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Biographical note
Excerpt
User Reviews
The Fall of the House of Usher is a captivating and eerie short story written by the legendary American author, Edgar Allan Poe. It was published in 1839 and is considered one of Poe’s finest works, showcasing his mastery of Gothic fiction and psychological horror.
The story revolves around an unnamed narrator who receives a disturbing letter from his childhood friend, Roderick Usher. The letter urges the narrator to visit him at his decaying ancestral home, the House of Usher. Filled with a sense of foreboding, the narrator obliges and arrives at the mansion, enveloped by a gloomy, desolate and unsettling atmosphere.
As the narrator explores the mansion, he discovers the grim and melancholic nature of its inhabitants. Roderick Usher, once an esteemed aristocrat, is now a frail and tormented man, consumed by a profound mental and physical deterioration. His sister, Madeline, suffers from a mysterious illness, and her presence adds to the atmosphere of despair and impending doom.
The story takes a chilling turn when Madeline seemingly dies and is entombed in the family’s vault beneath the mansion. Roderick, overwhelmed by grief, confides in the narrator his fear that his sister may return from the grave. The tension escalates as the narrator and Roderick hear strange noises and witness terrifying events within the mansion.
Poe’s atmospheric prose and vivid descriptions intensify the sense of dread and decay throughout the narrative. The crumbling mansion serves as a metaphor for the disintegration of the Usher family, mirroring the mental and emotional decline of its inhabitants. The story explores themes of madness, isolation and the power of the subconscious mind.
In a climactic finale, Madeline reappears, her corpse-like appearance and vengeful nature revealing her escape from the vault. She confronts Roderick, and the siblings’ intertwined fates culminate in the collapse of the House of Usher, symbolizing the annihilation of the Usher bloodline.
The Fall of the House of Usher is a haunting tale that delves into the darkest recesses of the human psyche. It showcases Poe’s mastery of creating an atmosphere of unease, employing vivid imagery and a haunting narrative to evoke a profound sense of terror and macabre beauty. The story’s appeal has transcended time and secured its place as a classic in Gothic literature and sealed Edgar Allan Poe’s status as a literary pioneer of this particular genre. He remains a much loved and admired story teller of yore.
The Fall of the House of Usher is a captivating and eerie short story written by the legendary American author, Edgar Allan Poe. It was published in 1839 and is considered one of Poe’s finest works, showcasing his mastery of Gothic fiction and psychological horror.
The story revolves around an unnamed narrator who receives a disturbing letter from his childhood friend, Roderick Usher. The letter urges the narrator to visit him at his decaying ancestral home, the House of Usher. Filled with a sense of foreboding, the narrator obliges and arrives at the mansion, enveloped by a gloomy, desolate and unsettling atmosphere.
As the narrator explores the mansion, he discovers the grim and melancholic nature of its inhabitants. Roderick Usher, once an esteemed aristocrat, is now a frail and tormented man, consumed by a profound mental and physical deterioration. His sister, Madeline, suffers from a mysterious illness, and her presence adds to the atmosphere of despair and impending doom.
The story takes a chilling turn when Madeline seemingly dies and is entombed in the family’s vault beneath the mansion. Roderick, overwhelmed by grief, confides in the narrator his fear that his sister may return from the grave. The tension escalates as the narrator and Roderick hear strange noises and witness terrifying events within the mansion.
Poe’s atmospheric prose and vivid descriptions intensify the sense of dread and decay throughout the narrative. The crumbling mansion serves as a metaphor for the disintegration of the Usher family, mirroring the mental and emotional decline of its inhabitants. The story explores themes of madness, isolation and the power of the subconscious mind.
In a climactic finale, Madeline reappears, her corpse-like appearance and vengeful nature revealing her escape from the vault. She confronts Roderick, and the siblings’ intertwined fates culminate in the collapse of the House of Usher, symbolizing the annihilation of the Usher bloodline.
The Fall of the House of Usher is a haunting tale that delves into the darkest recesses of the human psyche. It showcases Poe’s mastery of creating an atmosphere of unease, employing vivid imagery and a haunting narrative to evoke a profound sense of terror and macabre beauty. The story’s appeal has transcended time and secured its place as a classic in Gothic literature and sealed Edgar Allan Poe’s status as a literary pioneer of this particular genre. He remains a much loved and admired story teller of yore.
Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was an American writer, poet and a noted literary critic who is regarded as one of the most influential figures in American literature. His works are renowned for their dark, mysterious and macabre themes that explore the depths of human psyche and state of mind. Poe’s distinctive style and imaginative storytelling influenced the genres of horror, detective fiction and science fiction in the years that followed.
Poe’s early life was marked by tragedy and hardship. His parents, who were both actors, died when he was very young, and he was subsequently raised by John Allan, a wealthy tobacco merchant, and his wife Frances Allan, in Richmond, Virginia. Although Poe had a tumultuous relationship with his foster father, who provided him with a good education; but frequently their egos clashed due to his rebellious nature. Poe showed early potential and talent as a writer and poet.
Poe’s literary career began in the early 1820s when he started publishing his poems and short stories. In 1833, he won a prize for his story ‘MS. Found in a Bottle,’ which brought him recognition in literary circles. Throughout his career, Poe worked as an editor and a critic, contributing to various magazines and newspapers, including the Southern Literary Messenger and Graham’s Magazine.
