How does Tell-Tale Heart reflects Poe's life? I have been trying to read the other answers, but find them difficult to understand. Can anyone give specific examples? I know that death is a big theme in Poe's stories. Other questions I would like to have a view on are the ending and the themes of this story. Hope someone can help me - please :0)

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2003

Answers

The main connection is general. Poe was not a mad murderer. However he recognized his self-destructive, obsessively excited side and played out this turmoil in his art. This is one story connected to "The Imp of the perverse" theory, Poe's generalization of his own and others' experience. Eyes fascinated Poe beyond the normal poetic symbolism and human attraction. Sounds and light reduced and mysterious stimulated his imagination. The sound of his own heart, due to health problems, was another sound obsession and one everyone can sympathize with. In this story the heart is misperceived as the ghostly haunting of his "undead" victim. Poe loved trickery and misperceptions as much as he realized the damage his own bad decisions and feelings had hurt his own life. And the dead never really die, but are changed into the ghost of an obsession. Poe was involved in a couple of angry fistfights, but I think the main violence in his fiction was taking his plots to extremes for emotional effect and high art.

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2003

I asked the question and I just wanted to thank you for the answers. I think it is amazing that I can sit in Denmark and get an answer on a specific question from some place else in the world - WOW!

-- Anonymous, March 06, 2003