The Haunting Adaptation: Unveiling the Chilling Secrets of Edgar Allan Poe's 200-Year-Old Controversial Story in House of Usher

Spoilers for Netflix's The Fall of the House of Usher ahead.

Summary

The Fall of the House of Usher cleverly incorporates elements from Edgar Allan Poe's works, such as episode titles and character names, enhancing the complexity of the series. In episode 7, a notable reference to Poe's short story "Berenice" can be observed, where Frederick exhibits his obsession and jealousy by forcibly removing Morelle's teeth.

Frederick, much like the protagonist in "Berenice," faces the consequences of his actions through a painful demise, establishing a connection to the themes explored in Poe's story.

In a chilling moment, filmmaker Mike Flanagan incorporates a subtle reference to a controversial short story by Edgar Allan Poe in his series, The Fall of the House of Usher. While the show's present-day setting revolves around real-world issues like the opioid crisis, it cleverly alludes to various poems and stories by Poe throughout its eight-episode duration. The titles of the episodes, character names, developments, and outcomes are all loosely inspired by Poe's works.

However, while some of these easter eggs in The Fall of the House of Usher are merely mentioned without much significance to the show's overall storyline, others warrant a closer examination as they are intricately tied to the underlying themes of the series. One particular allusion emerges in a terrifying scene from episode 7, and what makes it particularly compelling is its foundation in a controversial Edgar Allan Poe narrative, offering profound insights into the motivations of a key character in the show.

Morelle's Teeth Extraction Is A Reference To Edgar Allan Poe's Berenice

The Fall of the House of Usher's episode 7 showcases one of its most horrifying moments: the extraction of Morelle's teeth by Frederick. This gruesome scene is motivated by Frederick's disturbed state upon discovering that Morelle attended Prospero's party and attempted infidelity. The inspiration for this scene comes from Berenice, a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. In Berenice, the narrator Egaeus becomes increasingly fixated on his wife's teeth as the rest of her body deteriorates from an unnamed illness. Consumed by his obsession, Egaeus even envisions examining her pearly whites from different angles after her burial.

With what follows, the narrator awakens to a scream one day and discovers a lamp and a box placed directly in front of him. In due course, his servant reports that his wife's grave has been tampered with and now accommodates a grotesquely disfigured body that is miraculously still alive. Upon finding his clothes drenched in mud and blood, and stumbling upon dental instruments along with a collection of thirty-two teeth inside the box, Egaeus realizes the horrifying truth of what he might have inflicted upon his wife, Berenice. After its initial publication in 1835, Berenice stirred controversy among numerous readers due to its explicit depictions of Egaeus' monomania. As a result, the story underwent significant revisions before it was reissued in 1840, despite Poe's disapproval of the criticism.

Why Frederick Removes Morrie's Teeth In The Fall Of The House Of Usher

Similar to the protagonist Egaeus in Edgar Allan Poe's story, Frederick Usher in Henry Thomas' Frederick Usher also becomes fixated on his wife's teeth in the Netflix series. He claims that he fell in love with her because of her smile. Intending to destroy the very thing that still makes him love her, Frederick proceeds to extract her teeth, reminiscent of the protagonist in Poe's Berenice. Regrettably, like Egaeus, Frederick also suffers the consequences of causing harm to his wife, as Verna inflicts upon him a slow and agonizing death. In the concluding moments of The Fall of the House of Usher, the series makes another reference to Berenice when Verna remarks that if Frederick had never pursued his father's career path, he could have excelled as a remarkable dentist.

Editor's P/S

In Mike Flanagan's adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher," the filmmaker incorporates subtle references to Poe's other works, creating a complex and interconnected web of stories. One such reference occurs in episode 7, where Frederick, consumed by jealousy and rage, forcibly removes Morelle's teeth. This scene directly parallels the events of Poe's controversial short story, "Berenice," in which the protagonist, Egaeus, becomes obsessed with his wife's teeth as she lies dying from an unnamed illness.

The connection between these two stories is significant, as it highlights the theme of obsession and the destructive consequences it can have. In both stories, the protagonists are driven to madness by their fixations, ultimately leading to their downfall. By referencing "Berenice" in this way, Flanagan adds depth and complexity to his adaptation of "The Fall of the House of Usher," while also paying homage to Poe's original work.