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The Prefect of the Police
A man who declares himself of sound mind before telling his story, yet that story seems to refute his original assertion. His hatred of the old man’s evil eye consumes him to such a degree that he spends every night waiting for it to open so that he can feel sufficient rage to kill the old man. But though he calculates and waits, his guilt and paranoia after the crime, which he has hidden perfectly, become too much for him in front of the police and he confesses.
Narrator (The Tell-Tale Heart) Quotes in Poe's Stories
The Poe's Stories quotes below are all either spoken by Narrator (The Tell-Tale Heart) or refer to Narrator (The Tell-Tale Heart). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
The Tell-Tale Heart
Quotes
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.
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And have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but over-acuteness of the sense? – now, I say, there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I knew that sound well, too. It was the beating of the old man's heart. It increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage.
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Narrator (The Tell-Tale Heart) Quotes in Poe's Stories
The Poe's Stories quotes below are all either spoken by Narrator (The Tell-Tale Heart) or refer to Narrator (The Tell-Tale Heart). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
The Tell-Tale Heart
Quotes
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.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
And have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but over-acuteness of the sense? – now, I say, there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I knew that sound well, too. It was the beating of the old man's heart. It increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
