TheFalloftheHouseofUsher解读

ConanDoyleJulesVerneEdogawaRanpoHitchcock柯南儒勒·凡尔纳江户川乱步希区柯克EdgarAllanPoe埃德加·爱伦·坡爱伦·坡(1809-1849)PositionfamousAmericanpoet,short-storywriterandcriticcontroversialandmisunderstoodinAmerica,butwellreceivedinEurope,esp.inFrancefatherofmodernshortstorydetectivestorypsychoanalytic（精神分析的）criticism爱伦·坡(1809-1849)Theme&Styledeathdisintegration(separation)oflifehorrornegativethoughtsofsciencetraditional爱伦·坡(1809-1849)LiteraryoutputA:poem(TheRaven)B:literarytheory(ThePoeticPrinciple)C:shortstoryMS.FoundinaBottle《瓶中手稿》TheMurdersintheRueMorgue《毛格街血案》TheMysteryofMarieRoger《玛丽.罗热疑案》《厄舍古屋的倒塌》TheTell-TaleHeart《泄密的心》BlackCat《黑猫》TheMasqueoftheRedDeath《红色死亡的化妆舞会》TheFalloftheHouseofUsher《厄舍古屋的倒塌》厄舍古屋的倒塌Maincharacters“I”-thenarratorRoderickUsher罗德里克·厄舍-theboyhoodfriendof“me”MadelineUsher玛德琳·厄舍-Roderick'stwinsister•Thetaleopenswiththeunnamednarratorarrivingatthehouseofhisboyhoodfriend,RoderickUsher,havingreceivedaletterfromhimcomplainingofanillnessandaskingforhishelp.Plotsummary•Inthehouse,itisrevealedthatRoderick’ssister,Madeline,isalsoseriouslyill.•Rodericklaterinformsthenarratorthathissisterhasdiedandinsiststhatshebeentombed（埋葬）fortwoweeksinavault（地下拱顶室）inthehousebeforebeingpermanentlyburied.ThenarratorhelpsRoderickputthebodyinthetomb.Plotsummary•Onenight,astormbegins.Roderickcomestothenarrator’sbedroomnervously.ThenarratorattemptstocalmRoderickdownbyreadingaloudanovel.•Asthenarratorreads,crackingsoundsandshriekareheardsomewhereinthehouse.•Roderickbecomesincreasinglyhysterical,andexclaimsthatthesoundsarebeingmadebyhissister,whowasinfactalivewhenshewasentombed.Plotsummary•ThebedroomdooristhenblownopentorevealMadelinestandingtherewithbloodonherrobe.Shefallsonherbrother,andtheybothlandonthefloorascorpses.•ThenarratorthenfleesthehouseandhelooksbackupontheHouseofUsher.Hewatchesitbreakintwo,thefragmentssinkingintothetarn（小湖）aroundthehouse.PlotsummaryGothicnovelelementsSymbolsCharacters★ThesenseofhorrorandmysteryGothicnovelelementsWhatisGothicliterature?•Beganinthe18thcenturyinEngland•PopularforminBritishliteraryjournals•ImportedintoAmericanshortstoryin19thcentury•Keyingredientissensationalism•Twoextractsp.1221.Itsprincipalfeatureseemedtobethatofanexcessiveantiquity.Thediscolorationofageshadbeengreat.Minutefungioverspreadthewholeexterior,hanginginafinetangledweb-workfromtheeaves.它看上去极为古旧。由于年代久远，房子的色泽消褪得厉害。古厦的外表生了苔藓，屋檐上蛛网密布。Gothicnovelelements•2.Perhapstheeyeofascrutinizingobservermighthavediscoveredabarelyperceptiblefissure,which,extendingfromtheroofofthebuildinginfront,madeitswaydownthewallinazigzagdirection,untilitbecamelostinthesullenwatersofthetarn.•仔细观察，也许会发现一道难以辨识的裂缝，从房子正面的屋顶开始，呈锯齿形沿墙而下，一直通入池塘的死水之中。Gothicnovelelements•ThisnovelisamasterpieceofAmericangothicnovel.Indeed,asinmanyofhistales,Poeborrowsmuchfromthegothicliterarytradition.•Emphasisonsetting–Exterior:castle-likearchitecturesurroundedbydecayinglandscape–Interior:housewithburiedfamilysecrets•Longhistoryoffamilytiedtohouse•Charactersarebroodingandsecretive•ThehouseofUsher：1.Themansion2.TheUsherfamilySymbols•Thefungus-riddenhouse-DeclineoftheUsherfamily•Thecollapsinghouse:-FalloftheUsherfamilySymbols•Thetarn-asmalllakeencirclingthemansionandreflectingitsimage:thedesireoftheUsherstoisolatethemselvesfromtheoutsideworldSymbolsCharactersDoppelgangermotif•Whatisdoppelganger?-“Doppelganger”（面貌相似的人，二重身）isfromtheGermanfor“double-goer”.-Definedas“asecondselforalternateidentity,sometimes,butnotalways,aphysicaltwin.”Doppelgangermotif二重身•Whatfunctiondoesthedoppelgangermotifusuallyserve?-ThethemeofthedoppelgangerappearsregularlyintheGothicliterature-Torepresentthebeliefthathumansareburdenedwithadualnature,asoulforeverdivided•InPoe,onesideofmanisreason,orthemind,theotherisemotion,orthebody•RoderickandMadeleinearegeneticallytwins,butpsychologicallytheyarealsodoubles/doppelgangers.Doppelgangermotif二重身•Whorepresentswhat?RoderickisallmindinaweakbodyHismentalconditionisaffectedbyhisenvironmentHerepresents,tosomeextent,thelifeofanisolatedartistPaintingsReadingGuitarplayingDoppelgangermotif二重身•Whorepresentswhat?AlldescriptionsofMadelinefocusonthebodyIllnesshasweakenedherRoderickandthenarratorhadscrewdownthelidofhercoffin,butshereturnsfromthetombtoreclaimhertwinbrother,her“double”Doppelgangermotif二重身WhatisPoe’spointbycreatingthedoppelgangermotif?-ToaddressthedualandconflictednatureoftheSelf-Mindandbodyareatwarwitheachotherineachofus.Wetrytorepressonesideandlivewithoutit.ButwecannotachieveaharmoniousexistenceinthiswayDoppelgangermotif二重身Theme•Variouskindsofanalyses•Toemphasizethecontradictionbetweenartandmind.Mostartistsareweakintheirheartandaresubjecttothebreakdownofmentality.•Adecayingandrottenheritageisjustlikeanunbearableburden,andleadstodevastationanyway.ItistheintensecontradictionbetweentheresponsibilitytoinheritthetraditionandawarenessofdecayingheritagethatdrivesbothRoderickandMadelinecrazyandleadstotheirdeathandthefallofthehouseofusher.Conclusion•Themajorityofcriticstoday,inAmericaaswellasintheworld,haverecognizedtherealanduniqueimportanceofPoeasagreatwriter.•TheFall