The Tell-Tale Heart

The Tell-Tale Heart

1.'''Biogaphical notes of Edgar Allan Poe '''

• Born in Boston January 19, 1809

• Orphan with 2 years • Educated by host family

• Military career at age of 18 • After death of brother interested in writing

• Became famous of short stories and genre of detective fictions • Known for mystery and macabre tales

• Died in Baltimore October 7, 1849

2.Summary

The story begins with a sudden getting in. The nameless narrator who is also the protagonist suffers from a disease witch dulles his senses. He thinks he can hear things from hell and heaven but that is only a delusion. The narrator lives in a house, together with an old man.

The protagonist says there is no other thougt in his head but only the idea of killing the old man. The narrator loves his victim and there are no other problems in their relationship, except for the old mans pale blue eye with a film over it. The protagonist is scared by the eye so he decides to kill the man to be free of it.

For seven nights at midnight the protagonist goes to the room of the old man and checks if his eye is closed so he does not have to be afraid of it.

On the eighth night the narrator goes again to the room of his victim but this time the old man wakes up, asking into the darkness if there was someone in his room. The murderer does not answer the question and stands in the dark, not moving a muscle.After an hour, the old man still sits in his bed waiting for an answer. The narrator opens his lantern a bit so he can see the only the eye of the old man and it was wide open. Because of his disease the protagonist imagines to hear the heartbeat of the old man and that it is really loud, so he was afraid that the neighbours could hear it.

Next the person goes to the bed of his victim, drags the old man and pulls the bed on the man. The narrator is relieved when he notices that the old man is dead. To hide the crime, the person dismembers the dead body and hides the parts of the corps under the floor.

Shortly after that three police officers stand at the front door. One of them says the neighbour has heard a scream so they have to search the premises. With joy over the victory the person invites the officers in and asks them to stay. After a while the narrator imagines to hear the heartbeat of the old man and hopes that the police officer will not notice it. The protagonist can not bear the situation so he decides to confess to be the murderer of the old man.

3.Analysis a)

Motives for the murder - "[...] and thus rid myself of the eye for ever." (c.l.11) - "[...] this Evil Eye." (c.l.24) - "His eye would trouble me no more." (c.l.81) - "[...] that chilled the very marrow in my bones." (c.l.60)

=> The eye disturbs him. He hates it.

- "And now a new anxiety seized me - the sound wouls be heard by a neighbor!" (c.l.74)

=> He is in 'danger'. He has to handle quick.

-  uncontrollable terror, dissembles, wrong perception, paranoid acting

=> mental illness

The reader can devise a background story.

b)

Structure and how the story evokes suspense

Structure

1.Exposition:      We know about the murder

2.Rising action:  Protagonist sets herself on the spotlight

3.Climax:            The death of the old man

4.Falling action: Voice of heart beat in the head of the narrator

5.Resolution:      Protagonist admits murdering the man

What evokes suspense?

1.Reader doesn’t know who the narrator is and wants to read on to get wised up

2.The use of adjectives like nervous, mad, etc.

3.Appearance of the policemen

4.We will never know what happens after the story

c)

Central motive: mental illness

1.    The eye: reason to kill the man

2.    Decision between reality and fantasy

3.      The heartbeat

d)

Not to be expected because...

• he was very confident in his actions

• story seemed to end after death of old man

• even when policemen came he was doubtless and fearless