The Tell-Tale Heart - Edgar Allan Poe

The Tell-Tale Heart

By Edgar Allan Poe

  • Release Date: 2010-12-29
  • Genre: Poetry
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 286 Ratings

Description

"The Tell-Tale Heart" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe first published in 1843. It follows an unnamed narrator who insists on his sanity after murdering an old man with a "vulture eye". The murder is carefully calculated, and the murderer hides the body by cutting it into pieces and hiding it under the floorboards. Ultimately the narrator's guilt manifests itself in the hallucination that the man's heart is still beating under the floorboards.
It is unclear what relationship, if any, the old man and his murderer share. It has been suggested that the old man is a father figure or, perhaps, that his vulture eye represents some sort of veiled secret. The ambiguity and lack of details about the two main characters stand in stark contrast to the specific plot details leading up to the murder. The story was first published in James Russell Lowell's The Pioneer in January 1843. "The Tell-Tale Heart" is widely considered a classic of the Gothic fiction genre and one of Poe's most famous short stories.

Reviews

  • Love it!

    5
    By Mayawater
    This is probably my favorite horror story, I read this in 8th grade, it’s pretty dark book. The story is well written, pretty loud and crazy, in fact this story inspires me to write my horror story.
  • Awesome

    5
    By Busyexec1
    Awesome classic. I remember reading this in school years ago as required reading. Many years later, its still a great quick read.
  • Outstandingly short yet spooky

    4
    By PrinceNguyen
    Reflected in Poe's work is an encompassing sensation that envelop its reader. The vehemence of his stories as well as poems can be seen through his ability to send chills down his readers' spine no matter the length of the work.
  • Amazing

    5
    By OzzyOsbourne's#1fan
    Edgar Allen Poe is amazing. Very well-written poem. One of my favorites. All Poe fans will be pleased.
  • For Poe lovers

    5
    By Shameka M
    I love this book and if u luv Edgar Allan Poe u would luv it as well
  • 1,000,000,000 ✨

    5
    By Littlecutie246810
    WOW... This is the first thing I read by Edgar Allan Poe and I'm already in awe! I love this. It's awesome lol. It's worth .99!
  • Amazing purchase

    5
    By Danny Salomon
    One of the greatest pieces ever written. A true classic, perfect edition........
  • A tale of fear, but not average

    5
    By Prettyboyswag911
    When Edgar Allen Poe writes his stories that describe physiological fear, he writes the in such a way, that you understand what they are feeling (ex. "pit and the pendulum" or "the raven"). So when reading the following tale, I expected none the less than a breakdown of the victims mind. Instead Poe gave us that of the killer's, whom I believe fears more so than the victim. A wonderful classic I think everyone in the world should read.
  • Spine Tingling!

    5
    By Kalyn Brocksieker
    Spine Tingling!
  • Classic

    4
    By ERHassett
    This a great piece of classic literature and wonderful for the price.

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