The Tell-Tale Heart Essay
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The Tell Tale Heart is a short story about a nameless narrator who commits murder. The narrator kills an old man who had a blue vulture like eye that made the narrator very uncomfortable. He plans the murder, executes it, and hides the body of the old man in the floorboard. The story falls under the gothic genre (Snodgrass, 2005). The story falls under the gothic category because it is a horror story that tells how a young narrator kills an old man in cold blood and dismembers his body in order to conceal his crime.
The killer claims he is sane and goes into details to explain how he executed the murder. However, when the police came to the Old Man’s house he gives himself away to the police because he hears the heart of the old man beating behind the floorboard and this incident may suggest that the narrator is in fact insane. The author of the story is Edgar Allan Poe an American author who was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston Massachusetts.
His parents David and Elizabeth died before Poe celebrated his second birthday. After their death, he lived with John and Frances Allan, a childless couple. His childhood was sad, he experienced death of his loved at a young age, and the deaths influenced his works, which have the theme of grisly deaths (Meyer, 2000). Poe’s s misery and suffering reverberates in his works and in popular culture today long after his death.
Poe’s story is culturally significant as it shows how the society was during his time. The people were beginning to have an interest in moral insanity (Bynum, 1989). For instance, it is difficult to tell why the narrator killed the old man at the end of the story was it insanity or plan evil disguised as fear of the pale blue eye? The narrator says that he loved the old man and the man had never wronged him yet he still kills the Old man.
The narrator’s sense of morality seems to be suspended because the brutal killing of the old man does not prick his or her conscience but disturbed by the thought that the police know who has committed the murder and only toying with the narrator’s mind. The story is economically successful even though Poe was not able to reap big economical gains from it and his other works and struggled economically.
The story is underpinned in the popular culture as people try to explain murders in which the perpetrators confess (Bloom, 2002). However, the story is economically successful because it has a large following today and it is still widely read. Moreover, the story has been adapted into the popular culture into various media such as television programs, movies that are widely watched and popular such as the Simpsons.
Lastly, the story reinforces the cultural values of moral insanity as the story tries to explain why some people commit horrendous murders to their beloved ones without a valid cause. In the society today, it is common to hear of stories about people killing people close to them for very funny reason like the prisoner in a jail who killed his cellmate because he heard voices tell him to commit the murder (Burrell, 2001).
The Tell Tale Heart is still a relevant story today as it shows how human beings can be demented and invokes people to look more into the lives and psychology mind of the people who commit despicable murders.
Reference List
Bloom, H. (2002). Edgar Allan Poe. New York : Infobase Publishing.
Burrell, I. (2001). Murderer who mutilated inmate locked up for life. Web.
Bynum, P.M. (1989). The Tell Tale Heart and other stories. Ed. Bloom Harold . Web.
Meyers. J. (2000). Edgar Allan Poe: his life and legacy. New York: Cooper Square Press.
Snodgrass, M.E. Encyclopedia of Gothic literature . New York: Infobase Publishing.
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“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe: A Critical Analysis
Introduction: “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
Table of Contents
Main Events in “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
The Narrator’s Obsession and Murderous Plan:
Police Investigation and the Narrator’s Descent:
Literary Devices in “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
| “TRUE!—nervous—very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad?” | The narrator insists on his sanity despite describing disturbing thoughts and actions. | |
| “It grew louder—louder—louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled.” | The phrase “beating of the old man’s heart” is repeated, emphasizing the narrator’s obsession and growing anxiety. | |
| “One of his eyes resembled that of a vulture—a pale blue eye, with a film over it.” | The “vulture eye” symbolizes the narrator’s fear and obsession. It’s a physical detail that represents a larger psychological torment. | |
| “I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him.” | The narrator’s meticulous planning and deceptive kindness foreshadow the eventual breakdown of his sanity. | |
| “I turned the latch of his door and opened it—oh, so gently! And then, when I had made an opening sufficient for my head, I put in a dark lantern, all closed, closed, so that no light shone out…” | Descriptions of darkness, silence, and the lantern’s glow create a dark and suspenseful atmosphere. | |
| “The disease had sharpened my senses—not destroyed—not dulled them.” | The narrator claims his senses are heightened by his illness, but his perception is distorted. | |
| “Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell.” | The narrator exaggerates his hearing abilities, hinting at his mental instability. | |
| “why will you say that I am mad” | The use of “w” sounds creates a sense of urgency and agitation. | |
| “nevertheless the old man died” | The repetition of short “e” sounds creates a sense of finality and horror. | |
| “…and so by degrees—very gradually—I made up my mind to take the life of the old man…” | The repeated phrase emphasizes the narrator’s calculated planning of the murder. | |
| Oxymoron | “I loved the old man. He had never wronged me.” | The narrator claims to love the man he plans and commits murder on, creating a contradiction. |
| “How then am I mad?” | The question is not meant to be answered but to challenge the reader’s perception of the narrator’s sanity. | |
| “The officers were satisfied. My manner had convinced them.” | The officers remain oblivious to the truth despite the narrator’s increasingly frantic behavior. | |
| “Villains! I shrieked, “dissemble no more! I admit the deed!—tear up the planks!—here, here!—it is the beating of his hideous heart!” | The moment the narrator confesses the murder is the story’s climax. | |
| Suspense | “…every night, just at midnight, I looked in upon him while he slept.” | Poe builds suspense by keeping the reader guessing about the narrator’s motivations and the eventual outcome. |
Characterization in “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
The narrator in “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe is a complex and unreliable character. Here’s a breakdown of his characterization using examples from the story:
1. Mentally Unstable:
2. Obsessive:
3. Deceptive:
4. Unreliable Narrator:
5. Deteriorating Mental State:
Major Themes in “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
Writing style in “the tell-tale heart” by edgar allan poe, literary theories and interpretation of “the tell-tale heart” by edgar allan poe.
