Narrator

Poe meticously, from the opening paragraph through to the last, details the development of the narrator´s initial uneasiness into a frenzy of terror, endangered by and parallel to Usher´s terrors.

-The narrator attributes his fantasyto his subjective perceptions.

-There is a split consiousness in the narrator´s mind between the rational and the super natural.

-In contrast to Roderick, the narrator appears to be a man of common sense. He seems to have a good heart in that he comes to help a friend from his boyhood. The narrator, however is superstitious.

Roderick Usher

Roderick Usher is an educated man. He comes from a rather wealthy family and owns a huge library. He used to be an attractive man but his appearence deteriorated over time.  Roderick had changed so much that the narrator doubted to whom he spoke. Roderick’s state worsens throughout the story. He becomes increasingly restless and unstable, especially after the burial of his sister. He is not able to sleep and claims that he hears noises. All in all, he is an unbalanced man trying to maintain an equilibrium in his life.

Madeline Usher

Lady Madeline does not speak one word throughout the story and she and the narrator do not stay together in the same room. She and the narrator do not stay together in the same room and poe seems to  present her as a ghostlike figure. Before she was buried, she roamed around the house quietly not noticing anything.