illustration of a human heart lying on black floorboards

The Tell-Tale Heart

by Edgar Allan Poe

Start Free Trial

Student Question

What makes the narrator in "The Tell-Tale Heart" sympathetic?

Quick answer:

The narrator in "The Tell-Tale Heart" becomes sympathetic through Poe's use of first-person perspective and strong characterization, allowing readers to experience the narrator's mental illness firsthand. Despite his irrational actions, such as murdering an innocent old man due to paranoia over a "vulture eye," readers empathize with his fear and tension. This emotional connection is heightened as suspense builds when the police arrive, leading to a sense of distress when he confesses.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

It may seem strange to think of the narrator of "The Tell Tale Heart" -- a murderer --  in a sympathetic light, but to an extent Poe is able to make him so through strong characterization and point of view. Since the whole story is told from the point of view of the first person narrator, we as readers internalize the narrator's mental illness. Poe achieves this with remarkable economy: the very first lines of the story rope us in:

It’s true! yes, i have been ill, very ill. But why do you say that I have lost control of my mind, why do you say that I am mad?

"We" haven't said anything yet, but it is clear that, despite his protests, our narrator is quite crazy. Even though what the narrator says makes no sense -- there is no "reason" why the old man's vulture eye should cause the narrator to murder him -- we nevertheless feel his paranoia and fear with him. We know the old man to be guiltless, but we understand the irrational source of the narrator's fear. When the police come, real suspense is generated: we don't want the police to find the narrator out, and are distressed when the narrator confesses at the end of the story.

For more on "The Tell Tale Heart," and Poe's aesthetics, see this eNote. 

Get Ahead with eNotes

Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.

Get 48 Hours Free Access
Approved by eNotes Editorial