The Fall of the House of Usher: A Summary
Edgar Allan Poe’s classic gothic horror story “The Fall of the House of Usher” tells the tale of the mysterious house of Usher and its equally mysterious inhabitants. Published in 1839, this short story has become one of Poe’s most famous and influential works.
The Narrator’s Arrival
The story is narrated in the first-person by an unnamed narrator who has arrived at the House of Usher after receiving a letter from his boyhood friend, Roderick Usher. Roderick has been ill and wanted the company of the narrator.
The House of Usher
The narrator describes the House of Usher as a large, decaying mansion with bleak surroundings. The house seems to have absorbed the gloom of its inhabitants. There are cracks and fissures in the structure, suggesting the house is barely holding itself together.
Meeting Roderick Usher
Roderick Usher appears to be suffering from severe mental and physical illness. He is hypersensitive to light and sound. The narrator tries to cheer him by reading, talking, and listening to Roderick play guitar. Roderick reveals that his twin sister, Madeline, is also ill.
Madeline’s Death
Some days later, Madeline dies and Roderick decides to bury her temporarily in a vault beneath the house. The narrator helps Roderick put the body in the tomb. Over the next few days, Roderick’s mental state further deteriorates.
Madeline Reappears
One stormy night, Roderick becomes increasingly agitated. He claims to hear noises coming from the house. Suddenly, Madeline appears bloodied and enraged at the chamber door. She had been buried alive and managed to break free from her tomb.
The House Crumbles
As Madeline falls on Roderick, the narrator rushes from the house. As he turns to look back, cracks spread across the front of the house. The House of Usher crumbles to the ground, destroying the last remnants of the family.
The supernatural events and symbolic crumbling of the mansion make “The Fall of the House of Usher” one of Poe’s most haunting and memorable stories. Its themes of terror and darkness helped define the American gothic horror genre.
