A renowned and unparalleled creator of the literary genre that would become globally known as Gothic, Edgar Allan Poe does not need major introductions. Though his life ended abruptly and tragically at 40, he managed to produce a broad range of groundbreaking short stories and create a unique genre, “The Tell-Tale Heart” being one of the most famous examples thereof (). Telling a story of a young man descending into madness and murdering his older neighbor only to reveal to be haunted by the deafening sound of his beating heart, “Poe weaves a dramatic narrative with gradually increasing tension. By introducing a first-person perspective and buildings a claustrophobic setting, Poe conveys the feeling of a gradual descent into madness to the reader.
The point of view (POV) used in “The Tell-Tale Heart” should eb considered a particularly important part of the entire structure and the component that makes the overall impression all the more intense. Specifically, the first-person perspective introduces the idea of the unreliable narrator into the story: “You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me” (Poe). As a result, the cathartic moment of the protagonist murdering the old man might seem to be the denouement and the climax of “The Tell-Tale Heart.” However, as the story continues, it becomes evident that the horrifying ending is supposed to represent the specified elements. First, a notable increase in the tension within the story occurs as the protagonist starts hallucinating about the beating heart beneath the floorboard: ““I paced the floor to and for with heavy strides” (Poe).” Finally, the specified tension resolves itself in the unavoidable climax: “tear up the planks! — here, here! — it is the beating of his hideous heart!” (Poe). Therefore, the POV element amplifies the credibility of the description of the leading character’s madness.
In turn, the setting contributes profusely to the specified impression as well. Namely, by confining the protagonist and the entire plot to a single environment of the house, Poe manages to create an exceptionally uncomfortable feeling. Implying that the leading character cannot escape the situation and, by extension, his madness and the following impending doom, the setting partially serves as the foreshadowing of the further plot development: “His room was as black as pitch with the thick darkness” (Poe). The detailed description of the environment in which the crime takes place allows creating a clear sense of being trapped, implying that both the protagonist and his victim are doomed. Therefore, the nuances of how the protagonist devolves into insanity and allows his fear of the old man, dead he might be, take complete control over him, are depicted with incredible detail. The specified nuance is particularly amazing given the limited time in which the character development must be established in a short story format.
The combination of the first-person POV and the claustrophobic environment of the old house, Poe manages to render the sense of insanity that devours the protagonist gradually and makes his dissipate mentally. While the use of the unreliable narrator technique conveys the feeling of triumph during the frits two thirds of the story, the denouement and the eventual climax that comes at the very end of “The Tell-Tale Heart” make it clear that the protagonist was never relieved of the sense of dread. Therefore, Poe’s masterful use of the specified elements in his short story amplifies the effect of the abrupt and horrifying ending.
Work Cited
Poe, Edgar Allan. “The Tell-Tale Heart.” PoemsMuseum.org, 1843, Web.