Edgar Allan Poe 's The Cask Of Amontillado

Connoisseurs often adhere to the changing of wine based on its age. Although the process of aging may alter the flavor compounds, texture, or color of the beverage, one cannot predict improvement nor deterioration. Centuries have passed since Edgar Allan Poe described the death of a gullible fool, yet the taste of a murderer’s Amontillado wine remains bittersweet. Although the work is fictional, “The Cask of Amontillado” provides a nefarious and dismal libretto, depicted as a tale of pride, revenge, and a murder in cold blood. Through the use of symbolism, theological allusion, and foreshadowing, Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” suggests taking pride in seeking revenge on enemies is addictive and intoxicating.

Amontillado is a classically known amber-colored, medium-dry sherry wine, and in the case of Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado, it is the taste for Amontillado that results in the unfortunate and rather untimely death of Fortunato at the hands of the maniacal Montresor. Revenge is something that no one should have to experience; however, sadly sometimes, it is an inevitability that cannot be avoided. The Cask of Amontillado exposes Poe’s dark side and cruelty towards society and the world. In this short story, Poe tells about a rich drunk man, Fortunato, picking on a not-so rich friend, Montresor, but things quickly take a turn when Montresor decides to take out his revenge against his “pal.” Poe uses ethos, logos, and pathos deeply throughout his storyline to enhance the story and better the imagination of the characters, the deep meaning behind the setting, and the Amontillado’s secret.

Is there anything that someone could do to you that would cause you to commit murder? Could you get away with it? Montresor is the murderous narrator who has committed the perfect murder in just such a tale, “The Cask of Amontillado.” Montresor plots and kills an unwary friend/foe during carnival time for motives that are unclear. The author of this tale, Edgar Allan Poe, influenced by his somewhat tragic life and one of the most influential Gothic writers, uses symbolism and irony to show the multitude of complicated motives of the narrator in his famous horror story.

Try to imagine how you would feel if every family member you truly loved died. Edgar Allen Poe didn’t need to imagine this situation; he lived it. Poe had a miserable childhood. He lost many of his closest loved ones to death, which affected his mind. He became focused on death and its effects on those left behind. His obsession with death and loss can be seen in most of his writings. If one looks carefully at five of Poe’s writings, “The Raven,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Black Cat,” and “The Fall of the House of Usher,” one can see that there are patterns and similarities in his many diverse stories. However, despite some similarities, Poe’s main characters are generally different.

In “The Cask of Amontillado,” by Edgar Allen Poe, one finds the horror throughout its pages. The ideas of unexplained revenge and images of scenes only getting darker and colder cause one to have feelings of dread and disbelief. The protagonist, Montresor, has waited fifty years to tell his story, and one has to question the reliability of what he is saying. Questions of true justice and the power of an insult arise, only magnifying those ideas of horror. In “The Cask of Amontillado,” one sees a man trying to justify unjust revenge, with irony and visual imagery used to emphasize the horror of a murder.

The short story, The Cask of Amontillado, written by Edgar Allan Poe is a story of terror and betrayal. Like many of Poe’s literary works, the story has a dark undertone with a theme of terror and depression. More than half a century ago, Marshall McLuhan argued that though Poe was fascinated by evil, the evil that he had in mind was not that of Calvinism, but that of the split man and the split civilization. In general, McLuhan was right, but in this instance Calvinism, and its God, provided a dark level of meaning to the tale. (Graham, 88) The threat of being buried alive is both a psychological fear and a historical reality that Edgar Allan Poe capitalizes on, ambiguously.

A friend is someone that is trustworthy, but what happens when that trust no longer exists? In “The Cask of Amontillado” written by Edgar Allan Poe, Fortunato is about to find the answer to this question. On the surface, Montresor seems friendly with Fortunato, but deep down he feels nothing but hate for him. Could this hatred have an irrationality that only Montresor understands? In different ways, both of these men are proud and affluent, yet both have downfalls that will lead to a tragic ending. Edgar Allan Poe’s use of language contributes to the understanding of the dynamic between the two men. Although perceived differently, they both want the same thing; to satisfy the taste for something that has been long overdue. Poe has an eloquent way of reproducing great literary elements in the story, the theme of deception and revenge, is justified by the use of Irony and symbolism.

