THE MAIN CHARACTER’S PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDER IN E.A. POE’S THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER

Abstract

In this thesis, the writer studies Roderick Usher as the main character in The Fall of the House of Usher. The study is on the main character’s psychological disorder. The discussion is focused on type of psychological disorder and its causing factor. The purposes of this thesis are (1) to find and describe the types of psychological disorder of the main character represented in the short story, (2) to know and describe the causing factors of the main character’s psychological disorder. In analysis of this Poe’s story, the writer uses Sigmund Freud’s theory, the psychoanalysis. The psychoanalysis is a method of treating emotional and psychological disorder (Bressler.1999). Method which is applied in the thesis is psychoanalysis method. The story is analyzed in content analysis by exploring intrinsic elements of the story psychologically. The result of the study is that the main character named Roderick Usher experiences psychological disorder with the types of anxiety, mood disorder and schizophrenia disorder. The psychological disorder is due to some factors like Usher family, the mysterious illness and the Usher’s house factors.
Key words : psychological disorder, anxiety, mood disorder, schizophrenia