A Comparison Of The Tell-Tale-Heart And The Tell Tale Heart

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Recommended: Central themes of a tell tale heart

“The Tell-Tale-Heart” is one of Edgar Allan Poe’s greatest fictional short stories. It is known for its repulsive and insane homicide; a very wild and thrilling tale. Likewise, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s well-known novel, The Scarlet Letter, is famous for its directness on sexual conflict. Both writings possess similarities with regards to modified characters, connected symbolism, and significant midpoints. Due to these comparisons, it is quite certain that Hawthorne found inspiration in writing The Scarlet Letter after reading “The Tell Tale-Heart”. Edger Allan Poe is one of the most famous and controversial authors of many short stories and novels. He is generally known for his Gothic Genre that mainly deals with the darker elements of the human condition as well as the supernatural, including a feel of horror, supernatural, and darkness. Furthermore, elements like the setting should seem gloomy: rain, storms, etc. The tone and the felling of the story should be mysterious that will lead to suspense and fear. Poe is not like other authors who end their stories with a happy ending; rather the ending to his work is gruesome and usually does not give the reader closure. Due to his uniqueness of writing, critics placed him “in the first rank of American artist” (Rahn). Common themes of Poe’s work consist of murder, revenge, and insanity. “The Tell Tale-Heart” is one of his most popular Gothic writings where the narrator fights to prove his sanity rather his innocence. In his late teens, Hawthorne refused to thrive in a usual profession, “I do not want to be a doctor and live by men's diseases, nor a minister to live by their sins, nor a lawyer and live by their quarrels. So, I don't see that there is anything left for me but to be an... ... middle of paper ... ...he midpoint of “The Tell Tale-Heart” becomes “God’s Eye” in the center of the novel. I came across a couple of readings in regards to Providence Tradition, which is the involvement in reflecting halves and significant midpoints in stories. Additionally, it is the combination of the old and the new text within a narrative. This may be the reason why Poe’s short story includes alterations and Hawthorne’s novel includes an important note at the center of his novel. Kopley helps by reinforcing this idea: “The Providence Tradition, two symmetrical halves of a literary work, suggesting the Old Testament and the New Testament” (Kopley). Edgar Allen Poe became one of the most influential authors in regards to Gothic Literature. His short stories leave readers with a sense of uneasiness due to his vivid descriptions of horrifying, supernatural, and psychological stories.

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