"The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe
Lesson plans and teaching resources

Biography and background information, Edgar Allan Poe
Lesson plans, activities, and information on Poe's life and times.

"The Fall of the House of Usher"
Downloadable text of the story in multiple formats, including EPUB, Kindle, and plain text.

"The Fall of the House of Usher"
Audio files of the story.

"The Fall of the House of Usher"
Hypertext of the story. Links provide pop-up support for close reading.

"The Fall of the House of Usher"
Extensive questions to guide student comprehension.

"The Fall of the House of Usher"
Summary and extensive analysis of the story.

"The Fall of the House of Usher" vocabulary
66 words presented in order, in context, and with definitions. Click on a word for pronunciation, synonyms, examples of use, and more.

Teacher Guide to "The Fall of the House of Usher"
How might students use storyboards to demonstrate and to extend their learning? Check the resources here. Includes essential questions, practice with a plot diagram/summary, analysis, vocabulary, theme, more. Note: sponsored link.

The Gothic
In this video from the British Library (8:51), Professor John Bowen discusses key motifs in Gothic novels, including the uncanny, the sublime and the supernatural. Includes brief discussion of sexuality as motif; preview for appropriateness. Also available at YouTube, here .

Lady Madeleine
This study guide is designed for a theatrical production but includes materials for studying "The Fall of the House of Usher," on which the play is based. Story summary, questions for discussion and analysis, character analysis, writing tasks. Author biography and timeline. Introduction to elements of Gothic literature 34 pages; requires Adobe Reader.