Examples Of Hubris In The Necklace And The Cask Of Amontillado

"The Cask of Amontillado" is a story about revenge, but the reader is never truly told exactly what Fortunato did to warrant such vengeance. In fact, throughout the story, the reader gradually realizes that Montresor is an unreliable narrator, and that Fortunato is a friend of Montresor who is unaware that Montresor is plotting to kill him. He is a connoisseur of wine who is enticed by Montresor to sample some rare Amontillado and lured into his trap down into the catacombs. While Luchesi is another wine connoisseur and an acquaintance of Montresor and Fortunato; Montresor urges Fortunato to sample his wine by threatening to allow Luchesi to try it first if Fortunato does not comply. that whatever insult Montresor believes Fortunato committed is probably imagined or exaggerated.

While walking through the cellar they engage in conversation regarding Montresor’s family crest. Montresor explains that it is "A huge human foot d 'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel" (764). Here is a great example of symbolism for revenge, as the person being bitten completely stomps the snake. It is the first bit of possible foreshadowing Fortunato receives that he may be in trouble. As the discussion continues between Fortunato and Montresor, he mentions his family motto is "Nemo me impune lacessit" (764). This quote translates to “No one wounds me with impunity.” Montresor makes good on this when he brutally murders Fortunato. I found this quote interesting because this further shows the plot of revenge. Following this scene, Montresor only encourages him to turn back, you can almost sense hesitation or regret brewing within him.

In “The Cask of Amontillado”, Montresor is guilty of the cold-blooded murder of Fortunato and should go to jail for his crime. Montresor speaks of the “thousand injuries” Fortunato caused him and, more recently, the “insult” that Montresor cannot forgive. Vowing to seek retribution, Montresor comments on the importance of ensuring his own innocence throughout the process of revenge. He goes out of his way to be friendly to Fortunato. Other evidence that supports the crime as being preconceived includes Montresor preying on Fortunato’s weakness, his love of wine and his conceited nature. He praises Fortunato on his knowledge of wine and taunts him with the full barrel that he just purchased asking him for his expert opinion. In preparation

     In this story the character of Montresor is revealed through his own words. When he reveals he is going to punish Fortunato for merely insulting him, that he has planned the whole act of vengeance, and that he has been playing as being Fortunato’s friend, we know we are dealing with a deranged personality. His character is also revealed with references to his family. It is almost as if Poe has Montresor’s ancestors tell the reader how nicely he fits into the family tree. His legacy from his family motto “No one attacks me with impunity” and a coat of arms that depicts a serpent whose last wish before death is to poison the foot that crushed it. Does the fruit of ever fall far from the tree? Montresor is as evil as his forebears were. He shows no remorse about what he has done, even in old age. When he says, “May he rest in peace” at the end of the story, the reader gets the feeling he means, “ I hope you stay there and rot” rather than, “I hope you found joy and peace in heaven.”

The Cask of Amontillado is the story of and envious man by the name of Montresor who has devised a plan to kill one of his long term friends Fortunato. Montresor devised this plan in the beginning of the story after Fortunato had pulled one joke to many while at a party surrounded by many of their close friends. Montresor while at the party remained calm however while still laughing and cheering with Fortunato he started to develop his plot to get his revenge on Fortunato. In the story Montresor while plotting his crime says, “I had to keep my true feelings to myself for not only must I punish but punish with impunity” (Poe). While Montresor plans the murder of Fortunato, Fortunato is simply enjoying life and his wealth. During carnival Montresor sees a drunk Fortunato and ceases his opportunity. A drunk Fortunato walks over to Montresor and gives him a friendly greeting. Montresor sees this as an opportunity to take Fortunato away from the festivities by using both his weakness for wine and his pride against him. Montresor does this by tricking Fortunato into thinking that he had recently brought a cask of Amontillado and he needed Luchesi to distinguish if it was actually Amontillado. Fortunato, who feels that he is the best wine tester in all of Italy quickly replies, “Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry” (Poe) . Montresor knowing the pride and arrogance of Fortunato then says, “"And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for your own." (Poe) . That

Montresor’s family motto is as, “[n]emo me imprune lacessit” (Poe). His motto means, to me, as, “Nobody attacks me with impurity”. This family motto shows that Montresor firmly believes in his motto as well proving where he gets his traits of revenge.

Montresor does this by flattering and acting concerned about the health of Fortunato when really his only concern is killing Fortunato. While in the wine cellar, Montresor says to Fortunato, “Come, we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed. For me it is no matter. We will go back; you will be ill, and I cannot be responsible. Besides, there is Luchesi-.” Montresor does an excellent job of being Fortunatos’ friend and at the same time convinces him to continue drinking and telling him, “A draught of this Medoc will defend us from the damps.” Montresor was not trying to defend either one of them, his only purpose was to place Fortunato into a higher state of drunkenness. Montresor causes Fortunato to become so drunk that while he was being chained to the wall by Montresor, “He was too much astounded to resist.” “The Cask of Amontillado” is filled with many ironies and also life lessons; such as know who your real friends are. Fortunato thought his real friend was Montresor when, in reality, Montresor was anything but his friend. Not only did Montresor fake his sincerity towards Fortunato, he was also vengeful and very intelligent in his actions to kill Fortunato.

