Self-Destructive Impulse in Edgar Allan Poe's 'Imp of the Perverse'

This essay delves into Edgar Allan Poe's 'Imp of the Perverse,' examining the central theme of self-destructive impulse and perverseness. The analysis explores how Poe's narrator, through philosophical discourse and confession, embodies this impulse, deviating from societal norms and engaging in actions deemed illogical. The essay references Poe's other works, such as "The Cask of Amontillado" and "The Tell-Tale Heart," to highlight the recurring motif of perverse behavior in his gothic literature. It further discusses the narrator's understanding of the human mind, predating Freud's theories, and the inclination to act against rational judgment. The essay transitions from an essay to a short story, involving the reader in the psychological underpinnings of the narrator's actions, ultimately leading to his confession and imprisonment. The conclusion emphasizes the narrator's insights into the human mind's tendency to prioritize perverseness over pragmatic comprehension.

Running Head: SELF-DESTRUCTIVE IMPULSE IN “IMP OF THE PERVERSE”
The self-destructive impulse in “Imp of the Perverse.”
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note:

1SELF-DESTRUCTIVE IMPULSE IN “IMP OF THE PERVERSE”
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Discussion..................................................................................................................................2
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................3
References..................................................................................................................................4

2SELF-DESTRUCTIVE IMPULSE IN “IMP OF THE PERVERSE”
Introduction
Edgar Allan Poe’s “Imp of Perverse” uses the metaphor in its literal meaning of
inclining towards the human habit of following and carrying on the action which deviates
from the pragmatic ways of social understanding. The narrator, also the protagonist of the
short story, starts with an essay that is not new to the readers when it comes to Poe’s writings.
It is a uniform trait of Poe’s protagonists to follow perverse, as seen in his gothic literature
and horror stories such as that of “The Cask of Amontillado,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and
“The Black Cat.” The narrator starts with an essay and includes his confession of the murder
wittily to show how he is obsessed with making the listener coherently involved in his
narration and then confessing of the crime suddenly to shock them.
Discussion
Poe was ahead of his time in his understanding of the repressed and unconscious of
the mind even before Freud laid down his discourse. The narrator of Imp of the Perverse
follows the medium of talking about the working, including the adherence and the negation
of the medium, which is observed wholly based on our judgment. The lack of findings by the
researcher in the field of human consciousness is pointed out by the narrator saying that we
have avoided the understanding of the human inclination of not being able to inflict harm on
another in the wrong way (Ali). The work starts as an essay, and the reader is confused at the
subject of discussion whereby the narrator goes on a long rant which includes philosophical
terms centering around the issue of the lack of research and findings on the demarcation
which is the inclination of the society which is displayed by everyone at some point of time
(Vincent).
The simple approach towards the work which it seemed to convey relates to his
imprisonment and how working of the imp was behind his conviction (De Oliveira, Amanda,
and Elaine). The transition from the essay to the short story is unnerving in the sense that the

3SELF-DESTRUCTIVE IMPULSE IN “IMP OF THE PERVERSE”
reader will become involved in the philosophical understanding of the course of action in the
society where ethics and logic overpower the will. The sudden urge or the inclination to
confess or narrate is generated from the notion of it being considered as logically wrong and
senseless, which makes it more appealing. He terms the tendency as perverseness, which
awakes in individual to carry on the action simply to feel emancipated from the feeling of
being restricted to act (Poe). He declares that it was precisely the working of the impulse of
the perverseness, which leads him to let loose himself and confess his crime, which was very
well hidden.
Conclusion
The narrator shows the tendency of taking the reader’s attention towards a valid
working of the mind, which was yet not taken observed or researched by the phrenologists.
He turns towards the philosophical approach of the understanding of the viability of a thing,
which is considered to be illogical to carry out, and yet he had done it. He shows the readers
that it was not a defect on his part nor any psychological disorder but the tendency of the
human mind, which takes over the pragmatic comprehension and makes the person cross
over. He had committed a perfect crime and was harping the benefits, but the anticipation of
the result which his confession might bring out led him to confess enough to take him behind
bars and up to the hangman.

4SELF-DESTRUCTIVE IMPULSE IN “IMP OF THE PERVERSE”
References
Ali, Tabinda. PSYCHOANALYTIC STUDY OF MALE CHARACTERS IN EDGAR ALLAN
POE'S SHORT STORIES. Diss. 2017.
De Oliveira, Amanda Leonardi, and Elaine Indrusiak. "THE UNCANNY IMP: AN
ANALYSIS OF FREUD’S UNCANNY IN EDGAR ALLAN POE’S THE IMP OF THE
PERVERSE AND WILLIAM WILSON." Abusões 10.10 (2019).
Poe, Edgar Allan. "Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore - Works - Tales - The Imp Of The
Perverse (Text-06)". Eapoe.Org, 2020, https://www.eapoe.org/works/tales/impc.htm.
Vincent, John Emil. "The Imp of the Perverse." Criticism 58.3 (2016): 529-534.