The Fall of the House of Usher Notes (copy)

Epigraph

A quotation or excerpt at the beginning of a literary work, often setting the theme.

The House of Usher

A decaying mansion that symbolizes the Usher family's decline and mental turmoil.

Roderick Usher

The narrator's childhood friend, who suffers from acute bodily illness and mental disorder.

Madeline Usher

Roderick Usher's twin sister, whose illness and eventual death significantly affect him.

Sentience

The capacity to feel, perceive, or experience subjectively; Usher believes in the sentience of inanimate objects.

Vapor

A visible suspension of liquid particles in air, often associated with the atmosphere of gloom in the story.

Melancholy

A deep, persistent sadness or gloom, experienced by Roderick Usher.

Pestilent

Causing or capable of causing disease; often used to describe the atmosphere surrounding the Usher house.

Tarn

A small mountain lake; the black and lurid tarn is a key setting in the story.

Mad Trist

A fictional story read by the narrator, which parallels events occurring in the House of Usher.

Cadaverous

Resembling a corpse; pale and thin, often describing Roderick Usher's appearance.

Superstitions

Beliefs or practices that are not based on scientific knowledge; Roderick Usher has many regarding his family's home.

Entombment

The act of placing a body in a tomb; Roderick plans for Madeline’s temporary entombment.

Gothic architecture

Design style characterized by dark, ornate structures, significant in the description of the House of Usher.

Phantasmagoric

Having a dreamlike or surreal quality, often suggesting visions or illusions; describes Usher's character.

Apathy

Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern; describes Madeline Usher's condition before her death.