Psychoanalysis of The Fall of the House of Usher from the Perspective of Freud’s Personality Structure Theory

Abstract

The Fall of the House of Usher is one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous horror stories. Although there are many external circumstances and other causes that lead to the death of the novel’s protagonist Roderick Usher, the character’s own psychological breakdown is the greatest causative factor. Therefore, this paper uses Freud’s personality structure theory to conduct a more in-depth analysis of the psychopathic psychology of Roderick Usher, and to explore the root causes of his mental breakdown. Then this paper reveals his inevitable eventual death, and finally discusses its warning implications for society.