Themes of The Accursed House by Émile Gaboriau

 Themes of The Accursed House by Émile Gaboriau

Émile Gaboriau’s The Accursed House is not a supernatural ghost story. It is a satirical and psychological story which exposes human fear, suspicion, and the power of public imagination. The house becomes “accursed” not because of ghosts, but because of human thinking and social panic.

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1. Theme of Superstition and Irrational Fear

The central theme of the story is superstition.
The tenants believe that something terrible must be hidden behind the act of lowering the rents. Since lowering rent is unusual, they suspect danger. Slowly, a simple act of generosity turns into a source of fear.

Example:

The tenants repeatedly say, “There is something under all this!” even though nothing harmful has happened. They believe that such an act cannot be natural.

No real curse exists, yet the house earns a fearful reputation. The story shows how people create fear without proof and how superstition grows from imagination.

2. Theme of Fear Created by the Human Mind

Fear in the story is psychological, not supernatural.
Once the tenants start suspecting danger, they begin to hear strange noises, imagine ghosts, and expect disasters. Ordinary sounds and events are misunderstood as signs of something terrible.

Example:

 Tenants on the upper floors claim to hear “strange and inexplicable noises.”

 The nurse says she saw “the ghost of the defunct proprietor holding a rent receipt.”

These incidents are not proved; they are results of fear. Gaboriau shows that fear makes ordinary sounds and events appear terrifying.

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3. Theme of Power of Rumour and Public Opinion

Rumour plays a very strong role in the story.
One tenant’s doubt influences another, and soon the entire building is filled with suspicion. No one has real evidence, but everyone says, “There is something under all this.”

Example:

Different explanations are suggested:

·       The house is badly built

·       The roof is unsafe

·       There is a counterfeit coin press in the cellar

·       Spies are living in the house

·       The proprietor plans to burn the house for insurance money

None of these ideas is supported by evidence. Still, fear spreads from floor to floor. This shows how public opinion creates panic without truth.

This theme shows how public opinion spreads panic, even among sensible people. Once a rumour begins, it becomes impossible to stop.

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4. Theme of Suspicion of Goodness

An important ironic theme of the story is that people distrust goodness.
The Vicomte lowers rents out of kindness and fairness, but people refuse to believe such generosity. They feel that no one would reduce income without a dark reason.

Example:

The tenants believe that “an intelligent man would never deprive himself of good revenues without terrible reasons.”

Some even think the Vicomte must have committed a crime and is trying to cover it with charity.

Gaboriau suggests that people find it easier to believe in evil than in goodness.

Gaboriau criticizes society for believing evil more easily than goodness.

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5. Theme of Human Weakness and Cowardice

The tenants are shown as mentally weak and cowardly.
Instead of thinking calmly, they panic, imagine danger, and finally flee. Even the concierge Bernard, who knows there is no proof, becomes a victim of fear.

Example:

·       One tenant gives notice first, then others follow.

·       By the end of the week, all three-and-twenty tenants leave the house.

·       Servants demand triple wages because they are afraid.

·       Even Bernard, the concierge, becomes so terrified that he finally gives up his job and runs away.

This shows how fear defeats courage and reason.

The story shows how human weakness allows fear to overpower reason.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, The Accursed House is a story about human psychology. Its major themes are superstition, fear, rumour, distrust of goodness, and human weakness. The house becomes accursed because people believe it is accursed.

Émile Gaboriau teaches us that:

• fear spreads faster than truth
• imagination can destroy reality
• reason is often defeated by public panic

Thus, the real curse lies not in the house, but in the human mind.