Irony in “The Tell-Tale Heart”

Introduction

Blind Insanity Edgar Allen Poe's “The notify Tale Heart” is a short article about how a murderer's conscience overtakes him and if the narrator is insane or if he suffers from over acuteness of the senses. Poe suggests the narrator is insane by the narrator's claims of sanity, the narrator's actions convey out the narrative irony of the article, and the narrator is insane according to the delineation of insanity as it concerns to “The Tell Tale Heart”. First, Poe proposes the narrator is insane by his assertions of sanity.

Discussion and Analysis

There are two kinds of irony used in "The Tell-Tale Heart." The first kind of irony utilized is spectacular irony. The narrator claims and tries to verify to the readers, mostly himself, that he is not insane. Poe has the narrator state, "mad men understand not anything" (Poe). This statement inserts the conviction that the really insane have no sense of right and incorrect and often do not recall their actions. The narrator accepts as true that since he can recall every last detail and "how wisely" (Poe), and "with what caution" (Poe) he advanced that he should not be insane. It appears his endeavours at proving his sanity "only [serve] to intensify the idea of madness" (Gargano 393). Many persons believe he has a sense of his own mental regression but is in denial and most expected trying to assure himself more than the audience. Therefore, the narrator is stating one belief, but understands the reality to be the complete opposite. Another type of irony Poe benefits is situational irony. It is ironic that the very worry he tries to demolish is the exact worry that is to blame for his downfall. The narrator expects that that his troubles will go away and that the vintage man will never be discovered. However, that is not the fulfillment of the article, for the ending is the opposite of what the narrator expects. Irony aids in Poe's demonstration of what takes over a person's thoughts will consequently take over that person's life (Poe, 56).

Poe is a very unique and talented author who "advocates art over truth" (Howard 4053) and who was far beyond his time. Poe has a enthusiastic perception of the human psyche and "presides with precision of perception of psychological drama he describes" (Gargano 393). Poe makes his readers feel every emotion associated to his method of writing. He is a very avant gard creative person who "explores the neuroses of his individual features" (Gargano 394) and the darker side of humanity. Poe constantly pushes ahead to achieve the supreme thrill for his readers. Through elements such as darkness, murder, suspense, and irony Poe "excels in creating and developing that fascinating feeling of mystery and madness that makes the article so irresistible" (Howard 4053). "The Tell-Tale Heart" uses all the elements in the story in which there is an important theme. Whead covering consumes a individual's brain, consumes thead covering individual entirely. The article does ...