In Gothic literature, authors believe society is wrong, and to be oneself they must leave society altogether. Despite using different themes and imagery, both Edgar Allan Poe and Ralph Waldo Emerson achieve similar ideas of the corruption of society and how its expectations crush all diversity. Edgar Allan Poe and Ralph Waldo Emerson both believe in the corruption of society and because of its corruption it destroys the individual.
Edgar Allan Poe and Ralph Waldo Emerson use very different themes in their writings, yet illustrate similar ideas of society’s corruption. In the short story “The Fall of the House of Usher,” Edgar Allan Poe uses the themes of Gothic literature to demonstrate the effect of society on the Usher family. The narrator …show more content…
In the short story “The Fall of the House of Usher, “ Edgar Allan Poe uses dark imagery to show how society has ruined Roderick and everyone that has come before him. When the narrator arrives sees Roderick for the first time in many years, his appearance surprises him, “A cadaverousness of complexion; an eye large, liquid, and luminous beyond comparison; lips somewhat thin and very pallid, but of a surpassingly beautiful curve; a nose of a delicate Hebrew model, but with a breadth of nostril unusual in similar formations; a finely moulded chin, speaking, in its want of prominence, of a want of moral energy; hair of a more than web-like softness and tenuity…”(416). As Roderick doesn’t have any friends, he never has to keep up his appearance, leading to such unruliness. He also has “a corpse-like appearance” and hair like spider webs, so many would most likely cower away from him in fear if he did ever go out in public. Poe uses this dark image of Roderick to show how because of the harshness of society, Roderick is unable to make friends and find any reason to take care of himself, and his sole friend never visits and didn't even recognize Roderick when he finally came as it had been so long and Roderick’s appearance had changed so much. In the short story “Nature,” Emerson uses imagery to exhibit how leaving the hurt of society frees your spirit to be yourself. Emerson speaks of how joyous being in nature is for him, “Crossing a bare common, in snow puddles, at twilight, under a clouded sky, without having in my thoughts any occurrence of special fortune, I have enjoyed a perfect exhilaration”(373). He describes how he feels free when he is alone in nature. Emerson uses imagery of parts of nature he particularly enjoys, to show how its better than society. Nature is completely untouched by the corruption of society,
Edgar Allan Poe and Ralph Waldo Emerson use very different themes in their writings, yet illustrate similar ideas of society’s corruption. In the short story “The Fall of the House of Usher,” Edgar Allan Poe uses the themes of Gothic literature to demonstrate the effect of society on the Usher family. The narrator …show more content…
In the short story “The Fall of the House of Usher, “ Edgar Allan Poe uses dark imagery to show how society has ruined Roderick and everyone that has come before him. When the narrator arrives sees Roderick for the first time in many years, his appearance surprises him, “A cadaverousness of complexion; an eye large, liquid, and luminous beyond comparison; lips somewhat thin and very pallid, but of a surpassingly beautiful curve; a nose of a delicate Hebrew model, but with a breadth of nostril unusual in similar formations; a finely moulded chin, speaking, in its want of prominence, of a want of moral energy; hair of a more than web-like softness and tenuity…”(416). As Roderick doesn’t have any friends, he never has to keep up his appearance, leading to such unruliness. He also has “a corpse-like appearance” and hair like spider webs, so many would most likely cower away from him in fear if he did ever go out in public. Poe uses this dark image of Roderick to show how because of the harshness of society, Roderick is unable to make friends and find any reason to take care of himself, and his sole friend never visits and didn't even recognize Roderick when he finally came as it had been so long and Roderick’s appearance had changed so much. In the short story “Nature,” Emerson uses imagery to exhibit how leaving the hurt of society frees your spirit to be yourself. Emerson speaks of how joyous being in nature is for him, “Crossing a bare common, in snow puddles, at twilight, under a clouded sky, without having in my thoughts any occurrence of special fortune, I have enjoyed a perfect exhilaration”(373). He describes how he feels free when he is alone in nature. Emerson uses imagery of parts of nature he particularly enjoys, to show how its better than society. Nature is completely untouched by the corruption of society,