| The story explores the narrator’s repressed desires and unconscious conflicts. The “vulture eye” could symbolize a castration anxiety or a repressed Oedipal complex, fueling the narrator’s murderous rage. | * The narrator’s fixation on the old man’s eye, a single, pale blue eye, might represent a symbol of something he fears or finds threatening. (Paragraph 2) * The act of murder could be seen as a violent release of these repressed emotions. | |
| The story delves into the complexities of the human psyche, depicting the descent of a mentally unstable narrator into madness. | * The narrator exhibits signs of paranoia, obsession, and a distorted perception of reality. (Paragraph 1) * His meticulous planning and growing guilt highlight the psychological toll of the crime. | |
| The story incorporates classic gothic elements like a dark and suspenseful atmosphere, a focus on death and decay, and an exploration of the macabre. | * The setting of an old house, the dead of night, and the focus on a beating heart create a sense of unease and horror. (Paragraph 3) * The narrator’s descent into madness and the presence of a potentially supernatural element (the sound of the heartbeat) contribute to the gothic atmosphere. | |
| The story uses various symbols to represent deeper meanings. The “vulture eye” could symbolize death, fear, or a sense of guilt. The beating heart could represent the narrator’s conscience or the lingering presence of the victim. | * The “vulture eye” becomes an obsession for the narrator, driving him to commit murder. (Paragraph 2) * The relentless sound of the beating heart, even after the murder, could be interpreted as the embodiment of the narrator’s guilt. (Paragraph 18) | |
| The story hinges on the unreliable narration of a disturbed mind. The reader is left to question the truth of the events based on the narrator’s distorted perception and self-serving justifications. | * The narrator claims sanity while exhibiting clear signs of mental illness. (Paragraph 1) * His justifications for the murder and his actions throughout the story raise doubts about his reliability. |
Questions and Thesis Statements about “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
Thesis statements, short questions and answer about “the tell-tale heart” by edgar allan poe.
| The unnamed narrator in “The Tell-Tale Heart” employs first-person perspective, placing the reader directly within his disturbed thoughts. However, his claims of sanity are undermined by his erratic behavior, obsessive focus on the old man’s eye, and self-serving justifications for the murder. This creates a narrative voice that is both captivating and unreliable, leaving the reader to question the truthfulness of the events described. (Paragraph 1, 2) | ||
| The narrator offers a seemingly trivial reason for the murder – the old man’s “vulture eye.” This explanation, however, lacks depth and raises suspicion. The story’s ambiguity suggests the possibility of deeper psychological issues or repressed urges driving the narrator’s actions. (Paragraph 2) | ||
| Guilt manifests not just through the narrator’s internal monologue but also through a powerful auditory hallucination – the relentless pounding of the old man’s heart. This imagined sound intensifies as the story progresses, transforming from a figment of his imagination to a physical manifestation of his guilt, ultimately leading to his dramatic confession. (Various Paragraphs) | ||
| The story unfolds entirely within the confines of an old house, shrouded in darkness. This claustrophobic setting reflects the narrator’s deteriorating mental state and amplifies the overall sense of dread and suspense. The darkness serves as a metaphor for the narrator’s descent into madness, while the house itself becomes a symbol of his trapped conscience. (Paragraph 3) |
Literary Works Similar to “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — The Tell Tale Heart — Analysis Of The Tell-Tale Heart
Analysis of The Tell-tale Heart
- Categories: Edgar Allan Poe The Tell Tale Heart
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Words: 942 |
Published: Apr 29, 2022
Words: 942 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read
Table of contents
Hook examples for "the tell-tale heart" essay, "the tell-tale heart" essay example.
- An Eerie Opening: Picture a dimly lit room, a vengeful heart, and the relentless sound of a heartbeat. Join me as we descend into the chilling world of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" to unravel the depths of madness and guilt.
- An Intriguing Quote: Edgar Allan Poe once wrote, "True!—nervous—very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad?" Let's delve into the narrator's confession and the psychological intricacies that lie within.
- A Psychological Exploration: What drives a person to commit murder and then be haunted by the sound of their victim's heart? Join me in a deep dive into the disturbed mind of the narrator, as we dissect the elements of obsession, guilt, and madness in the story.
