The Tell-Tale Heart | Essays and Criticism

  • The First-Person Narrative Viewpoint in the “Tell-Tale Heart”

    In the following essay, R. Moore examines the functions of the particular narrative viewpoint in Poe’s story, such as a heightened dramatic impact, and insight into the character’s motivation.

  • The Twin and the Doppelganger

    In the following essay, John Chua examines the role of the twin and the doppelganger in ‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart.’’

  • Poe’s ‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart’’

    In the following essay, E. Arthur Robinson provides an overview of the style, themes, narrative technique, and multiple levels of meaning in ‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart.’’

  • The Question of Poe’s Narrators

    In the following excerpt, James W. Gargano praises Poe’s controlled presentation of an insane narrator in ‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart.’’

  • Edgar Allan Poe: ‘‘Tales of Mystery and Imagination’’

    In the following excerpt, Alfred C. Ward notes with regard to ‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart’’ that Poe’s short stories commonly deal with similar subject matter. He comments that Poe’s narrative technique makes his stories powerful and effective, although his usual themes, such as madness, are unapealing.