The Cask Of Amontillado

Edgar Allan Poe was an American short-story writer and a poet. He wrote “The Cask Of Amontillado” in 1846. The story is a mysterious tale. The tale was first published in the magazine Godey’s Lady Book. “Poe’s masterful use of irony and first person narrative combined to evoke a sense of horror in the reader”(Riggs, 22). The tale is about revenge, murder and torture.

The first –person narration style of “The Cask of Amontillado” is vital in creating the quality of the story. The story allows one of the main characters in the story Montresor, to tell the story from his point of view which gives the reader intimate yet disturbing look into the mind story teller thinks and feels which the reader doesn’t normally get from other narrative styles. The narrative style of this story is important because it sets the tone of the story. The reader become more familiar with the thoughts and intentions of the main character and this allows the reader to slightly figure out the outcome of the story and further understand the ironies throughout the story. If this story was told from a different angle I don’t believe it would be as powerful. Narration in first-person “can evoke a stronger emotional attachment with readers; from the first instance, the reader connects with the main protagonist. It is his/her voice, thoughts and feelings being portrayed; therefore, this is the person the reader is most likely to bond with” (Wright). The first-person narrative style establishes a more personal connection between the reader and the narrator, who in this case is also the main character. In “The Cask of Amontillado” the narrator uses a very familiar tone to connect with the audience as if he knew his reader: “You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat” (Poe, 739). This line is one of the

“The Cask of Amontillado” is told from the point of view of Montresor, am man during for revenge against the injustice caused by Fortunato to his family. Eveidnet from the use of Montresor’s thought

The decision I made about the choice of confinement as the theme to analyze is the right decision because I want to delve into the different types of irony that comes with confinement, and the many ways in which people could be confined. “Throwing the kinks about his waist, it was but the work of a few seconds to secure it.” (Beers et.al 291) is illustrated in the story “The Cask of Amontillado”. This quote supports my claim because it shows an instance, although fictional, in which a person would be physically confined.

The Cask of Amontillado is short story written by Edgar Allan Poe published in 1846 that focus on a man taking a fatal revenge on a friend who, he believes, betrayed him. Because of the plot arrangement I find that this short story was written using a biographical strategy since the similarities between Poe personal life and the characters, misfortunes that Poe had and .

I cannot begin talking about “The Cask of Amontillado” without first mentioning its author, Mr. Edgar Allen Poe and his unique style of writing. Poe’s style of writing is described as “Dark Gothic.” Poe uses irony to create a comedic effect which only foreshadows the horror ahead; his short story writing still giving readers the full effect of the story; Poe felt a story should be read in one sitting, with each event occurring in order keeping with the storyline as he states in his essay “The Philosophy of Composition.” His use of imagery and symbolism putting pictures in our minds leaving us in suspense; the unreliable narrator, clearly in an effort to substantiate his sanity is definite verification of his insanity. Poe’s immense

The Cask of Amontillado is a tale of terror written by Edgar Allen Poe. This short story is from the point of view from Montresor’s memory. The setting of this story is in a small unnamed European city, at a local carnival and then at the catacombs under Montresor’s home, around duck. The brief synopsis of this story is about the revenge that the Montresor, the antagonist and narrator, wants against Fortunato, a wine connoisseur and the victim, that has insulted him. Montresor finds Fortunato at a carnival and lures him into the catacombs of his home by offering him a special kind of wine. While in the

The Black Cat makes me feel extremely uncomfortable. The main cause of this is when the narrator explains that one night he gets home intoxicated and thinks that his beloved cat doesn’t want to be in his company. At this point, he becomes infuriated and “[takes] from [his] waist-coat pocket a penknife, open[s] it, grasp[s] the poor beast by the throat, and deliberately cut one of its eyes from the socket” (DiYanni 138). The vividness of the details in this story is very unpleasant. The Cask of Amontillado makes me feel uneasy about the reason in which Montresor is actually telling his story. On one hand, it seems like he is confessing to his crime, but on the other hand, it’s as if he is bragging about killing Fortunato and getting away with

"The Cask of Amontillado", by Edgar Allen Poe, is the best short story because the setting, style and syntax of language, and point of view from which the story is told allows the reader to understand some of the complexities of character and motives of the protagonist. In this story, Montresor, a member of the French aristocracy and the protagonist, seeks revenge on Fortunato, a Nuevo riche member of French nobility, because of an unnamed insult. Montresor leads Fortunato into his family's catacombs, chains him to a wall, and encases him in brick, leaving him to die. This story is told from the point of view of Montresor and as a confession as he remembers the details of his vengeance. Poe deliberately chooses his setting as a symbolic metaphor of the protagonist and his actions. The style of the first-person point of view narration further illustrates the complexity of Montresor's character. All of these elements combine to reveal a highly complex protagonist with a motive that is much deeper in meaning than what appears on the surface.

His confessional proves the logic that, although he was successful with his plan for revenge, he has not been able to live in peace. The theme of “The Cask of Amontillado” is that of revenge and the deceiving way one man will accomplish his goal. Poe’s use of irony and humor adds to the darkness of the storyline. Montresor’s crest and motto are a symbol of his pride. Montresor, knows that if he does not go through with the destruction of Fortunato, he has not fully avenged himself or his family.

“The Cask of Amontillado” is a story rife with symbolism, irony and psychological horror brought on by the writing that Edgar Allan Poe has been known for throughout literary history. The story follows Montresor, a man who was insulted by his friend Fortunato, as he enacts his revenge for the betrayal. Poe’s use of Gothic rhetoric adds to the horror and violence of the story as a whole but more so on a psychological level. The setting brings about a constant flickering of emotion between freedom and confinement, causing the reader to be in a constant hyperaware state throughout the reading. Poe used symbolism all through this story and managed to tie it in with the setting causing an even more sinister vibe to take hold.

There are numerous interesting stories we have read and characters we have come to know throughout our readings. I found all of them interesting, but I found Cathedral to be a very intriguing story. The personality that Carver gave the husband was interesting to me because other than his jealousy of Robert due to his relationship with his wife, he had no real reason as to why he did not like him. Jealousy can be a dangerous thing if we allow it to consume our lives and I felt that this is what the husband was doing. Robert was blind and the wife had worked for him and had kept in touch via recordings.

The short story “The Cask of Amontillado” can be interpreted in about one thousand different ways. My initial impact on the story is far - far different from what I think the story is really about after thinking about it for a day or two. But, I think they are both equally feasible. So I will tell you about both of them in the paragraphs below.

“The Cask of Amontillado” was very dark and mysterious. It is told in first person so we do not find out who the narrator, Montresor, is until the end of the story. I found the story very interesting and wanted to keep reading to find out what Montresor was going to do to Fortunato.

The gruesome tale of Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Cask of Amontillado” is bone chilling. This ghastly narrative, recounted by Montresor, takes the reader through a meticulous retelling of a murder committed a full fifty years’ prior, down to the precise moment of every cough and every jingle of the bells ornamented to Fortunato’s cap. Holding true to the romantic movement in Literature, also referred to as Romanticism, Poe placed a large emphasis on the bizarre, unexpected, and for characters being dominated by their emotions to the point it exceeds all possible rational explanation. Every part of “The Cask of Amontillado” seems to grasp these concepts. Although, it is through Poe’s skillful use of symbolism and irony that truly make this short story a great contribution to literature.