Comparison and Contrast of Gothic Imagery and Settings in The Fall of the House of Usher and The Yellow Wallpaper

Gothic literature is known for its use of dark imagery, decaying settings, and a sense of mystery and psychological horror. Both Edgar Allan Poe’s "The Fall of the House of Usher" and Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s "The Yellow Wallpaper" make prominent use of Gothic imagery and settings to underscore the themes of mental deterioration, isolation, and the supernatural. Despite sharing many Gothic conventions, the two stories differ in their use of Gothic elements and how these elements serve the narrative. This comparison will explore how the physical settings, symbolic imagery, and psychological atmosphere are used in both stories to heighten their respective themes.

1. The Setting: Decay and Isolation

"The Fall of the House of Usher"

In Poe’s story, the House of Usher itself is the most striking Gothic element. The mansion is described in great detail to reflect the decay and deterioration of the Usher family. The house is located in a remote and desolate area, surrounded by dark, oppressive weather and a murky tarn, which further evokes a sense of isolation. The structure of the house is old and crumbling, and its eerie, decaying condition symbolizes the decline of the Usher family. The physical environment is almost a reflection of the mental and emotional state of its inhabitants, especially Roderick Usher, whose physical and psychological deterioration is mirrored in the house’s disrepair.

• Imagery of Decay: The decaying house functions as a metaphor for Roderick Usher’s fragile state of mind, while the crumbling walls and the shadows that seem to move within the house create a sense of impending doom.

• Isolation: The mansion’s isolated location in a remote area, far from civilization, intensifies the Gothic atmosphere, emphasizing the theme of solitude and psychological entrapment.

"The Yellow Wallpaper"

In contrast, "The Yellow Wallpaper" uses the setting to reflect the mental confinement and isolation of the narrator. The narrator is confined to a room with yellow wallpaper as part of a rest cure for her mental illness. The setting, like in Poe’s story, plays a key role in representing the psychological oppression the protagonist experiences. The room is described as having locked windows and bars on the doors, reinforcing the theme of imprisonment. Unlike Poe's use of the environment as a direct reflection of a family’s decline, the setting in Gilman’s story focuses on gendered isolation, with the woman being physically trapped by her husband’s medical treatment.

• Symbolism of the Room: The locked room where the narrator spends most of her time becomes a symbol of the oppression and confinement imposed by her husband's treatment and society's expectations of women at the time. The yellow wallpaper itself serves as a symbol of the narrator’s deteriorating mental state and her growing desperation.

• Psychological Entrapment: The wallpaper, initially seen as an ordinary object, comes to represent the narrator’s growing obsession and the psychological imprisonment she feels, amplifying the claustrophobia of the setting.

2. Gothic Imagery: Supernatural Elements and Mental Deterioration

"The Fall of the House of Usher"

Poe uses supernatural imagery to emphasize the connection between the physical house and Roderick Usher’s mental state. The house is not only described as decaying, but it also seems to have an almost sentient quality, as if it is alive. The final moments of the story reveal that the collapse of the house is directly linked to the death of Madeline Usher, Roderick's twin sister. Her return from the tomb, in a bloody and ghostly form, further intensifies the supernatural atmosphere. The cracks in the walls, the eerie sounds, and the final destruction of the house serve as manifestations of the family’s cursed history and Roderick’s madness.

• Gothic Horror: The supernatural elements—such as the eerie sound of footsteps, the mirroring between Roderick and Madeline, and the sudden collapse of the house—create a strong sense of unreality and psychological terror.

"The Yellow Wallpaper"

In Gilman’s story, the supernatural element is more psychological, but the narrator’s obsession with the yellow wallpaper blurs the line between reality and imagination. She believes that there is a woman trapped inside the wallpaper who is trying to escape, a hallucination that becomes more intense as her mental state deteriorates. The creeping woman in the wallpaper symbolizes the narrator’s desire for freedom and her growing sense of being trapped in her own life. While the supernatural element is not as overt as in Poe’s work, the distorted perception of reality heightens the Gothic horror in the story.

• Psychological Supernaturalism: Unlike Poe’s overt supernaturalism, Gilman’s supernatural imagery is a manifestation of the narrator's fractured mind. The vision of the woman trapped in the wallpaper gradually takes on more form and agency, symbolizing both the narrator's growing madness and the subjugation of women during the period.

3. Psychological Atmosphere and the Gothic Tone

"The Fall of the House of Usher"

Poe masterfully uses psychological atmosphere to develop a sense of impending doom. The creepy, oppressive mood of the house, combined with Roderick’s disturbed behavior, creates a tense and uncomfortable environment. The Gothic tone is set with the dull, gray weather, the dark interiors, and the ominous feeling that something unnatural is happening. The narrator’s perception of the house as “living” contributes to this psychological unease, suggesting that the mental state of the inhabitants is intricately tied to the physical state of the house. The Gothic setting in The Fall of the House of Usher becomes a **reflection of the decaying minds of the characters.

"The Yellow Wallpaper"

Similarly, Gilman uses the isolated setting of the room, the peculiar wallpaper, and the narrator’s increasing fixation on the wallpaper to create a psychologically charged atmosphere. As the narrator’s condition worsens, the setting becomes a trap, and the tone of the story shifts toward a sense of claustrophobia and madness. The yellow wallpaper itself, initially described as unappealing and mundane, gradually transforms into something menacing and haunting, representing the narrator’s struggle for freedom from both her mental state and societal limitations. Like Poe’s story, the psychological setting plays a crucial role in maintaining the Gothic tone.

4. Conclusion: Gothic Imagery as a Reflection of Mental States

Both "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "The Yellow Wallpaper" make extensive use of Gothic imagery and settings to explore themes of mental decay, isolation, and the psychological effects of confinement. While Poe’s story employs more overt supernatural elements and focuses on physical decay, Gilman’s work is more concerned with the internal psychological decay of the narrator. In both stories, the settings—the house in Poe’s tale and the room in Gilman’s—become symbolic of the characters’ psychological states, highlighting the deep connection between mental and physical decay. Though the stories differ in their approach to the supernatural, they both use Gothic elements to heighten the psychological horror and tragic inevitability that define the characters’ fates.