Poe's Raven & Usher: A Comparison

Edgar Allan Poe has three theories by which he composes his works, According to his essay “The Philosophy of Composition,” a work should be short in length, developed with techniques to achieve a desired result, and the successful conveyance of an impression or effect is essential. In his poem “The Raven” and the short story “The Fall of the House of Usher,” these methods are used successfully.  In “The Raven,” reason has no place the narrator is a man already on the brink of insanity with his longing of Lenore, a deceased woman painted as a Saint in his mind.

In such an unstable psychological state, the heart and mind want what they want. When it is not Lenore, a deceased woman, knocking on his door, the Raven is just a painful reminder that Lenore is gone. A sign that truly shows reason being abandoned is when the narrator begins to attempt at carrying on a conversation- with a bird, I believe the Raven depicts the darkest corners of the narrator’s desperate psychological state of mind.

Nevermore will Lenore returns nevermore will the narrator be sane. The reader is able to feel the sanity sleeping, alliteration and repetition engraves images into the reader‘s mind. Well done, Poe nevermore will anyone be able to look at a black bird again without an ominous feeling shrouding them.  It is noted in ”The Fall of the House of Usher” that the house’s foundation has a crack even without the qualifications of an architect, it is common sense that cracking is a sign of stability weakening.

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The House of Usher‘s appearance prepares the story‘s narrator for the happenings in the house, the psychological stability of his friend weakening. The house’s aura is gloomy with interior decorations to match it shows no signs of the once artistic family that resided there, a family that kept to themselves. The narrator could have paid attention to all of the signs and turned back around, but he fell witness to the events that unfolded.

Seclusion affects people dramatically- especially is secluded for years upon years in Roderick Usher‘s instance, he and his twin sister (and probably lover) are overcome by their residence, Roderick develops a mental disorder, probably from seeing the one person he has in life waste away. It is his belief, he admits to the narrator, that his fears are what will bring his death, Roderick’s sister Madeline could be a manifestation of his already present fear— the fear of Madeline‘s death and abandonment. It is a possibility that burying her is a way of burying his own fears before they consume him; however, his condition worsens as he seems to have no identity without Madeline. As Roderick falls prey to his illness, prey to his house, the House of Usher falls the narrator remains; however, the bloodline of an incestuous and secluded family comes to an end.