First-Degree Murder In The Tell-Tale Heart By Edgar Allan Poe

First-Degree Murder is the most serious crime that can be committed, punishable by the death penalty. Once someone commits this crime, they are forever known as a dangerous and terrible person. The decision to murder someone is usually conscious, but in some occasions the suspect can plead innocent for reasons of temporary insanity. In the short story “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe, a man decided to murder his neighbor because he was scared of the neighbor’s eye. When the police came to interrogate him, the man heard a heartbeat in his head. The noise became so loud and painful that he revealed that he murdered the man. While some may believe that the murderer is criminally insane, he clearly proves to be a merciless killer through

The murderer is conscious of his actions, however he shows no regrets that he killed his neighbor. He says “Yes. He was dead! Dead as a stone. His eye would trouble me no more!” (66). The criminal is aware that he murdered someone, yet shows no remorse. A person who is criminally insane does not understand the effects and consequences of their actions, and therefore cannot take responsibility for them. The murderer also hides his wrongdoings from the police. If he were criminally insane, he would not have to lie about his actions. He states “The cry, I said, was my own, in a dream. The old man, I said, was away; he had gone to visit a friend in the country… My easy, quiet manner made the policemen believe my story” (67). The felon is able to quickly and calmly fabricate a cover-up story. He knows that what he did is wrong. He hides the murder from the police because he knows that he will be thrown in jail as a result of the crime. A criminally insane person would not know that what they did is wrong, and wouldn’t have anything to hide. The murderer’s words clearly show that he is a heartless killer because he is very careful to cover up the murder by making the police believe his