This section of the short story comes towards its
denouement, as the storm that clearly symbolises the intense agitation inside Roderick
himself reaches its height as does Roderick's nervous agitation. Desperate to try and do
something to calm Roderick down and take his mind off the storm, which is clearly
causing such bizarre behaviour, the narrator takes what he calls one of Roderick's
"favourite books" and begins to read it to him in an attempt to calm him down. Note what
the narrator says of this choice:
The antique volume which I had taken up was the
"Mad Trist" of Sir Launcelot Canning; but I had called it a favourites of Usher's more
in sad jest than in earnest; for, in truth, there is little in its uncouth and
unimaginative prolixity which could have had interest for the lofty and spiritual
ideality of my friend. It was, however, the only book immediately at hand; and I
indulged a vague hope that the excitement which now agitated the hypochondriac, might
find relief... even in the extremeness of the folly which I should
read.
What is ironic however
about his reading choice is that the content of the passage he is reading, where
Ethelred gains admission into a building by force, is about to be acted out in the most
terrifying way by Madeline herself, causing Roderick even greater
suffering.
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