... states in which she appeared lifeless. This depicts a major hint that she suffered from a live burial. Poe took his reputation for writing Gothic stories a step further with the theme of living inhumation. He involves this theme in many stories, including "The Premature Burial"." Here he shows ... you remain alive. The fear of premature interment encompassed the lives of many, so Poe used it in his favor when writing Gothic stories. The Gothic structure creates a realistic scenario for the reader. Even as they are putting Madeline to her final resting place the narrator makes note ... ...

• Word Count: 1545
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... -absorbed in his plan against the old man. His tragic flaws lead to his ultimate demise and earn him the title of an antihero. The speaker in this 19th century gothic fiction lacks any sign of sound reasoning. He is completely detached from reality and has almost no comprehension of the consequences of his actions like most antiheros. Throughout his recounting ... way he executed his plan against the old man and insists that if he is truly crazy, this insanity has benefited his crime. "But why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses –not destroyed –not dulled ...

• Word Count: 917
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... period focused on life, emotions, and the existence of the human race. Although Poe's work has many characteristics of Romanticism, "The Fall of the House of Usher", falls into the Gothic category. Bringing forth the symbolism of death is a major part of this writing. All of the characters in "The Fall of the House of Usher" are linked to death; by ... knew that he had done this many days before "Long-long-long-many minutes, many hours, many days, have I heard it-yet I dared not-oh, pity me, miserable wretch that I am!-I dared not-I dared not speak! We have put her living in the tomb!" ...

• Word Count: 1415
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... situations and themes of madness, revenge, horror and murder. They all end abruptly, leaving the reader with his hair standing up on the back of his neck. These are short gothic horror stories. The one theme, they all have in common, I believe is how easy it is for man to down slide into insanity. In "The Black Cat" we see the ... alive. In the final story "The Tall-Tell Hart," Poe delivers a short story of a man slipping in insanity. At the very beginning of the story, the narrator asks, "How, then am I mad?" He wants to get rid of an old man that he lived with, just because of the way...

• Word Count: 869
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School