Examples Of Dark Romanticism In The House Of Usher

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The Romantic Era of the 18th century was filled with writers and critics, such as Edgar Allan Poe. His work is known for its gothic horror and suspenseful outlook, which is considered to be Dark Romanticism. Literature in this time period was influenced by Transcendentalism and the ideas of mankind, nature, and divinity, but did not directly embrace it. Poe was a Dark Romantic because his writing presented individuals prone to sin and self-destruction, rather than a soul born with goodness and perfection. There are many ways Poe's work represented Dark Romanticism. He took on this style of writing because he experienced many hardships growing up and he chose to write about them in a dark, mysterious way. His writing developed as Dark Romanticism …show more content…

The purpose of Poe's work was to affect the reader in an erratic way. He did this as he exemplified ¨the deepest divisions of the self: the conflict of beautiful ideals and dark impulses¨ (Poe). His subject matter would be the most frightening experiences and horrific scenes, which the readers could have never even imagined before. In one of his most famous pieces, The Fall of the House of Usher, his most mysterious side is shown as he tells a story of a childhood friend named Roger and his haunted house. Fear is a major theme in the story and exists within Roger as he faces physical and emotional unstableness. He says, ¨I feel the time will soon arrive when I must lose my life, and my mind, and my soul, together, in some last battle with that horrible enemy: Fear!¨ (Poe 25). Dark Romantic authors like Poe believe in the idea that humans are born evil and struggle their whole lives to keep this evil from overtaking them. In the story, Roger battles against evil and faces fear of death. As this evil continues to grow inside of him, the narrator sees no hope. Poe states, ¨I saw more clearly the usefulness of all attempts to bring happiness to a mind from which only darkness came, spreading upon all objects in the world its never-ending gloom¨ (Poe 27). The Romantic

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