This painting conjures a sense of isolation, evoking a feeling of abandonment and decay also portrayed in the short story. This painting corresponds to the theme of the macabre because it causes people to feel suspense, fear, and decay, evoking an eerie feeling. Within the story, it is stated, "I looked upon the scene before me—upon the mere house, and the simple landscape features of the domain—upon the bleak walls—upon the vacant eye-like windows..." This quote initially describes the House of Usher and sets a supernatural presence throughout the story.
Later in the story, it says, "And the deep and dank tarn at my feet closed sullenly and silently over the fragments of the 'House of Usher." This final line states that the House of Usher may have an ominous fate upcoming, with supernatural entities surrounding this fate. J.O. Bailey states in their article, "What Happens in "The Fall of the House of Usher," "They seem rooted in some postulate of the supernatural, but the postulate is concealed". This quote emphasizes the use of the eerie feeling of the supernatural, helping to evoke fear within individuals, but the supernatural being is never officially revealed. However, there is always a constant feeling of something darker within the story, perhaps a ghost or a demon present in the home.
Works Cited
Brooks, Katherine. “Famous Paintings That Will the Scare the S**t out of You This Halloween.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 19 Oct. 2015, www.huffpost.com/entry/scary-paintings-from-art-history_n_56216369e4b0b…. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
Cove Studio, studio.covecollective.org/anthologies/eng-235-survey-of-american-literature-sp24/documents/the-fall-of-the-house-of-usher-b0347a1e-623b-4a05-8b42-e38f8df77d42. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.