The mood of Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ is one of intensity and suspense. From the very beginning, the reader is drawn into the mind of the narrator, who is both anxious and obsessed. The oppressive atmosphere created by the narrator’s overwhelming feelings of guilt and paranoia adds to the story’s overall sense of dread.
As the plot unfolds, the tension escalates, particularly during the descriptions of the old man’s eye and the climax of the murder. Poe expertly crafts a feeling of unease, using vivid imagery and a frantic narrative style that amplifies the narrator’s mental instability. This combination of emotions creates a feeling of horror as the reader anticipates the narrator’s inevitable downfall.
In summary, the mood of ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ is dark and thrilling, inviting readers to experience the fear and madness that permeates the narrator’s thoughts.