This Seminararbeit shall deal with the short story 'The Tell-Tale Heart' by one of the most famous American writers, Edgar Allan Poe. In the following pages, one will firstly be introduced to the author and his historical background, the American Romantic Movement with the subgenres Dark Romanticism and Gothic fiction.
Afterwards, the short story will be analyzed regarding its content, literary devices and linguistic means, especially in the end. Furthermore, I wanted to think out of the box and therefore included a personal diagnosis regarding the narrator's psychological disorders.
Rounding up this paper, I rewrote the short story by looking at it from a different perspective – my piece is told by the old man who is assassinated and can thereby answer some questions that have so far remained insoluble.
Table of Contents
- I. Introduction
- II. Historical background
- 1. Edgar Allan Poe - biographical information
- 2. Romantic Movement in the United States
- 3. Dark Romanticism and Gothic fiction
- 4. Publication of 'The Tell-Tale Heart'
- III. Analysis of the short story 'The Tell-Tale Heart'
- 1. Content
- 2. Literary devices
- 2.1 Symbols
- 2.2 The setting
- 2.3 Point of view: 1st person limited narrator
- 3. Analysis regarding linguistic means and content
- IV. Further aspects
- 1. Short story history and characteristics
- 2. The narrator and his psychological disorders
- V. Conclusion
- VI. Bibliography
Objectives and Key Themes
This seminar paper analyzes Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Tell-Tale Heart," exploring its historical context within the American Romantic and Gothic movements. The objective is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the story's content, literary devices, and linguistic features, and to delve into the psychological aspects of the narrator. The paper also aims to offer a unique perspective by reimagining the story from the victim's point of view.
- The biographical context of Edgar Allan Poe and its influence on his writing.
- The stylistic features of Dark Romanticism and Gothic fiction as they manifest in "The Tell-Tale Heart."
- Analysis of literary devices such as symbolism, setting, and narrative perspective.
- Examination of the narrator's psychological state and motivations.
- Exploration of the story's linguistic features and their contribution to its overall effect.
Chapter Summaries
I. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the analysis by briefly contrasting the seemingly inexplicable lack of guilt in Anders Behring Breivik, the perpetrator of the 2011 Norway attacks, with the similar, albeit fictional, lack of guilt displayed by the narrator in Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart." It establishes the paper's focus on analyzing Poe's short story, examining its historical context, and exploring the narrator's psychology.
II. Historical background: This section provides crucial context for understanding Poe's work. It begins with a biographical sketch of Poe's life, highlighting key events and influences. The chapter then delves into the American Romantic Movement, tracing its origins and key characteristics, including its emphasis on individualism, emotion, and nature, and contrasting this with the prevailing rationalism of the time. The section then touches upon Dark Romanticism and Gothic fiction, highlighting their distinctive elements that would influence Poe's writing style and thematic concerns.
III. Analysis of the short story 'The Tell-Tale Heart': This is the core of the analysis. It breaks down Poe's story into its constituent parts, examining the content to elucidate the plot and narrative structure. The analysis goes further by meticulously exploring the story's literary devices, including the use of symbolism, the carefully crafted setting, and the effect of the first-person limited narration. A detailed linguistic analysis of the text explores how Poe's word choices and sentence structures contribute to the overall impact and meaning of the story.
IV. Further aspects: This chapter expands beyond a purely textual analysis, exploring broader themes related to the short story. It delves into the genre of the short story itself, examining its historical development and key characteristics. The chapter then presents a critical examination of the narrator's psychological state, offering insights into potential underlying disorders that might explain his actions and worldview. This section seems to lay the groundwork for a personal diagnosis of the narrator's mental health.
Keywords
Edgar Allan Poe, The Tell-Tale Heart, American Romanticism, Dark Romanticism, Gothic fiction, short story analysis, psychological analysis, symbolism, narrative perspective, first-person narrator, literary devices, linguistic analysis.
Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart": A Comprehensive Analysis - FAQ
What is the purpose of this document?
This document provides a comprehensive preview of an academic paper analyzing Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Tell-Tale Heart." It includes a table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords.
What topics are covered in the analysis of "The Tell-Tale Heart"?
The analysis covers the historical context of the story within American Romanticism and Gothic fiction, a detailed examination of its content and literary devices (symbolism, setting, narrative perspective), a linguistic analysis of Poe's writing style, and an exploration of the narrator's psychology and potential disorders.
What is the historical context explored in the paper?
The paper explores the biographical context of Edgar Allan Poe, the American Romantic Movement, Dark Romanticism, and Gothic fiction, showing how these influenced "The Tell-Tale Heart’s" creation and themes.
What literary devices are analyzed in the paper?
The analysis focuses on symbolism, the setting of the story, and the impact of the first-person limited narrative perspective.
What aspects of the narrator are examined?
The paper examines the narrator's psychological state, motivations, and potential underlying psychological disorders, attempting to explain his actions and worldview. It also considers a comparison with a real-world case study.
What is the linguistic analysis of the text focused on?
The linguistic analysis explores how Poe's word choices and sentence structures contribute to the overall impact and meaning of the story.
What is the structure of the academic paper?
The paper is structured into six chapters: an introduction, historical background, analysis of "The Tell-Tale Heart," further aspects (including a discussion of the short story genre and the narrator's psychology), a conclusion, and a bibliography.
What are the key themes of the paper?
Key themes include the biographical context of Edgar Allan Poe, the stylistic features of Dark Romanticism and Gothic fiction, analysis of literary devices, examination of the narrator's psychological state, and exploration of the story's linguistic features.
What keywords are associated with this analysis?
Keywords include: Edgar Allan Poe, The Tell-Tale Heart, American Romanticism, Dark Romanticism, Gothic fiction, short story analysis, psychological analysis, symbolism, narrative perspective, first-person narrator, literary devices, linguistic analysis.
What is included in the "Further Aspects" chapter?
This chapter expands beyond the textual analysis to discuss the history and characteristics of the short story genre and provides a deeper dive into the narrator's psychological state, potentially offering a personal diagnosis.
- Quote paper
- Tobias Nitschke (Author), 2012, Edgar Allan Poe's short story 'The Tell-Tale Heart' - an analysis, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/197781
