"ECHOES OF THE UNCONSCIOUS: A PSYCHOLOGICAL READING OF MENTAL DISINTEGRATION IN POE’S THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER"

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between the psychoanalysis, multiple personality conflict and the incidents in the life of Edgar Ellen Poe through his famous writing The Fall of House of Usher, by using Freud's concepts of iceberg and dissociative identity disorder (DID). Literature and human mind are inseparable and the characters, themes and ideas of the story are somehow linked to the life of the writer. Psychoanalysis has been used as a key to unlock the hidden motives and traumas of characters and this has helped us in looking inside the psychological state and mental orientation.  This article deals with the characters, their mental situations the symbols in the story and their meaning in the life of Edgar. The researchers analyzed the motives and expression of Edgar’s life and psychology in this story. The researchers have discussed how the story is linked with the writer subconscious using multiple theories. The story is just not an abstract idea but something that has its origin in the subconscious or in the ID of human mind. Edgar Allen Poe has a distinction in writing mystery, horror, psychological stories with plot isolated from the surrounding. In the targeted story, there are three characters representing id, ego and superego of Edgar Allan Poe and showing various states of his mind in the written work. Different studies on madness, horror and personality conflict of this story has been done but here we will have a combine study of all important aspects.