%0 Journal Article %T A Feminist Interpretation of <i>The Fall of the House of Usher</i> %A Nanwei Zeng %J Open Journal of Social Sciences %P 385-396 %@ 2327-5960 %D 2023 %I Scientific Research Publishing %R 10.4236/jss.2023.115024 %X The Fall of the House of Usher is a short story produced by Edgar Allan Poe, a famous writer who is known for short stories and poems. The story, featuring Gothic style, narrates the collapsing of an ancient noble family. Since it is an ancient and male-dominated family, it features feudalism and patriarchy. Under such circumstance, it is inevitable that Madeline, the only woman of this family, is oppressed by her male counterpart Roderick and her life is manipulated by him. Despite sufferings in the Usher family, Madeline the oppressed develops herself from a traditional woman who totally relies on her male counterpart and the family to a progressive one who finally fights for herself. Meanwhile, the feminist movement sweeps out the West and Madeline, as a progressive woman, can be regarded as a representative of the movement. This essay intends to, from the perspective of feminism, analyze Madeline¡¯s status in the Usher family, her subversion and her characteristics. %K < %K i> %K The Fall of the House of Usher< %K /i> %K Feminist Criticism %K Edgar Allan Poe %U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=125236