Tell Tale Heart Archetypes

Words: 1475
Pages: 6
Open Document
Archetypes and Symbolism in “The Tell-Tale Heart: A Ride to Insanity In the short story, “The Tell-Tale Heart” Edgar Allen Poe’s use of symbolism and archetypes provides the reader with a better understanding about the consciousness of the author. The Tell-Tale Heart is about an unnamed narrator who gets paranoid about an old man’s eye and murders him, which drives him to insanity. Not only is this story filled with mystery and thriller, but also consists of symbols and archetypes, that contribute to the author’s apprehension. These symbols and archetypes could be further analyzed to reveal the connection with the author’s consciousness. One way Poe’s use of archetypes and, symbolism is presented in “The Tell-Tale Heart,” is through the …show more content…
At the end of the story the narrator is seen, losing his sanity as he hears the beating of the heart. The author writes, “I talked more quickly --more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased…but the noise steadily increased…It grew louder --louder --louder!... I felt that I must scream or die! and now --again! --hark! louder! louder! louder! louder! Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more! I admit the deed! --tear up the planks! here, here! --It is the beating of his hideous heart” (Poe 285)! The beating heart represents guilt. The narrator has just murdered someone and in the beginning he tries to claim that he is not insane and, he had a good reason for what he did. This indicates that he is defensive and guilty about his crime. The beating starts only after the crime is committed, and gets more and more intense as he tries to deny it. Each beat of the heart reminds him of his crime and his guilt leads him to confess. A character archetype that could be seen in the story is “The creature of nightmare.” Poe writes, “I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture --a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees --very gradually --I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever” (Poe 281). In this story the character archetype best fits the main character, because the killer is a madman, who threatens the life of others in order to fulfill his needs. He has escaped the darkest part of the human psyche by taking the life of the old man. He’s mentally unstable, unable to control his desires, and in denial about his insanity. The killer thinks he is doing little harm by his decision
Show More

Related Documents: Tell Tale Heart Archetypes

The Archetypes In Joseph Conrad's Heart Of Darkness

There are a few, core archetypes which can be found in all traditional legends and folktales: a strong, noble hero, a difficult obstacle to overcome and a damsel-in-distress to save. While Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” is no exception to these rules, an even deeper meaning is unveiled when analyzing the piece using Jungian archetypes. Conrad’s novella is a subtle but scathing criticism of British society and imperialism through the eyes of an experienced seadog, Marlow, and the horrors he faced…

Words 1354 - Pages 6

Archetypes In Life Of Pi

obstacles he faces as he travels the waters with nowhere to go, and wild animals to accompany him only inches away. The message taken from Life of Pi when given the standards of the alternative story shown through amplification, unreliability, mistaken archetypes, and conflict; is that truth can be stranger than fiction. After exposing the details behind the tragic and treacherous occurrence of events that Pi faced when on the ocean waters, a few men deny his story in opposition to the reality of it having…

Words 1794 - Pages 8

Tale Of Two Cities Resurrection

prophetic theme of resurrection in his literary classic “Tale of Two Cities”. The novel centers around the French revolution and the peasant's quest to restore the nation. Mirroring stories reflect a common thread of resurrection. Lucy's relationship with her father, Darnay’s ultimate sacrifice, and Madame Defarge's merciless revenge all expose competing theories of how life is restored. The French revolution is an influential setting in Tale of Two Cities. Dickens draws many thematic elements from…

Words 1144 - Pages 5

Polarity In Beaumont's Tale

Beaumont’s tale contains a prevalent dichotomy between the masculine and feminine. The tale is “endowed with ancient archetypes with a feminine power” (Ross 60), even the title of the tale is representing two polarising binaries. In both Beaumont and Disney’s telling, the Beast is very much a hyper-masculine figure especially in comparison to the Beauty character. Focusing on Beaumont, she seems to be suggesting that these concepts “belong to an economic and ideological order” (Korneeva 247). Throughout…

Words 1763 - Pages 8

Questions On Psychology

PSYCHOLOGY UNIT TEST REVIEW I. Emotions a. hard to define, expressed by people everywhere the same b. emotions have 3 major components 1. cognitive: mental state of emotion consciousness of how we feel 2. physical: muscle movements (heart rate, breathing, etc.) 3. behavior: how emotions affect our actions c. how emotions help us evolve 1. fear: allowed us to escape danger more quickly 2. love: allowed us to form enduring bonds to strengthen community 3. joy: created a scene of safety…

Words 1262 - Pages 6

timeline of ancient greece Essay examples

devotee, other times to seek revenge on a human who has ignored them, and sometimes just for their own amusement. There was a great deal of fear and distrust involved in the Greek’s relationship with the deities, but they did believe with their whole hearts that the gods existed, and that they would protect and care for the devout. Some aspects of the Greeks’ religion seem barbaric and ridiculous to the modern observer, but that is not really for us to judge. The importance of the ancient Greek…

Words 3784 - Pages 16

One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest Essay

ward by order of the courts. The forty men that are being treated on the ward are supervised by the beautiful, yet stern, Nurse Ratched and her trio of “black boys.” The narrator, Chief Bromden, a schizophrenic patient, guides the reader through tales of a whitewashed hospital that, under the cover of night, slides into a dark dungeon of machines and fog. Kesey is very descriptive when introducing the characters to the reader. These descriptions allow the reader to visualize their appearance…

Words 1875 - Pages 8

American Literature Essay

form or another. What binds these texts together? The American Dream, the ideal which not only adapts to social stimuli or occurrences, but also shapes the motives of every protagonist or antagonist --archaic or contemporary -- in their respective tales. Said theme in American Literature evolves to suit and reflect society -- from the Colonial and Revolutionary periods to the Post-Modern Ages -- and is prevalent in both molding modern culture and addressing such’s issues. In short, the American Dream…

Words 4228 - Pages 17

Grade 9 Literature Terms Essay

at the doorway of his wigwam Ballad Sonnet Lyric Poetry Elegy great deeds of a larger­than­life hero who embodies the values of a particular society. Song that tells a story. Fourteen­line lyric poem that is usually written in iambic pentameter and that has one of several rhyme schemes. Poetry that does not tell a story but is aimed only at expressing a speaker’s emotions or thoughts. A serious poem morning death or other loss. Ode A long serious lyric poem that is elevated in tone and style…

Words 4227 - Pages 17

Managing Information Technology (7th Edition) Essay

CONTENTS: CASE STUDIES CASE STUDY 1 Midsouth Chamber of Commerce (A): The Role of the Operating Manager in Information Systems CASE STUDY I-1 IMT Custom Machine Company, Inc.: Selection of an Information Technology Platform CASE STUDY I-2 VoIP2.biz, Inc.: Deciding on the Next Steps for a VoIP Supplier CASE STUDY I-3 The VoIP Adoption at Butler University CASE STUDY I-4 Supporting Mobile Health Clinics: The Children’s Health Fund of New York City CASE STUDY I-5…

Words 239873 - Pages 960