Introduction
The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe is a well-known story that is quite symbolic and has rich themes. The story is quite puzzling, given the presence of an unknown narrator who makes an effort to assure the readers of his sanity while describing how he killed an innocent man. Through a vivid depiction of themes of guilt, madness, and death, as well as the symbols of heart and eye, the author masterfully illuminates the persisting insanity of the narrator.
Themes
The first theme is the one of guilt and conscience. As seen throughout the story, such a feeling devours the narrator, causing physical and mental agony, with the man having nowhere to hide. The torment of the narrator’s conscious leads him to confess the murder of the old man since “it is the beating of his hideous heart” that is making him overwhelmed (Poe par. 18).
Moreover, through his elements, Poe delves deeper into the theme of madness, drawing a thin line between sanity and insanity (Studniarz 108). After committing murder and being haunted by the ominous reminders of his victim, the efforts to convince the readers of his sanity only make him appear madder. In the beginning, the narrator asks, “Why will you say that I am mad?” being blind to his actions and reasons why it was wrong to do so (Poe par. 1).
Finally, the theme of death permeates the story, emphasizing the struggles of the old man who was murdered. As the narrator emphasizes, the beating of his victim’s heart “increased [his] fury” (Poe par. 10). Overall, the recurring themes highlight the fragility of life, human consciousness, as well as the power of insanity.
Symbolism
When discussing the symbolism, there are several elements present in the story. First, the eye of the old man who was killed can be seen as a symbol of distorted reality. The narrator describes it as “all a dull blue, with a hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in my bones” (Poe par. 9). In this case, the eye represents the guilt of the man, reminding him of his wrongful actions. Additionally, it shows the narrator’s distorted perception of reality (Wang 29).
Another symbol in the story is the one of the heart. As mentioned before, the organ made the man furious, leading not only to murder but confession. The protagonist exclaims, “I felt that I must scream or die!” (Poe par. 17). This emphasizes the fact that the heart symbolizes increasing psychological torment and the presence of the old man’s past life.
Conclusion
In summary, the author expertly reveals the narrator’s ongoing insanity by portraying themes of guilt, madness, and death in graphic detail, along with the symbols of the heart and eye. The theme of shame and conscience is the first one. The narrator has both physical and mental suffering as a result of this sensation, which is evident throughout the novel and leaves him with nowhere to run. Poe also explores the idea of madness in further detail through his elements, highlighting the fine line that separates sane from insanity.
Lastly, the story’s recurring theme of death highlights the difficulties faced by the elderly man who was killed. Regarding the symbols, one could interpret the dead man’s eye as a representation of a warped reality. The story also uses the heart as a symbol. As previously stated, the organ incited the man’s rage, which resulted in both murder and confession.
Works Cited
Poe, Edgar Allan. “The Tell-Tale Heart.” The Poe Museum, 1843. Web.
Studniarz, Sławomir. “The Method in the Madness:” The Tell-Tale Heart” and the Horror of The Human Condition.” Poe Studies, vol. 54, no. 1, 2021, pp. 107-126. Web.
Wang, Ni. “Analysis of Unreliable Narration in Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart.” Pacific International Journal, vol. 5, no. 1, 2022, pp. 28-31. Web.