This passage is from Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Tell-Tale Heart." The narrator's obsession with the old man's eye drives him to madness, illustrating themes of guilt and the darker sides of human nature. The narrator insists on their sanity while describing their descent into irrationality, creating a contrast that heightens the tension of the story. Poe masterfully explores the psychological effects of fear and obsession, culminating in a chilling narrative that examines the complexities of the mind. Would you like to discuss this story further or analyze specific themes or characters?
It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture—a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees—very gradually—I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever.
1 answer