- An Unreliable Narrator: The narrator in "The Tell-Tale Heart" is anything but reliable. Explore with me how his unreliability as a storyteller adds layers of complexity to the narrative, blurring the lines between truth and delusion.
- A Tale of Darkness: "The Tell-Tale Heart" is a masterpiece of Gothic literature. Let's journey together through the macabre and mysterious elements that define this story and examine how Poe's writing style amplifies the sense of dread and horror.
Works Cited
- Bloom, H. (2003). Hamlet: Poem Unlimited. Riverhead Books.
- Boyce, C. (2019). Revenge and Gender in William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Routledge.
- Coddon, K. (2010). Shakespeare, Violence, and the Early Modern Stage. Oxford University Press.
- Dusinberre, J. (2007). Shakespeare and the Nature of Man. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Garber, M. (2013). Shakespeare and Modern Culture. Anchor Books.
- Greenblatt, S. (2010). Hamlet in Purgatory. Princeton University Press.
- Kastan, D. S. (2002). Shakespeare after Theory. Routledge.
- Mowat, B. A., & Werstine, P. (Eds.). (2006). Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Folger Shakespeare Library.
- Smith, E. (2012). Hamlet and Revenge. Edinburgh University Press.
- Wells, S. (2003). Hamlet: A Reader's Guide to Essential Criticism. Palgrave Macmillan.
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Tell-Tale Heart, Essay Example
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“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe continues to remain one of the most fascinating and famous literary works in American history. The chilling story truly represents the tales of a madman as he has clearly lost some semblance of sanity and is justified in killing an old man because of his ‘vulture’ eye. The narrator may in fact be very unreliable in his retelling of the events that take place throughout the story. His insanity may have altered how he truly viewed the world around him, especially with regards to the old man and his frightful eye. It is clear that he does have enough sense about him to recall very finite details, which is something that an unreliable narrator would not be able to do. Therefore, despite his insanity, the narrator helps the reader understand the true story of the events that took place surrounding the old man’s murder.
The beating heart in the story represents the narrator’s conscience and guilt that he feels for his actions against the old man. The heart begins as a dull sound that just barely registers to the narrator, but then eventually escalates so loud and so painful that the narrator cannot take it anymore and confesses his actions. It is not the actual sound of the heart that makes him confess, but the pounding of the narrator’s conscience and the weight of his actions upon his shoulders that forces him to do so. For this reason, the climax of the story actually comes in the end. This is the summation of all of the reader’s feelings for the narrator and the murder of the old man. The pace of the story picks up during this scene and greatly heightens the emotions that the reader feels as the narrator fights with the sound of the beating heart. Everything that happened throughout the story comes to a climactic finish as the narrator screams his confession to the police. This was a perfect ending, and perfect climax for such a story and for this reason, among many others, the story still remains a major part of modern American literature.
Poe, Edgar A. “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Literature.org – The Online Literature Library . Web. 21 Mar. 2010. <http://www.literature.org/authors/poe-edgar-allan/tell-tale-heart.html>.
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Looking for The Tell-Tale Heart essay prompts? Find here all you might need to write a paper on Poe’s short story: The Tell-Tale Heart essay questions, topics, & examples.
In this essay, we will delve into the various elements of "The Tell-Tale Heart," including its historical and social context, the debate surrounding the narrator's sanity, and the psychological theories that can help us understand the character's motivations.
The Tell Tale Heart is a short story about a nameless narrator who commits murder. The narrator kills an old man who had a blue vulture like eye that made the narrator very uncomfortable. He plans the murder, executes it, and hides the body of the old man in the floorboard.
Need help with The Tell-Tale Heart in Edgar Allan Poe's Poe's Stories? Check out our revolutionary side-by-side summary and analysis.
“The Tell-Tale Heart” is one of the creations of Edgar Allan Poe, known as the man who pioneered detective and solve-a-crime stories (Meyers 1992). The said short story is about an anonymous narrator who seems to prove that he is sane yet exhibits a somewhat contrasting behavior for having confessed to the murder of an old man with an ...
Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling short story, “The Tell-Tale Heart,” is a masterful example of Gothic literature that explores the depths of human madness. Amidst its eerie atmosphere and suspenseful plot, one literary device stands out prominently – personification.
Interpretation of “The Tell-Tale Heart” Examples from Story: Psychoanalysis (Freudian) The story explores the narrator’s repressed desires and unconscious conflicts. The “vulture eye” could symbolize a castration anxiety or a repressed Oedipal complex, fueling the narrator’s murderous rage.
A Tale of Darkness: "The Tell-Tale Heart" is a masterpiece of Gothic literature. Let's journey together through the macabre and mysterious elements that define this story and examine how Poe's writing style amplifies the sense of dread and horror.
One key element of ‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart’’ is its first-person point of view. The story unfolds as a monologue from a nervous narrator who describes to the reader how he committed a murder.
“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe continues to remain one of the most fascinating and famous literary works in American history. The chilling story truly represents the tales of a madman as he has clearly lost some semblance of sanity and is justified in killing an old man because of his ‘vulture’ eye.