Faculty of Philosophy

Department of English Language and Literature

Novi Sad

Nemanja Brdar
EJ/200008

THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER: ELEMENTS OF HORROR

Abstract
Horror story is a fictional narrative with essential property of inducing a feeling of repulsion and
loathing. Horror stories explore the limits of what people are capable of doing and experiencing.
(Cuddon, 417). Writers of these stories, E. A. Poe among them, deal with different topics
concerning psychological chaos, emotional wastelands, psychic trauma, abysses opened up by
the imagination, additionally analyzing ones experience of fear, hysteria and madness.
(Cuddon, 417).The point of getting scared is to feel some sort of catharsis, and Poe tried to
achieve that with as many readers as he could. The masters thesis focuses on different kinds of
horror elements in the story and what purpose these elements serve. Theoretical framework and
methodological grounds, on which thesis is based on, are collected by comparing and referring to
the works of Edgar Alan Poe and other writers who wrote about him such as: Allan Tate,
Benjamin Franklin Fisher and Leo Spitzer. For the purpose of this work, the short story The Fall
of the House of Usher will be analyzed. The elements of horror collected in the story will be
classified into following categories: atmosphere, setting, madness, fear, mental and physical
illness. Each of these categories will be carefully examined in order to see in what ways
influences the characters in the story and what goal all these elements of horror try to achieve.
The main focus of the thesis will be on characters Roderick and Madeline Usher, who are the
protagonists of the story. These two characters in many ways directly and indirectly contribute to
the creation of the spooky atmosphere. In addition, the both of them represent elements of horror
through their behavior, the language they use and through their appearance. Through the analysis
of elements of horror in the short story The Fall of the House of Usher the conclusion has
been made that through these elements of horror, the writer addresses the conflict of fear by
exposing the fear of unknown, of restriction and claustrophobia, and of being out of ones
comfort zone. In addition, these elements, as well as the protagonists, serve the purpose to
emphasize the power and effect of fear on one life.

Key words: Edgar Allan Poe, elements of horror, fear, characters, atmosphere, story, protagonists

References:
1. Cuddon, J. A. The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory. 3rd ed.
London: Penguin Books, 1992, Print.
2. Fisher, Benjamin Franklin. Poe, Edgar Allan. The Handbook of the Gothic . Ed. Marie
Mulvey-Roberts. New York: New York University Press, 2009. 67-75. Print.
3. Spitzer, Leo. A Reinterpretation of "The Fall of the House of Usher. Comparative
Literature, Vol. 4, No. 4 (autumn, 1952): pp. 351-363. Duke University Press on behalf
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