The conflict in Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" is primarily internal, as it centers on the narrator's mental struggle with their own guilt and fear. The story is narrated by a person who has killed an old man, but instead of feeling guilty or remorseful, the narrator becomes increasingly paranoid and anxious as they try to cover up their crime.
The narrator's conflict begins when they first decide to kill the old man, who they live with. The old man has a "vulture eye," which the narrator finds repulsive and unsettling. Despite this, the narrator initially plans to simply kill the old man and dispose of the body, but they become increasingly paranoid and anxious as they carry out their plan.
As the narrator waits for the right moment to strike, they become increasingly agitated and anxious. They describe their own heartbeat as "a low, dull, quick sound - much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton," suggesting that their own guilt and fear are causing them physical symptoms.
The conflict comes to a head on the eighth night, when the narrator finally succeeds in killing the old man. After disposing of the body, the narrator becomes increasingly paranoid and anxious, convinced that the old man's ghost is haunting them and that the police will be able to hear the beating of the old man's heart from beneath the floorboards where they have hidden the body.
The conflict is resolved when the narrator finally confesses to the crime, convinced that they can no longer bear the guilt and fear that have consumed them. However, the resolution of the conflict comes at a high cost, as the narrator is arrested and likely punished for their crime.
Overall, the conflict in "The Tell-Tale Heart" is a psychological one, as it centers on the narrator's internal struggle with their own guilt and fear. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of letting one's own emotions consume them, and the consequences of giving in to our darkest impulses.
