One of Edgar Allan Poe’s exquisite short stories is “The Fall of the House of Usher”, and a truly aberrant character (well they are all pretty weird) is Roderick Usher. As he is my patient, throughout the story I acknowledged his countless signs of abnormal behavior and mental illness. Deriving out of a psychoanalytic mindset he displays several symptoms and indications of depression.
Furthermore, one of the vital signs of depression is the persistent feeling of sadness, of course. As the narrator first approached Usher’s home he responds “I know not how it was--but, with the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit...”, if he JUST approached this house and felt “insufferable gloom” what must Roderick be feeling? Roderick further indicates depression in the beginning as they met, the …show more content…
Foremost, Roderick’s odd behavior is shown through the way he presents himself and his loss of energy, which may be evident to his depression. In this next quote Roderick appears to be suffering from a depression which distorts his perception “He suffered much from a morbid acuteness of the senses;”. As I continue to ponder Roderick throughout the text, the narrator expresses “Her decease,” he said, with a bitterness which I can never forget, “would leave him (him the hopeless and the frail) the last of the ancient race of the Ushers.” this develops evidence to his depression. In this quote Roderick is grieving over the fact that his twin sister, Lady Madeline, has catalepsy and will shortly perish. Consequently his sisters’ soon-to-be death ties into his depression
Furthermore, one of the vital signs of depression is the persistent feeling of sadness, of course. As the narrator first approached Usher’s home he responds “I know not how it was--but, with the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit...”, if he JUST approached this house and felt “insufferable gloom” what must Roderick be feeling? Roderick further indicates depression in the beginning as they met, the …show more content…
Foremost, Roderick’s odd behavior is shown through the way he presents himself and his loss of energy, which may be evident to his depression. In this next quote Roderick appears to be suffering from a depression which distorts his perception “He suffered much from a morbid acuteness of the senses;”. As I continue to ponder Roderick throughout the text, the narrator expresses “Her decease,” he said, with a bitterness which I can never forget, “would leave him (him the hopeless and the frail) the last of the ancient race of the Ushers.” this develops evidence to his depression. In this quote Roderick is grieving over the fact that his twin sister, Lady Madeline, has catalepsy and will shortly perish. Consequently his sisters’ soon-to-be death ties into his depression