My thesis will examine character doubles in “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Cask of Amontillado” as a way for individuals to critically question the reality in which they exist. This then leads to a deeper understanding of the world within which the reader interacts daily. When analyzed through a psychoanalytic perspective, both stories provide insight in regard to how narrators construct a second reality in order to then destroy it. Thus, I argue that the narrators of both stories establish character doubles in order to project their undesirable traits onto the characters as a means of revival for the narrators themselves. This project will explore the social and political implications of doubling as a means of catharsis for both the narrators, the reader, and Poe himself. Examining Poe’s work through a psychoanalytic lens reveals his intention for the reader to think critically and live in a state of perpetual questioning. I will consider how questioning the status quo results in a constantly changing paradigm of the reader’s place in society, which then leads to the reader being able to view and overcome societal norms in an innovative manner.
