Analysis Of Insanity Ple The Tell-Tale Heart By Edgar Allan Poe
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Insanity Plea: “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
The thoughts, speech, and behavior of a budding psychopath reveal the incompetence of the mentally unstable. The short story, “The Tell-Tale Heart,” by Edgar Allan Poe, highlights this through the actions of the narrator. The narrator is mentally unstable for three reasons: he is unable to differentiate right form wrong, unable to distinguish fantasy from reality, and unable to control his impulsive behavior. It is unreasonable for the defendant to be sentenced to death. Instead, it is recommended for the defendant to seek psychiatric treatment and be committed to an institution.
One could argue that the gruesome murder of the old man was premeditated. This statement, however, is false. In fact, the murder of the old man was a crime of passion. The defendant saw an opportunity to “rid [himself] of the eye forever” (p.1 para.2), an object which is clearly a figment of his imagination. The defendant lives in constant paranoia and fear of this “eye,” ultimately driving him to insanity. In an attempt to alleviate his plight, the narrator resorts to destroying the “eye,” unaware that he was, in fact, killing the old man. Would a sane man murder an innocent person for the sole purpose of eliminating an object that is fictional?…show more content… The narrator is completely delirious, suggesting that “if [people] think [him] mad” (p.2 para.2), that he would prove his sanity by describing in intricate detail the dismemberment of victim’s body. This evidence supports the theory that this crime was not premeditated, as the narrator worked hastily to dispose of the