“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe “Would a madman have been so wise as this?” - Narrator

Quiz What specifically does the narrator use the lantern to do every night? How many nights did the narrator creep into the old man’s room before anything happened? What caused the old man to wake up on the final night?

Quiz Where did the narrator bury the old man’s body? Why have three police officer’s arrived later that same night? After the narrator offers chairs to the police men to sit and rest, where does he himself sit? What causes the narrator to reveal his guilt?

Plot Summary An unnamed narrator and caregiver decides to kill his rich and elderly employer because of his “evil” eye (“all a dull blue with a hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in [his] bones” – pg 2). For seven nights he creeps into the room and uses an old lantern to watch the old man On the eighth night the old man wakes up due to a creaky latch on the lantern.

Plot Summary The narrator hears the old man’s heart beating and murders him The narrator dismembers the old man’s body and hides it under the floorboards in the chamber of the old man Three police officers arrive having been called by a neighbour who heard a shriek. The narrator eagerly lets the officers search the house and then has them sit and rest in the same room where the body is buried.

Plot Summary The narrator also sits in the room, placing his chair above the spot where the body is buried. Slowly and surely the narrator hears the heart beating under the floor; the sound continues to grow louder. In a fit of rage and fervor, the narrator screams for the officers “to dissemble no more” and rip up the floor to stop the beating heart.

Plot Diagram Narrator begins in medias res that he is not insane (10) Narrator explains he decided to kill his employer based on his eye. (40) 7 nights the narrator watches the old man sleep using a lantern (50) 8th night, the old man wakes and the eye and heart combination results in murder (80) Narrator buries body under floorboards in the same chamber (40) Police arrive and search house (60) Police sit, rest, and talk (40) Narrator sits too. (30) Narrator hears heart beating (50) Heart beats louder (70) Narrator screams to rip up the floor. (90)

Narrator Male or female (not given a gender); most likely male given time period. Middle-age or a little younger Suffering from some form of mental illness Has a perverse sense of pride Officers sit in same room as body; as does he himself High degree of hubris – exaggerated self-pride or self-confidence. Has some form of guilt manifested in his hallucination of the heart beating Desires to show his own intelligence and that he is not insane (confessing to a doctor, police officer, or cell-mate as the story starts Has not learned from his experiences therefore a static character

Character Old Man Police Officers Elderly Feeble Wealthy Trusting Flat character Police Officers Flat characters Follow procedure but sit and chat when on duty

Setting An old man’s home with many rooms Set over 8 evenings Probably set in mid-19th century (1850) to early 20th century (1900) Scary and frightening atmosphere given the night, the lantern, and the eye. Overall impression is one of high tension and suspense.

Theme Even the most evil of people can often have the ability to feel guilt. The narrator justifies his murderous behavior Claims he is not insane Heart could not have literally been beating The manifestation of a guilty conscience.

Secondary Terms Flashback The entire story is narrated as it were currently happening; yet is introduced as almost a confession. Foreshadowing Given introduction acts madness are to follow “And this I did for seven longs nights”; eighth night will be different. Beating heart causes murder; will lead to his confession

Secondary Terms Irony Symbols “Madmen know nothing” – verbal Body buried under floor - dramatic Confesses to the crime – situational Symbols Lantern – sheds light; truth Eye – watchful; mistrusting; parental figure

Vocabulary hearken – listen or pay attention conceived – to happen proceeded – move forward dissimulation – to disguise sagacity - wisdom suppositions - suggested unperceived – unable to see marrow – tissue inside bones pulsation – rhythmic beating pleasantly - enjoyable suavity - charming acute – severe or perceptive

Question Answers

The Man Himself