One of Poe’s most notable contributions to literature is his pioneering work in the genre of detective fiction. His character C. Auguste Dupin, introduced in the story ‘The Murders in the Rue Morgue’ (1841), is often considered the prototype for the modern detective. Poe’s detective stories were characterized by their logical reasoning and attention to detail, laying the foundation for future detective fiction writers such as Arthur Conan Doyle, the famous creator of Sherlock Holmes.
Poe’s most famous poem, ‘The Raven’ (1845), catapulted him to international fame. With its melancholic tone, supernatural elements and haunting refrain of ‘Nevermore,’ the poem exemplifies Poe’s mastery of rhythm, rhyme and symbolism. It remains one of the most remembered and loved poems in American literature.
Poe’s life was fraught by his personal struggles, while he faced financial difficulties, alcoholism and the loss of several loved ones. These hardships shaped his works, infusing them with a sense of despair, loneliness and an obsession with death. Some of his other notable works include The Fall of the House of Usher, The Tell-Tale Heart and The Masque of the Red Death.
Despite his literary success, Poe never achieved financial stability, and he died in relative obscurity on October 7, 1849, at the age of 40. The exact cause of his death remains a mystery, adding an air of intrigue to his already enigmatic persona. In the years following his death, Poe’s works gained increasing recognition and admiration globally. His contributions to the genres of horror and mystery, as well as his innovative use of symbolism and psychological exploration, have secured him a place among the greatest American writers. Edgar Allan Poe’s legacy continues to captivate readers and inspire generations of writers who follow his style to the hilt.
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Also from Trove
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3. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
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6. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
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8. A Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man by James Joyce
9. The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
10. The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy
11. Moby Dick or The Whale by Melville Herman
12. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
13. Animal Farm by George Orwell
14. Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne
15. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
16. She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith
17. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
18. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
19. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
20. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome
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The Fall of The
House of Usher
By
Edgar Allan Poe
Newgen Knowledge Works Offices
Chennai Pondicherry Pune Kottayam Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
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First published in 1939 by Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine
This book has been inspired from the original version of The Fall of the House of Usher first published in 1939, available in the public domain. Due care and diligence have been taken while bringing out this edition; neither the author nor the publishers of the book hold any responsibility for any mistake that may have inadvertently crept in. The publishers shall not be liable for any direct, consequential, or incidental damages arising out of the use of the book.
© Trove Books Edition, 2023
Paperback ISBN: 978-81-19376-62-9
eBook ISBN: 978-81-19376-65-0
WebPDF: 978-81-19376-41-4
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Author Bio
Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was an American writer, poet and a noted literary critic who is regarded as one of the most influential figures in American literature. His works are renowned for their dark, mysterious and macabre themes that explore the depths of human psyche and state of mind. Poe’s distinctive style and imaginative storytelling influenced the genres of horror, detective fiction and science fiction in the years that followed.
Poe’s early life was marked by tragedy and hardship. His parents, who were both actors, died when he was very young, and he was subsequently raised by John Allan, a wealthy tobacco merchant, and his wife Frances Allan, in Richmond, Virginia. Although Poe had a tumultuous relationship with his foster father, who provided him with a good education; but frequently their egos clashed due to his rebellious nature. Poe showed early potential and talent as a writer and poet.
Poe’s literary career began in the early 1820s when he started publishing his poems and short stories. In 1833, he won a prize for his story ‘MS. Found in a Bottle,’ which brought him recognition in literary circles. Throughout his career, Poe worked as an editor and a critic, contributing to various magazines and newspapers, including the Southern Literary Messenger and Graham’s Magazine.
One of Poe’s most notable contributions to literature is his pioneering work in the genre of detective fiction. His character C. Auguste Dupin, introduced in the story ‘The Murders in the Rue Morgue’ (1841), is often considered the prototype for the modern detective. Poe’s detective stories were characterized by their logical reasoning and attention to detail, laying the foundation for future detective fiction writers such as Arthur Conan Doyle, the famous creator of Sherlock Holmes.
Poe’s most famous poem, ‘The Raven’ (1845), catapulted him to international fame. With its melancholic tone, supernatural elements and haunting refrain of ‘Nevermore,’ the poem exemplifies Poe’s mastery of rhythm, rhyme and symbolism. It remains one of the most remembered and loved poems in American literature.
Poe’s life was fraught by his personal struggles, while he faced financial difficulties, alcoholism and the loss of several loved ones. These hardships shaped his works, infusing them with a sense of despair, loneliness and an obsession with death. Some of his other notable works include The Fall of the House of Usher, The Tell-Tale Heart and The Masque of the Red Death.
Despite his literary success, Poe never achieved financial stability, and he died in relative obscurity on October 7, 1849, at the age of 40. The exact cause of his death remains a mystery, adding an air of intrigue to his already enigmatic persona. In the years following his death, Poe’s works gained increasing recognition and admiration globally. His contributions to the genres of horror and mystery, as well as his innovative use of symbolism and psychological exploration, have secured him a place among the greatest American writers. Edgar Allan Poe’s legacy continues to captivate readers and inspire generations of writers who follow his style to the hilt.