Can someone critique these two paragraphs

[izzykose]

If you could, would be awesome.

Most of Poe's characters are overwhelmed by fear, guilt and madness. Discuss.

Guilt is a central theme amongst many of Poe’s stories; however it is often implied, rather than explicit. Guilt, in which ever way it is expressed, often consumes the character and leads them to confess the horrific acts they commit. A prime example of this can be seen in the story ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ where the protagonist expresses guilt by depicting a “ringing” in his ears; which can be interpreted to represent his conscience, driving him to confess his deed. The sound is depicted to “steadily increase(d)”, as it does so it consumes the narrator, causing “violent gesticulations” and “agony”. As the narrator appears overwhelmed by a sound that the officers attending the scene “heard…not” it can be interpreted as an inner guilt or voice which drives him to “admit the deed” which causes him such “horror”. Guilt can also be seen in other Poe stories in similar ways. One of these examples is from the story ‘Berenice’. Within the story, the narrator has no recollection of his deed, however he sensed an experience that was “replete with horror”, a time which is described as “fearful” by him. This can also be interpreted as an underlying feeling of guilt, as the narrator without recollection is pervaded by a feeling that he had “done a deed”- a deed which evokes fear and horror in the person which committed the act. This response does not depict the narrator as a man of a free conscience, rather a man wracked with guilt. Guilt, then, can be seen as an emotion that consumes and overwhelms the characters of Poe’s stories- causing them to admit their actions or reflect with horror on the completion of their deeds.

The concept of madness is often explored by Poe in many of his stories and many characters become obsessed and enveloped by the idea of madness itself. In some stories, characters are fixated upon justifying their actions and proving to the reader that they are free from madness. However, in doing this, it shows that they are overwhelmed by these feelings and proves a level of insanity amongst them- as a sane individual would not have to assure persons of their sanity. One main example of this fixation on madness can be viewed in the story ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’. Within the story the narrator often questions whether “a madman” would have been so “wise” or have taken as many “precautions” as he had. In doing this, the narrator attempts to conceal his character of insanity by focusing upon the idea of madness- explaining his methodical nature in the committal of the deed. If not to convince the reader, it can also be viewed as an attempt to convince himself that he is not mad- showing a character possessed by thoughts of madness. Thus it can be seen that Poe’s stories contain characters which are overwhelmed by madness- driving them to convince the reader and themselves of their sanity which has left them.