"The Tell-Tale Heart": A Reflection of the Insanity Defense

Abstract

This essay analyzes the famous work of Edgar Allan Poe, “The Tell-Tale Heart.” The author proposes viewing this text through the cultural context of the time. The essay discusses how Poe is well-known for his gothic stories but addresses how the literary discussions often over look Poe as critic. The main purpose of this essay is to reflect on “The Tell-Tale Heart” as a cultural critique on the insanity defense and offers other researchers’ perspectives on this form of analysis. The author of this essay provides a general background summary of the change in judicial law that created the M’Naghten insanity defense introduced in 1843. The author further provides textual analysis and intended audience as supporting pieces of Poe’s work that demonstrate the concept of the insanity defense.