ELEMENTS OF THE EARLY GOTHIC IN E. A. POE’S “THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER”
ELEMENTS OF THE EARLY GOTHIC IN E. A. POE’S “THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER”

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the paper is to examine Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Fall of the House of Usher” against the legacy of the Early English Gothic and establish a connection between the two. Firstly, an overview of the works of the Gothic genre in England is given, followed by a short timeline of the works in the genre on the American continent with special regard to the work of E. A. Poe and the short story upon which this paper focuses. Several pivotal points are used to establish a correlation with Poe’s story and the works of the Early Gothic, such as the setting, family relations, the treatment of madness, intensity of emotions, the role of prophecy, the structure of the narrative, and the supernatural occurrences. The conclusion summarizes the influence early Gothic works had on E. A. Poe and how his story had enriched the entire Gothic genre.

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