The Fall Of The House Of Usher (Characters)

      There are three significant characters in this tale: the narrator, Roderick and Madeline Usher. The narrator is a boyhood friend of Roderick Usher. He has not seen Roderick since they were children; however, because of an urgent letter that he received from Roderick which requested his aid, the nameless narrator decides to make the long journey. When Madeline supposedly "dies" and is placed in her coffin, the narrator notices "a striking similitude between brother and sister " It is at this point that Roderick informs his friend that he and the Lady Madeline were twins, and that "sympathies of a scarcely intelligible nature had always existed between them. Due to limited medical knowledge or to suit his purposes here, Poe treats Madeline and Roderick as if they were identical twins (two parts of one personality) . He implies that Roderick and Madeline are so close that they can sense what is happening to each other. This becomes an important aspect in the unity of effect of this particular story.