The Tell Tale Heart Analysis

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Recommended: Critical analysis of the tell-tale heart by Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allen Poe is regarded as an influential author within the genre of horror and gothic tales, that suggest – ‘what is out there.’ Poe is best known for his dark, gruesome images centered on death in order to provide his readers with a sense of terror within. These qualities are evident in Poe’s short story, “The Tell-tell Heart” as the device of the narrator symbolises various characteristics that individuals can hold. This is achieved through Poe utilising various literary devices to express the narrator’s mindset, fears and obsessions, which lead him to committing murder.

Poe is able to inform his readers of ‘what is out there’ by terrifying them of what individuals are capable of doing. “The Tell-Tale Heart” involves the narrator using the technique of praepartio in the first and second paragraph (Zimmerman 37). Poe incorporates this device in order to introduce the characteristics of the narrator by allowing the readers to identity the type of people that could be living in a large city. This is depicted in the short story by showcasing the process and reasons for the ways certain individuals may retaliate and act due to certain fears and obsessions.

Poe exemplifies the idea of terror in “The Tell-Tale Heart” by indicating what humanity is capable of doing in order to conquer their fears. This is conveyed through the narrator’s actions and tone when expressing his sanity although confesses to murder by being horrified of an old man’s vulture eye. Poe’s vivid and rhetoric language portrayed allows his readers to become more aware of ‘what is out there’ by allowing them to grasp the narrator’s thoughts and mindset. This is revealed through the device of an ecphonesis, as it provides emotional and exclamatory phases to show...

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...nable, the readers can begin to question other individual’s actions and behaviors. This is brought upon by the narrator representing that even individuals that claim they are tranquil can still have horrific actions and motives, which can create terror within the readers.

Through Poe’s short story “The Tell-Tale Heart” the readers are able to understand the process and thought behind the narrator motives in wanting to murder the old man. Poe incorporates numerous language devices to terrify the readers of ‘what is out there’ by portraying the narrator being terribly anxious and overwhelmed which symbolises many individuals that live in today’s society. This therefore provides the readers with a sense of fear within them as they may question whom they can trust as any individual can contain the urge to commit murder when placed under pressure or faces with a fear.

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