Theme Of Insanity In Edgar Allen Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart

While looking into the mind of a narrator who battles between claiming to be sane while portraying a reality of insanity, readers who have read Edgar Allen Poe's, "The Tell-Tale Heart," have stated the narrator is insane. A closer look shows that he is actually sane by means of nervousness, patience, and murder. The author, Edgar Allen Poe suggests sanity in the narrator by saying, "Why will you say that I am mad?" Throughout the story, the narrator's actions brought forth contempt, showing readers the narrator is attentive of his own surroundings. He analyzes nervousness through his theory of sanity, proclaiming it as merely having acute senses. The narrator is sane according to the definition of insanity- One can not tell right from wrong; can not control their own behavior; unaware of their own actions.

Furthermore, for several long nights, the narrator shows patience while reappearing to the old man's chamber, believing a ruinous act is sane when the murder is preplanned. "Madmen know nothing. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded." Upon the narrator's awareness of his own conduct, he embraces the act to murder by ending the old man's life. "In an instant I dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. I then smiled gaily, to find the deed so far done." The author, Edgar Allen Poe shows the narrator is sane by the distinct definition of being insane. Although insanity can cloud the human mind, the narrator in, "The Tell-Tale Heart, shows through his acknowledgement and actions of portraying nervousness, patience and murder, that he was clearly