Suspense in The Tell-Tale Heart Essay Example

Have you ever felt you were going crazy? The story of, “The Tell-Tale Heart,” is filled with murder, psychosis, and guilt. The plot revolves around an unknown person who murders an old man because he believes the man’s eye is vile. Towards the ending of the story the narrator was covering up his crime so he could get away with it but he admits to his wrongdoings. In, “The Tall-Tale Heart,” the author, Edgar Allan Poe, uses the narrator’s flustered state of mind, the act of murder, and the remorsefulness admitting to the crime to create astonishing suspense. 

Poe creates tension throughout the story by using the narrator’s unsettling state of mind. The narrator is constantly fighting with his mind. In the story, it states, “It was impossible to say how the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night.” (Poe 1) The narrator's brain is patronizing him, making the reader question his sanity. The narrator has an uncontrollable urge to kill the cruel eye. The passage states, “[...] it was not the old man who vexed me but his Evil Eye.” (Poe 2) The eye bothers him so much he thinks it is justified to kill the elderly man.  The reader is immersed in an eerie atmosphere as the narrator describes the old man's eye and reveals his desire towards it throughout the short story.

Another thing Poe does to keep the reader anxious is the act of murder. The act of murder becomes the climax of the story. Poe draws the reader in through the narrator’s act of murder. Continuing to justify his sanity, the narrator expresses his state of mind while watching the old man, “ You should have seen how wisely I proceeded — with what caution — with what foresight — with what dissimulation [...]” (Poe 2) The story intensifies as the narrator builds anticipation stating, “[...] for seven long nights — every night just at midnight — but I found the eye always closed; and so it was impossible to do the work [...]” (Poe 2) On the eighth night in the pitch of darkness the narrator sprang into the old man's room, drugged him to the floor, and smothered his life away. His eye would trouble the narrator no more, adding to the suspense. 

The author creates a blood-curdling atmosphere with guilt and admission of the crime. After disposing of the old man's body the narrator is visited by the police. Having no fear, the narrator invites the police in to investigate suspicion of foul play. Feeling triumphant, the narrator satisfies the officers' suspicions. In his misplaced confidence the narrator soon began to hear ringing in his ears. The noise steadily increased, “It grew louder — louder — louder!” (Poe 4) In his panic, the narrator believes the police suspect him to be guilty of killing the old man. Convinced the police can hear the beat of the old man's heart, the narrator admits to his crime. The ghost of the old man’s vile eye receives justice for the narrator’s murder, which adds a supernatural feel.

Edgar Allan Poe puts immense tension in, “The Tell-Tale Heart,” by using the narrator’s troubled state of mind, the act of murder, and the guilt admitting to the murder. Throughout the story, you question the narrator's unstable state of self. The narrator enforces stress on the reader by the killing of the old man. The narrator is drenched in guilt and finally admits to the killing. This story gives the reader a glimpse of what being crazy feels like.