The Tell-tale Heart was written by which author?

• A. Hawthorne
• B. Tennyson
• C. Burns
• D. Poe

Answer: (D)

Edgar Allan Poe wrote The Tell-Tale Heart. This piece is a quintessential example of Poe's Gothic, psychological horror. It uses an unreliable first-person narrator who insists he is sane while describing the murder and the overwhelming guilt that follows. The heartbeat motif becomes a symbol of conscience that the narrator cannot escape, driving the tension and culminating in a confession. These elements—unreliable narration, intense atmosphere, and the rhythmic flow of the prose—are hallmarks of Poe's style and set this story apart from works by Hawthorne, Tennyson, or Burns, who wrote different kinds of literature. The tale appeared in 1843, adding to Poe's reputation as a master of eerie, suspenseful storytelling.