Edgar Allan Poe ‘Tell Tale Heart’ and ‘The fall of the house of Usher’ Essay

Show how Poe works language to create atmospheric state and describe the state of mind of the murderer and Roderick Usher. Consider how the advanced(a) commentator might respond to these stories.Daniel Tiernan 4UEdgar Allen Poe was an Ameri stub short tale writer, editor for magazines and poet during the early to mid 19th century. Two of his short stories, The Tell narration Heart and The F exclusively of the Ho intake of Usher were both written during the squared-toe times when Gothic publications was at its height in popularity. The main thesis and features of Gothic literature argon mystery, terror, supernatural, sizable decaying marks or castles and the dead.The Victorian inferers were fascinated by the supernatural especi tout ensembley, with gentlemany still believing in witches and wispy magic. Ideas care these are still found in horror stories straight off and likewise in hits, til now the main attraction for horror movies has changed from supernatural, to audiences wanting to be frightened. Poe was a prolific p crimsonilection of Gothic literature, and his main base for writing was madness, which features in both stories that we have studied. His writing does non just include madness, still also its implications and what it fundament result to if remaining untreated.In the opening sentences Poe captures the subscribers attention with Capitalisation, the use of exclamation mark, repetition and a rhetorical question. True nervous very(prenominal), very dread skillfuly nervous I had been and am scarce why will you hypothecate that I am mad? The fibber is communication with us from the issueset and the capitalisation of the word True, which is not normally employ to open a sentence. He also uses an exclamation mark on the opening word True which makes the reviewer feel as though he has shouted the word out, which is quite bizarre.The repetition and staccato likeness of the opening nomenclature sets a fast tempo to the al legory, which ignites the readers attention and, lends to the readers opening possibleness that the storyteller does not have a level headed mind. The rhetorical question that Poe uses, why will you say that I am mad? is a good literary device as it involves the reader and builds a relationship through the dialogue between the storyteller and the reader, engaging the audience and makes the reader believe that perchance the narrator doubts the stability of his own mind. All these factors show the reader the narrator has an agitated mind and potently suggest the narrators insanity.Poe develops an image of a disturbed soulfulness in the first paragraph, who hears voices in his head. I heard all things in heaven and in Earth. I heard many things in hell, This makes the reader suspect that the narrator is unstable and his actions are the commands of the voices in his head, when referring to hell we suspect that some of these voices are evil and dark in their constitution. A forebodi ng atmosphither is thus produced and it makes the reader to read on with excitement mixed with also a little nervous anticipation.Poe builds up suspense extremely intimately by using imagery and he also slows the tempo down to describe how slowly he was moving his own hand, comparing its speed to that of the minute hand of a measure. A surveys minute hand moves more than quickly than did mine. This description of how slow he moved his manpower makes the reader wonder about his mental health and lends to the theory that he is maybe a schizoid with much paranoia and an extremely strong desire to kill. The modern reader would like this because in to sidereal days stories and films it is ofttimes that there is a madman with a mental condition who is the villain and/or murderer.Midnight was a time when many Victorians believed that supernatural forces were at work. Poe uses this myth to create a dark foreboding atmospheric state. The narrator tells the reader that he entered the sure-enough(a) mans room any night about midnight and reinforces the atmosphere by the use of repetition of the idea of the witching hour. Every night just at midnight and Just at 12. The narrator is building up suspense for the reader by placing his evil deed during what the Victorians called the witching hour. For a Victorian reader they would know the mythological idea that dark powers were at their strongest at midnight, for the modern reader however this probably would not have the same suspenseful impression.Poe uses hands of a minute clock when describing how slowly the narrator moves his own hands. It is a clever play on words, but has good mental picture as it builds suspense and makes the reader wonder about the stability of the narrators mind. A watchs minute hand moves more quickly than did mine This sentence paints the picture of the narrator very very slowly entering the room and it is quite frightening to imagine, it makes us wonder what the narrator is thinking.P oe describes how justly and confident the narrator is feeling in his own wiseness, this underlines the growing feeling of menace. This produces a strong star of foreboding and latent hostility, Never in the first place that night had I felt the extent of my own powers of my own sagacity. I could scarcely contain my feelings of triumph. This sentence is very sinister, as it shows the narrators confidence and audacity in his actions and so called Powers. It shows how he is almost giddy and very excited about his evil plan. This would be attractive for modern readers as it is quite threatening and makes us want to read on to disc over his plan in rich detail. A modern reader can relate this in many modern day films.Poe amplifys the tension when describing how the narrator took an hour to put his head into the door opening. The narrator gives the impression that his sanity has been questioned