In the story “The Cask of Amontillado” written in 1846, by Edgar Allen Poe he speaks about the plot to kill the main character by the name of Fortunato. The murder of Fortunato is committed by a friend named Montresor. Poe never truly reveals how Fortunato 's death will occur but he uses, suspense, and Irony to keep the reader entertained.

Edgar Allan Poe, a well-known writer even today, was born January 19, 1809, and died October 7, 1848. During his life time, Poe had written sixty-six short stories and seventy poems, and his writing was inspired by a dark past. Poe’s mother died of tuberculosis after his father abandoned them. Then, while living with a foster family, his foster mother died and his foster father disliked him. These events caused Poe to have a particular style of writing and in each of these a reader is able to see similarities between the characters, theme, setting, and Poe’s use of symbolism. In ‘The Cask of Amontillado’, ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ and ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ a reader can make these connections and see how Edgar Allan Poe put his feelings into words.

“The Cask of Amontillado” was written in 1846, by Edgar Allan Poe. Born in 1809, Poe never knew any of his parents. At the age of three, his mother died of tuberculosis, and his father deserted the family before he was born. Taking care of him was his foster parents in Richmond, Virginia. They loved Poe, but were not supportive of his decisions and kept Poe poor. Having debt and not being able to provide food and clothes for himself caused Poe to quit school. Later, he worked as a magazine editor and soon became a literary critic. Come 1836, Poe married his sick cousin. During this time, many of his successful literature were developed. However, Poe was never able to remain financially stable. In 1847, Poe’s wife died. Not even two years after her death, Poe was found half-dead on a Baltimore street. At the age of forty, Poe had died. It is still unknown the cause of his death.

The short story “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edger Allan Poe, is based on Montresor taking revenge on his old friend Fortunato. The play contains many literary elements that connect to the life of the author as well. The short story holds literary elements that in turn are used to depict the author himself. Some of the elements in the play that are detailed are irony, characterization, and symbolism. Fortunato’s name is ironic as well as the wine he so desperate to drink. This compares to Poe as he was a notorious drunk in his time. There are multiple symbols that are sprinkled throughout the story, the wine and the catacombs themselves are examples. The catacombs are a symbol to the amount of death that surrounded the author in his life. Characterization is used to give us an image of the two characters that the story revolves around. The characterization of both Fortunato and Montresor who could be both the author himself and the people he despised. Every author places their own experiences into their work to make it more believable, or to give more of a draw to the audience.

Edgar Allen Poe is a well known author of short stories and poetry from the 19th century. He is known especially for his stories of horror and suspense. The Cask of Amontillado is one of his more famous pieces. The story follows the narrator, Montresor, as he exacts revenge on Fortunato. Montressor draws Fortunato into the wine cellar where eventually he chains Fortunato to the wall and encloses him inside it. Throughout the story the narrator continually proves that he is not the most reliable source of information. In The Cask of Amontillado, by Edgar Allan Poe, the unreliable narrator, Montresor, skews the reader’s view of Fortunato, by giving very few details about Fortunato, playing the victim of the story, and incessantly lying throughout the entire story.

“The master of macabre” is a title that goes to a man by the name of Edgar Allen Poe. Poe was a gothic writer in the 19th century and has left us with amazing literary work that will be studied for centuries more to come. Such stories as “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Fall of the House of Usher” are classic examples of Poe’s dark and eerie work. Even though these two stories share similar elements they over all are quite different. With these works, Edgar Allen Poe help establish the dark romantic era of the 19th century.

​What is a friend? Is it someone who you have known for years? Is it someone who you can go out and party with? Some people use the term “friend” loosely, not paying attention to its content. A friend is someone who you can count on, who you can run to in the time of need, someone you can trust, but what happens when that trust no longer exists? What happens when the one you though you could run too is the one you end up running from in the end and you never even saw it coming? What happens when you befriend the enemy? The Cask of Amontillado is one of the most decelerated short stories that Edgar Allan Poe has ever written. Poe has written many short stories and

Research the secret society known as the freemasons. In three well-developed paragraphs, discuss three functions of freemasonry in Edgar A. Poe’s “The Cask of the Amontillado.” Cite specific examples from the text. Length: 350-500 words.