Definition of Terms INTRODUCTION
enigmatic gaze of the other. ” Ki, Magdalen Wing-Chi, 2008:2. It can be seen that
Ki’s study focused on the Ego aspect of the narrator. Furthermore, Ki also stated that the action of the narrator influenced by the act of the EgoEvil.
Another related study is a study written by Andrea Schaumlö ffel 2010. The
point of this study is to analyze the rhetorical structure and to explain the rhetorical devices of Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” in the narrator’s confession.
“On the basis of the interpretations above, we can see that “The Tell-
Tale Heart” gives much leeway for exegesis. Interestingly enough, this full range of well-founded views can only be
possible because of the lack of information: We do not know who the narrator is, or in which relationship he or she stands
with the old man, neither where and how they exactly live, nor
why this tale is actually told.” Schaumlöffel, 2010: 9
According to the quotation above it can be seen that Andrea Schaumlö ffel
2010 concludes that the object of study gives too much room for another interpretation
and concludes that this happens because of the story’s lack of information.
Meanwhile, the position of this study is to elaborate the motive of the murder from the
dynamic of the narrator’s unconscious mind. Therefore, the elaboration of the motive is able to give a dif
ferent perspective about Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” for future studies.