The Tell-Tale Heart, a story by Edgar Allen Poe, is a short tale about a mentally unstable soul who murders an innocent man as a result of his obsession to see evil. Many wonder what makes Poe’s stories so dark. Many people don’t realize that many Poe’s works were created by his mind after what seems to have been a very dark and difficult life. Edgar Allen Poe was a very depressed and lonely man who turned out to be a great poet and author.
Based on research, it seems that Poe is primarily responsible for his dark childhood. The Tell-Tale Heart is one of his most gloomy works. Despite being dark, ‘The Tell-Tale Heart,’ along with all his other works, is extremely captivating. His most well-known work is ‘The Tell-Tale Heart,’ which makes it questionable if there was any personal meaning to the short and disturbing story. Poe lived a long and tragic life. While Poe did have some happy times and normal moments, it is evident that Poe suffered a lot in his short life. His parents both died within three year. Poe was eventually adopted by John Allan, a rich tobacco merchant, and Frances Valentine Allan his wife. Edgar was a great student and it seemed like John Allan wanted Edgar the same as him to be a successful businessman. He attended the University of Virginia and performed well. According to the University of Virginia’s Raven Society, Poe was a well-liked student who was also considered talented by his peers. Poe could not return to University because of unfortunate events. John Allan failed to send enough funds to pay tuition, which put Poe in a tight spot. He turned to gambling to make ends meet, and everything went downhill after that. The Raven Society says that gambling wasn’t his forte. He ended up with $2,000 in debts. This was only the beginning his miserable adolescence.
Poe was admitted to West Point Military Academy two years later. He was an excellent student again, but he was expelled eight months later. According to the U.S. National Archives Blog, “The Conduct List for July-December 1831 lists cadet offenses and their corresponding demerits.” Poe’s name ranks about midway on the list, with 44 offenses & 106 demerits. Poe also experienced many other unfortunate or bizarre events in his life. He was poor after he left West Point and John Allan, who had no will, died. His aunt Maria Clemm took him to Baltimore. Poe fell for Virginia, the daughter of his aunt Maria Clemm, at age fourteen. He married her. Poe was devastated to learn that Virginia had died from Tuberculosis when he was 24. He was then engaged to another lady, but he never got married. Poe was returning home from a five-day trip when he disappeared and was found in a bar at a public house, where he was being held for an election. Poe spent his last days in hospital with strangers as his fiance had no idea of where he was. On October 7, 1849, at 40 years old, Poe died. It is still a mystery how he died.
It is easy to understand why Poe’s stories are so dark after learning more about his erratic lifestyle. He was rejected from childhood, had to deal with family dying, made many mistakes, and lived in poverty most of his lifetime. Poe was devastated when his only father left him nothing in his will. The Edgar Allen Poe Society of Baltimore was found to have a letter. This letter is Poe’s distressing message to John Kennedy regarding his financial situation. The letter also states, “Since you first saw me, my life situation has changed materially.” I was looking forward at the inheritance a substantial fortune. However, while waiting, I received a sufficient annuity to cover my expenses. A gentleman from Virginia (Mr Jno Allan [John Allan]), adopted me at the young age of 2 years. My parents are gone and he treated me as a father. He then married again, and I’m sure he was guilty of many follies. It ended in a disagreement between them. I have nothing to show for his death.”
Poe’s writing was greatly influenced by the tragic events that took place, including death and rejection. These events are shown through the lonely characters he writes about. Many obvious similarities can be seen in the “Tell-Tale Heart” to Poe’s private life. Each reader will have their own perspective. The mental state of the narrator is unclear. There are many possible explanations for the murder the narrator committed. Some readers view the character with his “acute ears” and “over-acuity in the senses”, as evidence of his insaneness. Other readers suggest that Poe may be trying to use super-natural powers in his story. Further investigation revealed that Poe was not trying to prove his superpower, but rather to display his insanity.
Poe could have been inspired by real-life situations when he made the main character of “The Tell-Tale Heart”, seem insane. In this story, Poe is said to have used the insanity defense. This was a topic that was controversial in court in mid-19th-century because it was mocked in the early 1900s. Moral or partial sanity refers to the belief in which someone can exhibit abnormal emotions, behaviors, and still be a functioning member and citizen of society. Many would agree that the protagonist in this story wasn’t trying to confess to the murderer, but rather to prove his sanity. This is consistent with Poe’s mental illness.
It is now clear that Poe uses aspects of his own dispositions, including thoughts of death and supernatural abilities, in his stories. Although some believe that the story’s narrator is insane, others think he was trying in vain to include supernatural powers in his stories. According to Haldeen Braddy, Poe used supernatural abilities as a way to escape reality. Braddy stated, “His work was a deliberate attempt to communicate an experience that escapes to the reader without the need to involve the reader in any psychological dilemma.”
Poe’s story is an excellent reflection of his life. It shows his deep understanding of human behavior and his remarkable ability to tell stories from the point of view of a mad man. Poe was plagued by depressive thoughts and morbid thoughts, but he was able transform this into a fascinating mystery. He also created a character that was more complex than a “normal” author.
