Descriptive Setting in Edgar Allan Poe's Works to Create a Gloomy Effect or Tone
"The Raven"
"The Fall of the House of Usher"
"The City in the Sea"
Describing a city where Death is personified and he is the ruler gives the readers a dreary, gloomy feeling as if the descriptive imagery gives readers the feeling that they are in this dreary city.
The setting and descriptions of “Fall of the House of Usher,” set the stage for a dark, gloomy, and horrifying story. The imagery keeps the readers feeling dreary and gloomy from the first sentence and throughout the story.
In “The Raven,” the setting of the poem that is described within its lines, matches the sorrow, mourning, and hopelessness that the speaker feels for his lost love.
Quotes that contain imagery of melancholy or doom
“Once upon a midnight dreary.” (29)
“…distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December.” (29)
“the silken, sad… purple curtain,” (29)
“cushion’s velvet…/ violet lining.” (32)
[Dark shadows] “lie floating on the floor.” (33)
The month and time of day are gloomy. The colors are dark. The shadows are haunting. All of these lines give readers imagery of a setting that makes them feel as hopeless and melancholy as the speaker.
Quotes that contain imagery of dreary gloom
“a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens,” describes the, ”view of the melancholy House of Usher.” (90)
“I felt that I breathed an atmosphere of sorrow. An air of stern, deep, and irredeemable gloom hung over and pervaded all.” (94)
“Dark draperies hung upon the walls.” (94)
“the under surfaces of the huge masses of agitated vapour…were glowing in the unnatural light of a faintly luminous and distinctly visible gaseous exhalation… “hung about and enshrouded the mansion,” (104-105)
The setting (including the timing) and imagery of colors in this story immediately shows the reader the gloom and dreariness of the story. Poe even uses a storm and how the speaker feels to connect to the reader’s senses and emotions and give them that ever-dwelling sense of gloom.
Similar to wha the imagery does in "The Raven"
Quotes to show that the setting descriptions of a crumbling city and tools such as personification give an overall feeling of dread
“reared himself a throne,” (22)
“Time-eaten towers” and “melancholy waters…No rays from the holy heaven.” (22)
“sculptured ivy and stone flowers” (22)
The personification of death and the image of him sitting in a throne over the city creates a setting that gives the image of a dark figure ruling over an even darker place, which is a picture of gloom for readers. The imagery in the description of the city contributes to a ruined hopeless feeling.
Overall dreadful feeling given by setting just like in "The Fall of the House of Usher
Setting shows gloom just like the Crumbling "City in the Sea"
Thesis to bring all points together: Poe carefully and meticulously uses aspects of setting such as time, color, and imagery in his stories and poems to give his literary masterpieces an incredibly gloomy effect so that readers can relate to the horrific events in his stories and sympathize with the narrator or characters.
Conclusion to tie all imagery and setting together: Poe’s stories and poems are incredibly detailed and descriptive, but one aspect of his works that stands out is setting. His imagery and detail when describing landscapes, timing, and objects or characters present sets the tone for the story or poem. Through stories and poems such as “The Raven,” “The Fall of the House of Usher,” and “The City in the Sea,” readers can see Poe’s diligence in creating a gloomy setting that will affect the tone of the poem and the emotion and feelings of the reader.