
Poe, "The Fall of the House of Usher" is meant to revolve around a pervading presence of
evil. Something evil lives and lurks within the house itself as well as within the
family of Usher. A large part of this evil, is incest.
The
quote given in the first post is the first (although subtle) clue that Roderick and
Madeline derive from a lineage of incest. Later, however, it has been suggested that
these twins have an unnatural relationship with one another as well. Madeline is
described by the narrator as "a tenderly beloved sister—his sole companion for long
years." Some have pinned this point against Roderick's nervous disorder which
"displayed itself in a host of unnatural sensations," and concluded that the idea of
incest is not merely suggested, but conclusive.
Certainly
the narrator detects something evil, even to the point of unnatural within the
house.
No comments:
Post a Comment