Markheim
...grimace betray someone who is not going to be deterred by a mere last minute waver. Additionally, “haggard” gives us a sense of the tremendous physical demands that the murder requires of him. At this point, it seems that Markheim is nothing like an accomplished killer and it is going to be his reaction to the death of the pawnbroker that will determine whether or not he agrees to kill the maid. The setting helps to reveal Markheim’s feelings in the wake of the murder and therefore shed further light on the decision he will choose to make. Even the most innocuous things trigger off his fear, as is evident in: “Time had some small score of voices in that shop, some stately and slow … others garrulous and hurried.” The fact that he hears voices where none are suggests that he believes everything in the darkened room to be conspiring against him. “Garrulous” also implies that he is afraid they are revealing information about his crime. What is more, the light coming in through the door is said to “peer” at him and also forms the shape of “a pointing finger” which has connotations of accusation, revealing Markheim’s paranoia and inordinate fear of being caught. The room is also described as being “filled with a noiseless bustle”. This connotes that, although the room is perfectly still and silent, Markheim has become so hypersensitive to his surroundings that he is aware of even the smallest details, which makes the room seem, to him, full of activity. Markheim’s hysteria in the wake of the murder is so extreme that it seems he may reject the visitant’s offer for fear of a similar reaction. Conversely, he is so afraid of being caught that he may be willing to kill again in order to escape. Another side of Markheim’s character is seen later on in the story which may influence his decision. Whilst he feels afraid and guilty after killing the pawnbroker, he is still focused on stealing his money: “To have done the deed and not to reap the profit, would be too abhorrent a failure.” This suggests that rather than the murder, Markheim sees not collecting the money as the real crime. It seems he has no remorse for killing the pawnbroker but instead sees it as merely a means to an end. This is further supported by: “At best he felt a gleam of pity … but of penitence, no, not a tremor.” This callous and unscrupulous side to Markheim’s personality makes us consider that he may well decide to kill the maid. Moreover, Markheim’s fear begins to spread to things out with the room. The somewhat irrational fear that the people in the streets outside may have heard about his crime is said to have “sat down before his mind like a besieging army”. Clearly, Markheim is extremely worried and “besieging” suggests that he is unable to rid his mind of the thought of being caught. “Army”, with its connotations of violence, also suggests that Markheim fears the wrath of the people and his inevitable hanging, if he were to be caught. In his hypersensitive state, he hears “the clink of the tall Bohemian goblets ring out like a bell.” This implies that his senses have become so distorted by hysteria that he thinks the people outside can hear even the quietest noise he makes. Wha...