The Psychopathic Tendencies of a Genius Edgar Allan Poe is considered the master of dark fiction. From the short stories, “The Black Cat”, to “Tell-Tale Heart”, Poe’s works remains loved and highly scrutinized by readers and critics to the present day. The underlying personal history of Poe is characterized by countless unfortunate events which then impacted the theme of his works. Several of Poe’s writings have tortured characters, graphic descriptions of violence and recurring confrontations with death. Furthermore, the narrators in his short stories often display characteristics of a psychopath, eerily similar to the personality of himself. Unable to express his remorse publically, in a male dominated world, he hid these visibly
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Unfortunately, he seems aware of his decline, but finds it hard to reverse this; similar to how psychopaths may reach a point of no return, where they feel they have cut through the last thin connection with the normal world. Poe writes, “I grew, day by day, more moody, more irritable, more regardless of the feelings of others” (Poe 138). The narrator acts out without motive, first by cutting the eye of his pet cat and then eventually hanging the cat. However, after the house burns to the ground the narrator refuses to see any kind of connection between the hanging of the cat and the burning of the house. He tries to look for a sensible explanation for the things that are going on around him, but in reality, he realizes that he is going mad. The author writes, “Evil thoughts became my sole intimates—the darkest and most evil thoughts” (Poe141). It appears that most of Poe’s work is dark and mysterious, most likely because his life was entangled with …show more content…
The author suggests that the narrator is defending his sanity from the beginning by having hypersensitivity to sight and noise. Poe writes, “But why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses—not destroyed—not dulled them” (Poe 3). Also, the narrator states he loves the old man, but has a problem with his eye. “One of his eyes resembled that of a vulture—pale blue eye, with a film over it” (Poe 3). Additionally, the author explains how the character displays self-pity, shame, and lack of conscience, traits similar to a psychopath. By observing these behaviors in this short story the readers come to realize the narrator is psychotic and in the end destroys himself by confessing to his crime. It appears the text is saying that people sometimes harm those whom they love or need most in their
Unfortunately, he seems aware of his decline, but finds it hard to reverse this; similar to how psychopaths may reach a point of no return, where they feel they have cut through the last thin connection with the normal world. Poe writes, “I grew, day by day, more moody, more irritable, more regardless of the feelings of others” (Poe 138). The narrator acts out without motive, first by cutting the eye of his pet cat and then eventually hanging the cat. However, after the house burns to the ground the narrator refuses to see any kind of connection between the hanging of the cat and the burning of the house. He tries to look for a sensible explanation for the things that are going on around him, but in reality, he realizes that he is going mad. The author writes, “Evil thoughts became my sole intimates—the darkest and most evil thoughts” (Poe141). It appears that most of Poe’s work is dark and mysterious, most likely because his life was entangled with …show more content…
The author suggests that the narrator is defending his sanity from the beginning by having hypersensitivity to sight and noise. Poe writes, “But why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses—not destroyed—not dulled them” (Poe 3). Also, the narrator states he loves the old man, but has a problem with his eye. “One of his eyes resembled that of a vulture—pale blue eye, with a film over it” (Poe 3). Additionally, the author explains how the character displays self-pity, shame, and lack of conscience, traits similar to a psychopath. By observing these behaviors in this short story the readers come to realize the narrator is psychotic and in the end destroys himself by confessing to his crime. It appears the text is saying that people sometimes harm those whom they love or need most in their