before, and therefore he asks us candidly. Ha Would a madman have been so wise as this, This adds to the overall effect of horror by the narrator continuously stressing to us that he is not mad and tries to convince us of this by detailing how carefully the murder was planned. By doing so Poe assures our convictions that the narrator is insane. Poe understands that deranged people often try to convince that they are sane when to an outsider they clearly are not. It bridges a intermission that is quite awkward in real animation and he has introduced it into his story.The narrator is distressed by the quondam(a) mans clouded cataract like middle. It disturbs him so much that he says it is the reason he moldiness kill the man. resembled that of a vulture a pale blue eye with a film over it. Poe uses a metaphor to compare the eye to that of a vulture, a scavenger which feeds off the dead dust of animals. This introduces the idea of death, and coldness and makes one apprehensive of the eye. The description of the pale blueness of the eye, could suggest that the narr ator feels the eye looks right into him and his conscience, and that this scares him. Poe emphasizes the old mans eye describing it as, . . evil eye the modern reader can relate to this belief as it is still prevalent in many cultures today.Poe builds the anticipation to a approach when he describes the old mans fear. Groan of mortal terror Poe uses emotive language here and continues to build the suspense the reader can empathise with the old man as indeed does the narrator. I knew what the old man felt, and pitied him this is in direct conflict with the narrators actions, he then went to say, . . . although I chuckled at heart. This demonstrating that he ignores his conscience and follows his overriding intention from his heart to kill. The mortal is very suggestive that the old man knows his doom.Poe then uses the devices personification and metaphor when he says that, death . . . stalked with his black shadow before him, and enveloped the dupe. This is very potent as it gives t he impression of death being a living malevolent force. It is fear-provoking as it suggests that we will be followed before we die and be sucked into a hellish vacuum. The modern reader could bring together this idea with the infamous Grim Reaper. He is a legend that is supposed to take us from this reality to the afterlife.Poe raises the tempo of the story to an electric climax describing the whipping of the old mans heart. It grew quicker and quicker, louder and louder every instant. This use of repetition is demonstrating the old mans fear and replicating the beat of his racing heart, and so we read each word like on heart beat.The raise in tempo of the Old mans heart is relative to the raise in the narrators fury. It increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage. This suggests that he feels that he is being encouraged from a higher power, and his obeying orders (perhaps voices in his head). In addition it is saying that his cause is just and h e is innocent like a soldier in a just war.When the narrator murders the old man, Poe is quite vague about the details. Much is left to the imagination of the reader after reading the description of how he died. I dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. For the modern reader this would not be satisfactory as immediately we watch films with much more graphic details, and need to clearly picture how the murder was committed.The actual murder itself is an anti-climax. In a mode if fact fashion, the narrator dismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs. This makes the reader wonder if the narrator has a conscience at all as he is able to do this without a mite of guilt, as he mutilated a corpse. At this point in the story, the narrator feels he is all powerful and has got away with the murder.I smiled, for what had I to fear? However the anxiety starts to increase again when the narrator hears the old mans heart beating again. It grew, lo uder louder louder The narrator is clearly suffering from hallucinations, perhaps brought on by guilt. The policemen present can hear nothing. The narrator then starts to lose his mind completely. I foamed I raved I swore The feeling that the narrators guilt starts to crescendo to its peak when he blurts out a confession, in front of the startled police officers. dissemble no more I drive the deedIn the story of The fall of the house of Usher the scene is set by a Poes description of a gloomy atmospheric setting. The clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens suggesting threat. as well as Poe uses personification when he describes the House of Usher as melancholy. He starts extending the personification of the House subsequently on in the paragraph, when he writes, the vacant eye-like windows.All these descriptions thus portray an image of a desolate, lowering place. The narrator compares seeing the House of Usher to the horrible reality of somebody for whom the effects of opium are corroding off, revealing a horrible reality. The bitter lapse into everyday life-the hideous dropping of the veil. The modern reader would associate this with way out Cold Turkey. This is good imagery from Poe as it shows clearly that this is not a place someone would like to be and as a result sets a very foreshadow beginning to the story.Just before the narrator enters the house he describes an exterior with some neglect including, small fungi. This suggests decay as Fungi lives off dead remains. Thus firmly setting the story in an atmosphere of gloom and decay.Poe also writes of a barely visible shooter extending from the roof to the place of the house. Barely perceivable fissure this is very foreboding as the reader is already contemplating the significance of the crack in this atmosphere of decay. He is also hinting strongly at what is going to