The Fall of the House of Usher

Brief Overview

The Fall of the House of Usher is a gothic novella by Edgar Allan Poe, in which an unnamed narrator visits the gloomy estate of his childhood friend, Roderick Usher. Roderick suffers from a nervous disorder, while his sister Madeline is afflicted by a mysterious illness. As events unfold, the atmosphere in the house becomes increasingly sinister. Madeline dies and is entombed in the family crypt. However, she soon returns as if from the dead, leading to Roderick's demise. In the end, the narrator flees the house, which collapses and sinks into the lake, symbolizing the end of the Usher lineage.