Analysis of The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

Renee E.

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Analysis of "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe

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Abstract

In the popular short story The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allen Poe reveals the horrid theme that each person has a vicious wicked side or a dark side that can provoke the person into committing unthinkable sins for no apparent reason. Poe was an expert in writing thrillers which the psyche of the main character would be challenged. After reading a story by Poe, the reader often asks whether he/she could possibly do such an evil act. The Tell-Tale Heart is a perfect example of how a person could be driven to commit the most horrendous act of murder for just a simple everyday object. A human being has a perverse, wicked side–another self–that can goad him into doing evil things that have no apparent motive.

Tags: The tell-tale heart analysis, The tell tale heart by Edgar Allan poem analysis, Edgar Allam's poem analysis

Introduction.
1. John Greenleaf Whittier's first publication of the short story The Tell Tale Heart.
2. The tuberculosis that lived daily in the house with Poe.
The story.
1. Span of the story.
2. The use of first person in the story.
3. Male characteristics exhibited by the narrator of 'A Tell-Tale Heart'.
A delicate balance of light and dark or good and evil in relation to human nature.
The narrators failed atempt to prove he is not mad.
The belief in the evil eye.
Conclusion.

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Extract

[...] Whenever it fell upon me my blood ran cold, and so by degrees, very gradually, I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye for ever. (Poe, Tell-Tale Heart) Here the offense is the eye of the old man. This eye is large, bulging, light blue, is covered with a film, and resembles the eye of a vulture. Perhaps the eye was just such a focal point that it made the narrator uncomfortable or it could have through its resemblance to the eye of a vulture, reminded him of his own impending death. [...]

[...] they were making a mockery of my horror! this I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die! and now again hark! louder! louder! louder! LOUDER! "Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more! I admit the deed! tear up the planks! here, here! it is the beating of his hideous heart!" (Poe Tell-Tale Heart) The narrator told on himself. [...]

[...] The tuberculosis that lived daily in the house with Poe was like the evil eye of the narrator's companion. Just as the eye was a part of the companion's body, tuberculosis was a part of Virginia's own body. It was staring at the author daily and would even haunt him when he was not with Virginia. The narrator could only be free from the evil eye through the death of its owner and the death of his beloved wife was the only way to rid Poe of the tragic disease that inhabited his house. [...]

[...] Poe wants to make the readers think about the times between their actions and their being caught. He wants them to remember the kinds of things that occurred to them before they were faced with punishment for their actions. He wants to prove his point that everyone is capable of doing what it takes to conceal their wrongdoings. Once the body is concealed, the narrator must deal with the police. He thought he had been so careful to be quiet, but at this he was unsuccessful. [...]

[...] The gender of the narrator is not specified, but it is likely that it is a male because: The narrator of Tell-Tale Heart" exhibits male characteristics, including A more pronounced tendency than females to commit violent acts. Statistics demonstrate overwhelmingly that murder is a male crime. Physical strength that would be unusual in a female. The narrator drags the old man onto the floor and pulls the bed on top of him, then tears up floorboards and deposits the body between joists. [...]

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