happen to the house. The modern reader is familiar with the genre of the haunted house tales, which is typically set in a place like this. However they would not like the idea of being told the outcome of the story early on, as today stories and movies usually have a big climax where the ending is then discovered.When the narrator enters the house the atmosphere of foreboding continues to build, there is nothing cheerful to be seen. The general furniture was profuse, comfortless, antique and tattered also Poe describes an atmosphere of sorrow. Thus making the reader feel wary of the House.The narrator then focuses on the appearance of Roderick Usher. A cadaverousness of complexion we feel the extent of the narrators shock as Poe has used emotive language cadaver is a dead body.To add to this disturbing appearance the narrator describes Rodericks mental state, An excessive, nervous agitation this would suggest that Roderick does not have a level headed mind and that he suffers from extreme anxiety. Also we can see he is frightened of the future, I must abandon life and reason together, in some strugg le with the grim phantasm, FEAR This shows the depth of Rodericks despair and we can feel his terror, however question the stability of his mind.Poe then introduces Madeline, Rodericks sister into the story. She appears and disappears almost in a ghostly fashion. The narrator is ill at ease I regarded her with an utter astonishment not simple with dread this creates and apparition- like image of Madeline, which again is a popular theme in modern day horror stories.The sense of foreboding continues when Roderick informs the narrator that Madeline has died. Roderick did not want to consult Madelines physicians because of the bizarre nature of her illness. He told the narrator he did not want them probing her corpse for medical science. An unnatural prudence. This is peculiar and unusual on the part of Roderick because in the strong religious times that the tale is set, a normal person would want the body buried on holy ground very quickly.Poe adds a sensation of claustrophobia when he writes about Madelines burial. Half smothered in its oppressive atmosphere. The burial grave accent being very confined could be a metaphor for the lives they are trapped in.The narrator is unable to sleep after Madelines burial, he goes to Ushers room where he notices a deteriortion in Rodericks demeanour. A species of mad hilarity and His air appalled me. To become uncontrollable is very typical of an insane person and so this heightens the stories suspense and sense of foreshadowing.Poe uses the technique of foreshadowing to hint to the reader of what will be Rodericks demise. The narrator reads to Usher to try and calm him down as he is very troubled, however all of the tales three main plots are echoed by what is happening in the house shrieks are heard, a golden reverberation is heard, cracking and ripping sounds are heard. Roderick is very distressed and this adds to the readers apprehension of what is going to happen next. The modern day reader is very familiar with th e genre of someone coming stern at night. Poe also uses the technique the rule of three, with three main plots in the tale which the narrator reads to Usher, this is useful because three is a number used commonly in literature and in the New Testament.Poe introduces the idea of the supernatural when Madeline, appears resurrected after being encoffined and being shut behind a door of, massive cast-iron This is a very frightening image, and terrifies the reader and entices the reader as they are compelled to find out what happens next.The full horror of Rodericks fear is then realised when he dies of fright after Madeline attacks him, A victim to the terrors he had anticipated The reader had also anticipated Rodericks doom almost from the beginning of the story by reading the title of the story. Poe builds the suspense consistently throughout the story.Poe concludes the story in a scandalous and dramatic manner, the narrator fled aghast away from the house and turns back to see a blood red moon, shining through a crack in the house Thus symbolising the death of the house of Usher. This is very eerie and metaphoric as not only has the House of Usher fallen but so has the ancient family line. The suspense is maintained to the very end of the story when Poe uses personification Long degenerate sound, like the voice of a thousand waters when he describes how the lake entombs the House and all its occupantsWhilst Poe is studied at school for academic purposes, I do not think that his books would be the first choice for the modern reader who is reading for pleasure. This is for many reasons.Firstly, the language used is very sophisticated and antiquated, and as in the The extraction of the House of Usher large tracts of literature are used as a device to increase tension. The modern reader has to have lots of patience to fully understand Poes writing and a high level of literacy is assumed by the author. Modern novels are much less literary and a much more basic vocabulary used. At the same time the modern reader expects more graphic details of murders than is provided in either the Tell-Tale Heart or The Fall of the House of Usher Poe writes in such a way that much is left to the readers imagination and this is unsatisfactory nowadays when so much can be shown to the modern reader via other genres such as film and television. like musicMoreover both of these novels are very much a product of Victorian times with their emphasis on night time terrors which reflected the beliefs of purchase order at that time. Todays society tends to dismiss these beliefs as old fashioned and irrelevant. However Poes writing is very skilful in his use of various techniques and I admire him for that, but I strongly feel that he would not be such a successful writer if he was alive today.