The further degradation of his once noble family is a clear insult to Montresor’s family honor and supports his claim of revenge as his motivation to kill Fortunato. Montresor claims his revenge is because of his family’s coat of arms which is, "No one attacks me with impunity," and can be understood to mean that any insult or injury warrants retaliation (White 552). Subsequently, Montresor’s only way to act in his situation is to follow his family motto and focus on procuring a perfect revenge to regain his family’s

For me it is no matter. We will go back; you will be ill, and I cannot be responsible…” (Poe 5-6) and Fortunato persisted to continue, ultimately his death. Despite being the fortunate one, Fortunato lead himself to his own demise. Montresor’s lust for revenge goes all the way back to his family crest “No one Provokes me with impunity.” This highlights how Montresor feels like he needs to get revenge to keep his family name intact. Furthermore, there are also many ironic parallels made between the story and Catholic rituals. Montresor wears a roquelaire covering both his face and the back of his head. Looking like a hood, sleek, black executioner, Montresor resembles death while in contract Fortunato. In contrast Fortunato is dressed in motley carnival garb like a fool or clown (Clendenning). Coincidentally, after leading Fortunato to his grave by burning him alive as he laid the last brick he finished by shouting “for the love of god” (Poe 10) where Fortunato would lay for 50 years. Ironically despite Montresor enacting his revenge with impunity and never getting caught he is still filled with rage and anger even fifity years after while Fortunato was able to die peacefully (Clendenning).

In the text “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe Montresor’s commitment to getting revenge on Fortunato is like a bounty hunter not giving up to apprehend a fugitive. In the text, Montresor main mission is to get rid of Fortunato a wine taster like himself who did “a thousand wrongs” (Poe, 67). Or did something so bad that it equals a thousand wrongs .The two characters set off into Montresor’s vaults, to taste the Amontillado that Montresor so called “bought”. The real question is what did Fortunato do to have this cruel revenge meet upon him. What makes Montresor able to wreak revenge upon Fortunato is his commitment, his preparation, and his persuasive skills.

Edgar Allan Poe portrays conflict by creating tension between Montresor and Fortunato. In the story, tension is merely only seen through the eyes of Montressor because of the animosity that he has against Fortunato for the cursing of his family's name which was one of an old and honored one. Montresor states his revenge by saying “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed my revenge.” Montresor is stating that he had been able to bear insults, but once his family's name was insulted, he was driven to seek revenge from this humility. Montresor's evil intentions to murder Fortunato come solely from Fortantos insulting demeanor. The conflict that is shared between Fortunato and Montresor is the main factor which creates the theme of revenge in this story.

In “The Cask of Amontillado”, Poe shows how the pride of a man can lead to his death. Montresor took pride in his family name and vowed to seek revenge. “When [Fortunato] ventured upon insult [Montresor] vowed revenge” (739). Montresor family motto, “Nemo me impune lacessit” (741), means no one dare attack me with impunity. Fortunato pride led

The last indirect factor that could contribute to Montresor’s vengeful act, and thus the story’s theme of revenge, is the short story’s social class aspects and how they relate to both Montresor and Fortunato. At this

Montresor has held this grudge against his friend who according to him had given him “thousands of injuries.” This grudge he has makes him vindictive as he seeks revenge against Fortunato for his insult against him. His family’s motto is “Nemo me impune lacessit" meaning “No one attacks me with impunity”. The motto implies that the entire Montresor family history is filled with acts of revenge. Montresor becomes obsessed with his vengeance and when he has Fortunato chained to the wall he mocks at his cries and moaning, “I replied to the yells of him who clamored. I re-echoed, I aided, I surpassed them in volume and in strength.” Montrosor never mentions what the insulting act was which can tell us that the actual act wasn’t as important as him just getting some sort of revenge.

As the story progresses, Montresor devises a careful plan to lure Fortunato to his death trap, but he is careful enough not to place himself at risk. He approaches him at a carnival, and plays on his victim’s weakness for wine by offering to show him a brand of wine akin to the light Spanish sherry, Amontillado (8). The narrator presents an interesting description of his encounter with Fortunato at the carnival; at first expressing dislike for his friend’s behavior by claiming that he approached him with too much warmth since he was drunk, but then he adds that he was extremely delighted to see Fortunato at that particular moment. This illustrates the depth of Montresor’s desire to exert revenge on his friend, since the sole reason of his pleasure at seeing Fortunato is that he knew his plans had taken off, and he anticipated the satisfaction of the act of brutal revenge.