The Tell-Tale Heart

“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe is a gripping short story centered around an unnamed narrator who fixates on an old man’s pale blue eye, insisting on their sanity even as they plan and commit the murder of the old man.

Following the gruesome act, the narrator is haunted by overwhelming guilt and plagued by vivid hallucinations, believing they can hear the old man’s heart still beating beneath the floorboards where they buried him. The relentless thumping drives them to the brink of madness, ultimately leading to a confession to the police in a desperate attempt to silence the imaginary heart.

This tale delves into themes of guilt, obsession, and the disintegration of one’s sanity, serving as a classic example of Poe’s mastery in exploring the darker aspects of the human psyche.