Warning: This article contains major SPOILERS for The Fall of the House of Usher.
Summary
- The characters in the Netflix series The Fall of the House of Usher have significant nmes that connect to Poe's stories and poems.
- Many of the characters in the show face fates similar to their on-page counterparts, adding a dark twist to their storylines.
- The names of the characters hold deeper meanings that align with their personalities and actions throughout the series.
Roderick Usher has six children who are dead by the end of The Fall of the House of Usher, and all of them have significant names. Since the Netflix show is based on Edgar Allen Poe's story of the same name, it's no surprise there are dark twists throughout its eight episodes. The characters in the show are spoiled and entitled, but they all get their comeuppance by The Fall of the House of Usher's ending. Their deaths are even connected to the meanings behind their names.
Characters in a show based on Poe's work certainly couldn't have ordinary names, and The Fall of the House of Usher ensures they don't. In fact, all the names come from Poe's stories and poems. And although not every character faces a fate similar to their on-page counterpart, some of them do. This is a pretty clever way of honoring Poe and fans of his work in Netflix's The Fall of the House of Usher. From the youngest kid to all of Roderick illegitimate children, every character has a deeper meaning behind their name.
Frederick Usher
Frederick Usher was named after Frederick from Poe's first printed short story, "Metzengerstein: A Tale in Imitation of the German." In German, Frederick is known to mean "peace" or "peaceful ruler," which is ironic, as nothing about the Usher family suggests they live in peace. In "Metzengerstein," Frederick exhibits cruel behavior due to his immense power at a young age. In the end, he dies in a fire after entering a burning castle. This is pretty similar to how Frederick dies in The Fall Of The House Of Usher: in the demolition of a building. However, Frederick's death is also inspired by Poe's story "The Pit and The Pendulum."
Tamerlane Usher
In The Fall of the House Of Usher, Tamerlane Usher runs her own wellness brand. However, Tamerlane doesn't practice what she preaches, and she's pretty terrible to her husband. She dies a gruesome death after smashing the mirrors in her bedroom. The Usher child's name comes from Poe's poem, "Tamerlane," which is about a ruler who sacrifices love for power. This plays well into the new Netflix series, which is seemingly all about power and money. The name itself is typically used for men, but it translates to power and resilience, two things Tamerlane strives for throughout the series.
Victorine Lafourcade
Victorine Lafourcade is one of Roderick Usher's illegitimate children. Her death is based on Poe's story The Tell-Tale Heart, but her name comes from a different story. Victorine dies in a murder-suicide after killing her girlfriend, who wants to expose her family. In the Poe story "The Premature Burial," Victorine is accidentally buried alive by her lover, causing the narrator to also fear being buried alive. In Latin, Victorine means "victory" — and while the Usher child does die, she is victorious in stopping her girlfriend from exposing her family.
Camille L'Espanaye
Camille L'Espanaye is also an illegitimate child of Roderick and runs public relations for the family. Camille's name comes from Poe's short story "The Murders in the Rue Morgue." In the story, a woman and her daughter, Camille, are murdered by an orangutan after escaping a sailor's capture. This is pretty close to how Camille is killed in The Fall of the House of Usher, as she goes to Victorine's lab and is murdered by monkeys. Camille has French origins and is said to mean "priest's helper," which connects to the way Camille is Roderick's helper, aiding him in controlling the public image of the family.
Napoleon "Leo" Usher
Napoleon "Leo" Usher is inspired by a character in Edgar Allen Poe's story "The Black Cat." However, his name actually comes from another Poe story: "The Spectacles." In the story, Napoleon is nearly tricked into marrying his great-great-grandmother. This is not showcased in The Fall of the House of Usher. Instead, Napoleon is dating a man named Julius, and he dies when he falls out the window of their apartment. The name Napoleon has many origins but is seemingly based on the Napoleon Complex (named after Napoleon Bonaparte), which the Usher family certainly has.
Prospero "Perry" Usher
Prospero "Perry" Usher is the youngest Usher to die and the first to be killed by Verna. Prospero hosts a wild party at a warehouse, which ends in him and most of his guests dying from acid rain. The masquerade party Prospero hosts comes straight from the Poe story "The Masque of the Red Death."
In "The Masque of the Red Death," Prince Prospero hosts a masquerade party to avoid a plague, but he is killed by a masked figure during the festivities. Prospero translates to "prosperous" or "fortunate," and while the character dies an unfortunate death in The Fall of the House of Usher, he does live a lavish life while he's alive. As the youngest, he is quite flashy, unapologetically showing up at his brother's wife's house in a fancy car and inviting her to his party.
Lenore Usher
Lenore isn't Roderick's child. She's actually Frederick's daughter, making her Roderick's granddaughter. Lenore is different from the rest of the characters in The Fall of the House of Usher, as she is relatively innocent and doesn't deserve to die. Roderick even feels that Lenore shares positive qualities with his first wife, Annabel Lee. Lenore is based on the character from the Edgar Allen Poe poem "The Raven." In the story, the main character is visited by a raven while mourning the death of his love, Lenore.
The name Lenore has been interpreted as meaning "shining light," which fits Lenore's character well, as she's the only decent member of the main family in The Fall of the House of Usher. Lenore gets a much more peaceful death than her relatives, which also fits well with her name. Unfortunately, the fact that she is an Usher means that her life cannot be spared. The way Roderick is haunted by Lenore's death is similar to the main character in "The Raven" who's mourning their love. It's also a nice way to pay homage to Poe's work in the Netflix series The Fall of the House of Usher.