Condemned by some critics for its tendencies toward Romanticism, a literary movement marked by melodramatic and maudlin exaggerations, "The Fall of the House of Usher" was nevertheless typical of Poe's short stories in that it presents a narrator thrust into a psychologically intense situation in which otherworldly forces conspire to drive at least one of the characters insane. Summary The narrator approaches the House of Usher on a "dull, dark, and soundless day." ... He listens to Roderick play the guitar (and makes up words for his songs), he reads to Roderick, he sits with him fo...

• Word Count: 1485
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School