In Edgar Allan Poe's short classic "The Tell-Tale Heart", Poe tells a macabre tale of a murder gone wrong. The author once again demonstrates a deadly murder, exactly as he did in "The Black Cat". Poe's mind is known to be "twisted" and he certainly showed the extent of this statement. Poe sets the scene by having the narrator begin by insisting that he is not truly mad but rather "very, very dreadfully nervous" and suffering from a disease that had "sharpened his senses" allowing him to "hear all things in the heaven and in the earth" and "many things in hell". This allows the reader to determine the mental state of the central character and gather that all is not well. .
It is quite interesting to compare the madman murderer to the police in "The Tell Tale Heart". The police are shown to be calm when they observe the murderer's residence. It is interesting to reflect that the main character was calm, brave and confident, when his dwelling was observed by the police. As the narrator said, "For what had I to fear?" Of course this opinion did change until he started going mad by hearing the old man's heart beating. This forced his face to go pale. It is quite evident that Edgar Allan Poe has done his best to describe "the after-life" in a fictional way. The two stories, especially "The Tell Tale Heart", clearly show Poe's belief in the "Next Life". .
The contrast between the policemen and the "madman" is very evident. Poe once again attempts to show the difference between the insane and the rational. Poe shows well his opinion that a madman does not necessarily have to look mad, he may be may look quite normal. Once again referring to Edgar Allan Poe, he was claimed to be insane. My idea is that Poe is referring to some incidents or ideas of his childhood. An extract from page 8 and the poem "Alone" shows just this:.
"From childhood's hour I have not been.
As others were - I have not seen.
As others saw - I could not bring.
