The Concept Of Madness In Poe's Tell-Tale Heart By Edgar Allan Poe

Madness is an idea that has been widely explored and theorized throughout the ages, particularly within Shakespearean literature and other works along those lines. It is nearly impossible to establish a working definition of madness itself, because there are so many different forms of madness shown throughout time, as well as different contexts. It breaks down to subjectivity, along with time and place, and situational circumstances. In Edgar Allan Poe’s “Tell-Tale Heart,” a perhaps unusual form of madness rears it’s head, the madness of passion, and how too much exertion on a single passion may in fact lead to madness. “Tell-Tale Heart” explores the idea of passion operating as a gateway for madness, which is then followed by a state of delirium, yet the short story also conveys the idea that both passion and delirium must …show more content…
The narrator of “Tell-Tale Heart” displays this idea when they first begin to obsess over the old man’s eye, then they begin to hallucinate, falling into a delirious state of mind. Finally, the narrator kills the old man, and without any sanity left attempts to hide the evidence. This form of madness continues to persist in today’s society, as many artists grow so immersed and passionate about their work, it begins to consume them. Many of these artists then went on to become insane, such as Richard Dadd, and Michelangelo to name a few. What is perhaps most important to extrapolate from both Foucault and Poe, is the idea that balance is the key to a healthy lifestyle, while this concept is not directly stated in the text, it is implied strongly given the circumstance of what can happen when passion overcomes the ability to