The Tell-Tale Heart
Edgar Allan Poe’s short story The Tell-Tale Heart, first published in 1843, is a chilling tale of madness, guilt, and the unreliability of the human mind. The narrative is delivered in the first person, from the point of view of an unnamed man who insists, from the very beginning, that he is not insane. This constant denial of madness, however, only underscores the depth of his instability. He claims that his heightened nervousness has sharpened his senses, particularly his hearing, to extraordinary levels. Far from being ruined by illness or madness, he believes his mind and body are stronger than ever.