How does The Black Cat and The Tell-Tale Heart reflect Edgar Allan Poe's life?

Answer 1

In The Tell Tale Heart, the narrator is haunted first by the eye, then (and foremostly, you can chose to ignore the eye idea, if it becomes too complicated) by the heartbeat which only he can hear, but which drives him to a point of stress where he can no longer control his coolness, and confesses to a crime he had so cold-bloodedly performed just a moment before.

In The Raven, the narrator, at first rather calm (he is calmly reading... he tries to explain the tapping with rationality... he addresses the Raven cooly at first: 'though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou...'), also goes a bit berserk with the obsession of the 'Nevermore', in relation to a dead person (just as in the TTH) he will no longer be able to be with; by the end he's bellowing 'Prophet!', said I, 'Thing of evil!'... et cetera.

So I would base it on that- memories that haunt us and drive us insane.

Which is pretty Poe-ish anyway, so it's not saying much.

Answer 2

Both stories reflect Poe's own psychological struggles, including themes of guilt, obsession, and madness. The narrators in both stories grapple with inner turmoil and inner demons, mirroring Poe's own personal struggles with Alcoholism and mental health issues. Additionally, both stories showcase Poe's fascination with exploring the darker aspects of human nature and the human psyche.

Answer 3

Both of these stories have narrators that murder someone and bury them in a part of their house. Both of the narrators are caught by the police. Both have supernatural events occur to them.

Answer 4

tell tale heart