Analysis
Our analysis so far has consisted of getting a better understanding of Poe's work, taking a look at the important themes and nuances included in "The Tell-Tale Heart", and understanding why these things are important to the story. Even so, our analysis still lacks some of the depth that this short story deserves. There is a little more going on with some of the themes that have been previously mentioned and in a very psychological tale such as this one, where we practically follow the very warped and complex mind of a madman, it helps to see the story's workings from a psychological viewpoint. The close textual and psychological reading done by E. Arthur Robinson helps to bring about a depth that can be easily overlooked, and so when looking at the complex, painstakingly planned out "unity of effect" that Poe held himself to, it seems necessary to also take a similar approach.
A Psychological Approach...
For the best understanding of the psychological aspects of the story we will focus our attention into three important sections:
The Psychic Merging of Killer and Killed
As mentioned briefly already, there is a connection that exists between the characters of the narrator and the old man. We began to realize this connection when examining the importance of eyes in the theme and symbol section of this site. As we discovered, through the emergence of the character's two symbolic eyes, the vulture eye of the old man and the lantern of the narrator, we see them become one, but this is not the only example of this psychic merging. Taking a closer look we can see there are many similar sensory details connecting the two men (Robinson 374). We have one man's hearing of the creaking of the lantern hinge, and the other man's finger slipping on its tin fastening, both men lying awake at midnight "hearkening to the deathwatches in the wall", and we see the loud yell of the narrator echoed by the shriek of the old man (Robinson 374). Robinson also points out that the main identifier of this identity complex "is implied in the key psychological occurrence of the story--the madman's mistaking his own heartbeat for that of his victim, both before and after the murder" (374).
The Indefinite Extension of Subjective Time
Time, as mentioned previously, serves the narrator as a justification of his sanity and reason, but its use in the tale goes much deeper when seen through a psychological viewpoint. In a psychological sense, time does two things for the story: adds to the "unity of effect" and through the slow motion technique, "intensifies the subjectivity of "The Tell-Tale Heart" beyond that attained by mere use of a narrator" (Robinson 371). In this section let's just focus on the second part of this, the slow motion and subjective use of time. Robinson brings to our attention that, "as the characters listen in the darkness, intervals of strained attention are prolonged until the effect resembles that of slow motion" (371). Thus for most of the story, we follow the narrator's seven nights of creeping "very, very slowly" into the old man's chamber, where he describes a watch's minute hand moving more quickly than his, and it taking him longer than an hour to get his head through the door. One of the only disruptions of this flow is the action, which is over quite quickly, "In an instant I dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him" (Poe). Robinson points out that "in contrast, the intermediate, subjective experience is prolonged to a point where psychologically it is beyond objective measurement" (372).
We see the objective measurement of time where, at first, intervals receive conventional descriptions such as an hour or many minutes, but "eventually such designations become meaningless and duration can be presented only in terms of the experience itself" (Robinson 372). Robinson goes on to say that typically in Poe's work, "the action reaches its most intense point when the relationship between the objective and subjective time sense falters or fails. At this point too the mental world of the subject is at its greatest danger of collapse (372). This can be seen best at the very end of the story, where the narrator is driven mad by the ringing in his ears. He recounts, "I foamed--I raved--I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards", and yet the police sit idly by noticing none of these actions. It seems, to the narrator, that this moment is one of extreme intensity and action, and is unending in time. In reality, it seems to be a very short period of time, and a rather peaceful situation for the three police officers who are sitting and chatting. So it seems that his reaction is still essentially subjective, and we see the failure between the subjective and objective, which then leads to the ultimate collapse (Robinson 374).
We see the objective measurement of time where, at first, intervals receive conventional descriptions such as an hour or many minutes, but "eventually such designations become meaningless and duration can be presented only in terms of the experience itself" (Robinson 372). Robinson goes on to say that typically in Poe's work, "the action reaches its most intense point when the relationship between the objective and subjective time sense falters or fails. At this point too the mental world of the subject is at its greatest danger of collapse (372). This can be seen best at the very end of the story, where the narrator is driven mad by the ringing in his ears. He recounts, "I foamed--I raved--I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards", and yet the police sit idly by noticing none of these actions. It seems, to the narrator, that this moment is one of extreme intensity and action, and is unending in time. In reality, it seems to be a very short period of time, and a rather peaceful situation for the three police officers who are sitting and chatting. So it seems that his reaction is still essentially subjective, and we see the failure between the subjective and objective, which then leads to the ultimate collapse (Robinson 374).
Unity of Effect
Now that we have these two psychological themes, we can examine the link between them, and how this helps to achieve Poe's "unity of effect". First of all we remember there must be, as Poe puts it, "a repetition of purpose" (Robinson 370). In this particular tale, the repetition of time and the narrator's "acuteness of the senses" are both evident and it was mentioned in the last section that the psychological use of time added to the "unity of effect". The purpose of the repetition is to add to the structural power of the story and provide aesthetic satisfaction (Robinson 371). To quote Poe, "by such means, with such care and skill, a picture is at length painted which leaves in the mind of him who contemplates it with a kindred art, a sense of the fullest satisfaction. The idea of the tale, its thesis, has been presented unblemished..." (Robinson 371). This just goes to show Poe's viewpoint on the combined importance of both form and idea in a story.
So the repetition of both time and the narrator's senses are essential to achieving that "unity of effect". We now understand how time fits in, but what about the acuteness of the senses and the psychic merging of killer and victim? Well both of these things actually come into play together. As Robinson notes, "In Poe's tales, extreme sensitivity of the senses usually signalizes approaching death" (376). However, in the story this acuteness of the senses resides with the narrator, while the old man is the one who actually dies. This is where the merging of murderer and victim become important. Poe draws these two things together by making the narrator dramatize his own feelings in his victim. We see this especially when the narrator describes the moments leading up to the death of the old man. The narrator says, "I knew what the old man felt, and pitied him... All in vain; because Death, in approaching him had stalked with his black shadow before him, and enveloped the victim". With this identification with the victim, "destruction then becomes self-destruction, the madman and his victim being aspects of the same universal identity" (Robinson 377). "In the death of the old man he sought to kill a part of himself, but his 'demons' could not be exorcised through murder, for he himself is their destined victim" (Robinson 376). And from this viewpoint, where all aspects of "the unity of effect" are taken into account in this psychological sense, Robinson suggests that the actual theme of the story is "self destruction through extreme subjectivity" (376).
So the repetition of both time and the narrator's senses are essential to achieving that "unity of effect". We now understand how time fits in, but what about the acuteness of the senses and the psychic merging of killer and victim? Well both of these things actually come into play together. As Robinson notes, "In Poe's tales, extreme sensitivity of the senses usually signalizes approaching death" (376). However, in the story this acuteness of the senses resides with the narrator, while the old man is the one who actually dies. This is where the merging of murderer and victim become important. Poe draws these two things together by making the narrator dramatize his own feelings in his victim. We see this especially when the narrator describes the moments leading up to the death of the old man. The narrator says, "I knew what the old man felt, and pitied him... All in vain; because Death, in approaching him had stalked with his black shadow before him, and enveloped the victim". With this identification with the victim, "destruction then becomes self-destruction, the madman and his victim being aspects of the same universal identity" (Robinson 377). "In the death of the old man he sought to kill a part of himself, but his 'demons' could not be exorcised through murder, for he himself is their destined victim" (Robinson 376). And from this viewpoint, where all aspects of "the unity of effect" are taken into account in this psychological sense, Robinson suggests that the actual theme of the story is "self destruction through extreme subjectivity" (376).