4/15/22, 5:41 PM Connection of "The Tell-tale Heart" with Poe’s Life Experiences: [Essay Example], 595 words GradesFixer

Connection of "The Tell-tale Heart" with Poe’s Life Experiences

Edgar Allan Poe, the son of actor and actress David Poe Jr. and Elizabeth Poe, was born
in 1809 on the 19th of January. Just before the age of three Poe had lost his parents, and
lived most of his life with Frances and John Allan, a successful tobacco vendor.
Throughout his life Poe was often betrayed by many individuals he knew. One of which
included, John Allan. John Allan acted as a father figure for Poe, as a father one would
expect them to help their child succeed and help them through difficult times. This
however was not the case in the relationship between Poe and John Allan. Poe was
able to go to many great schools, and in 1825 was able to go the University of Virginia.
“While there he distinguished himself academically but was forced to leave after less
than a year because of bad debts and inadequate financial support from Allan”. Even
though Allan was a successful vendor, he chose not to financially support Poe.
Throughout his life Allan was often a barrier and the root cause of most of his problems.
Resulting in Poe being left to deal with his own problems, which strained the
relationship between Poe and Allan.

Right before the birth of Poe, America also faced a similar problem. Burr Aaron, the son
of a president, born in 1756 on the 6th of February. The leader of the Democratic
Republican Party, which was originally the Republican Party, who in 1800 ran for the
president with Thomas Jefferson, but tied for votes and became the vice president was
involved in a conspiracy which led to his arrest for treason. “His plan, allegedly, was to
either establish a separate republic in the Southwest or to seize land in Spanish
America”. Being both an American citizen and a government official from America, Burr
still decided to betray his country to best fit his wants. However he was not able to
complete his plan successfully as his colleague, James Wilkinson, had already informed
Jefferson of the plans.

In both the author’s life and time period, it is clearly evident that individuals often
betrayed others including those they had a close relationship with. This included both
personal and professional relationships. A similar case can also be seen in the story “The
Tell-Tale Heart”, written by Edgar Allan Poe. “The Tell-Tale Heart”, is a story about the
narrator who claims to love an older man. “Passion there was none. I loved the old man.
He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult”. This man however had a “eye
of a vulture” that the narrator was often disturbed by and feared. This fear led to the
narrator murdering the man he had once claimed to have loved. As seen in the author’s
life, time period and story it is evident that this piece of literature was influenced by the
interactions and experiences that the narrator had, these specific interactions involved

https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/analytical-essay-on-the-connection-of-the-tell-tale-heart-to-poes-life-experiences/ 1/2
4/15/22, 5:41 PM Connection of "The Tell-tale Heart" with Poe’s Life Experiences: [Essay Example], 595 words GradesFixer

acts of betrayal. In Poe’s life, Allan had often betrayed him as father, and did not
provide for him nor support him. Around Edgar Allan Poe’s time period, Burr had
betrayed his country for his own selfish wants. This can also be seen in the story that
Poe had written, which was an example of the betrayal of love. As the narrator murders
the man that he had claimed to have loved.

All in all, the experiences and events that had taken place in Edgar Allan Poe’s life have
a clear connection and influence on the story “The Tell-Tale Heart”.

https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/analytical-essay-on-the-connection-of-the-tell-tale-heart-to-poes-life-experiences/ 2/2