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  • Essay / Comparisons in "The Tell-tale Heart"

    Edgar Allan Poe is renowned for his mastery of the macabre and for his ability to create a sense of dread and unease in his readers through his use of language and literary devices . One such device he uses frequently is simile. In “The Tell-Tale Heart,” Poe uses similes to heighten the sense of horror and establish a connection between the reader and the tormented narrator. Through an analysis of the similes used in this chilling narrative, we can gain a deeper understanding of the narrator's disturbed psyche and the themes of guilt and madness that permeate the story. In "The Tell-Tale Heart", the narrator becomes obsessed with the old man's eye, which he describes as resembling that of a vulture. This simile serves to express the disturbing and predatory nature of the eye, as well as the narrator's intense discomfort in its presence. By comparing the eye to a vulture, a creature associated with death and decay, Poe effectively creates a chilling atmosphere which foreshadows the violent act that the narrator is about to commit. After murdering the old man, the narrator is tormented by the sound of the old man. the beating of man's heart, which grows louder and more persistent in his mind. In an effort to muffle the sound, the narrator compares the heart to a ticking watch, observing that "it grew faster and faster, and louder and louder every moment" (Poe). This comparison not only highlights the narrator's growing anxiety and guilt, but also serves to remind the reader of the inevitable passage of time. Just as a ticking watch is a constant reminder of fleeting moments, the incessant beating of the heart is a constant reminder of the narrator's guilt and impending doom. As the narrator's madness intensifies, he becomes convinced that the police officers who have come to investigate his house can hear the sound of the old man's heartbeat. Desperate to hide his crime, he declares that the noise is only that of a "death beetle" (Poe). By comparing the heartbeat to the sound made by this particular insect, the narrator emphasizes its disturbing and disturbing nature. The Death Watch beetle is traditionally associated with impending death and is considered an omen of doom. Through this comparison, Poe intensifies the feeling of imminent danger and increases the suspense of the story. In the climactic scene of the story, overcome by guilt and paranoia, the narrator begins to hear a loud drumming sound. He describes this sensation by stating that his own heart "was like the beating of the old man's heart - a deep, dull, rapid sound, a sound like that of a watch wrapped in cotton" (Poe). This comparison effectively conveys the narrator's heightened state of anxiety and deterioration in his mental state. The comparison with a muted watch emphasizes a feeling of confinement and internalization, the narrator feels trapped in his guilt and madness. It also serves to illustrate the close connection between his own heartbeat and that of the old man, emphasizing the connection between his crime and his deteriorating mental health. Through the use of similes, Edgar Allan Poe creates a world of terror and tension in “The Tell.” -Tale Heart". These comparisons allow the reader to delve into the disturbed mind of the narrator and experience the horror and guilt that consume him. By comparing the eye to a vulture, the heart to a ticking watch- tock and heartbeat to the sound of death watch beetles and a muffled drum, Poe expertly creates a frightening atmosphere that lingers long after the story ends. His use of similes adds depth. And