Oct 28, 2023
This is definitely a departure from what you would normally get from me, even as a bonus episode. I have made this an annual tradition for my radio listening audience. I have always enjoyed this short tale. It's surprisingly short when read normally, only a few pages. However, when brought to life in a more theatrical way, it lasts just over 16 minutes. Needless to say, this is something perfect for the Halloween timeframe, but could be listened to anytime you want to hear a suspenseful tale.
I have had several teachers ask if they could play this in their classrooms, both for entertainment and for instruction and, of course, I always say YES! I love the notion of making someone aware, especially younger people, of the magic and awe built into the stories of Edgar Allan Poe. Just because it was written years before the start of the Civil War (1843), it is just as powerful and mesmerizing today.
As a character study into madness and the guilty conscience, there is no finer piece. It begins as though the narrator of the story has already been apprehended as is telling his side of the story. But, as it progresses, we get the sense the narrator is once again reliving the story as though he is back in his home, waiting for the right time to murder the old man. By the end, it's as though it is happening for the very first time.
It's a beautifully written piece of horror and suspense and I do hope you enjoy this dramatic production of The Tell-Tale Heart. Enjoy!
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