Nineteenth century American culture, which can be witnessed through literary works, differ from culture of the modern age. These literary works include Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” and Charles Brown’s Wieland, stories that reveal the murders of loved ones with little remorse and with the absence of malignant intent. The similarities shared by the two stories emphasize the unpredictable nature of 19th century americans and the influence of fear and religion in the actions.
When an act of murder is committed, the persons closest to the victim are often suspected first. The narrators of “A Tell-Tale Heart” and Wieland both killed people they loved, and their murders were coincidentally found out. In “A Tell-Tale Heart,” the narrator thought of the old man whom he killed, “Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult”(172). In “Chapter 19” of Wieland, …show more content…
The lack of repentance and anguish after killing somebody can be even scarier. The narrator of “A Tell-Tale Heart” does exactly this, not grieving the old man he just killed. He declares “If you still think me mad, you will so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body”(175). The narrator instead tries to display his intelligence, as he continues to explain the process in which he cut the body and concealed it under the floor. In “Chapter 19” of Wieland, the narrator also does not feel much remorse after killing his wife and children. The narrator exclaims, “my purposes have been pure, my wishes indefatigable; but not till lately were these purposes thoroughly accomplished, and these wishes fully gratified”(151). The narrator truly believes his actions were just and does not have an ounce of regret when being trialed against. Both narrators display a lack of remorse, which can be regarded as
When an act of murder is committed, the persons closest to the victim are often suspected first. The narrators of “A Tell-Tale Heart” and Wieland both killed people they loved, and their murders were coincidentally found out. In “A Tell-Tale Heart,” the narrator thought of the old man whom he killed, “Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult”(172). In “Chapter 19” of Wieland, …show more content…
The lack of repentance and anguish after killing somebody can be even scarier. The narrator of “A Tell-Tale Heart” does exactly this, not grieving the old man he just killed. He declares “If you still think me mad, you will so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body”(175). The narrator instead tries to display his intelligence, as he continues to explain the process in which he cut the body and concealed it under the floor. In “Chapter 19” of Wieland, the narrator also does not feel much remorse after killing his wife and children. The narrator exclaims, “my purposes have been pure, my wishes indefatigable; but not till lately were these purposes thoroughly accomplished, and these wishes fully gratified”(151). The narrator truly believes his actions were just and does not have an ounce of regret when being trialed against. Both narrators display a lack of remorse, which can be regarded as