“The Cask of Amontillado” written by Edgar Allan Poe is a Gothic style short story from the mid-1800s. The story focuses on two main characters, Montresor and Fortunato, and a plot for revenge told as a recollection. It is set in Italy during Carnival, which seemed to play a massive role in the murder plot and how it played out. How do the characters and themes within the story accentuate each other? Themes of death and mortality, betrayal, and freedom and confinement help to bring out the intentions of Montresor and Fortunato while creating an overall sense of doom. The death and mortality theme in this short story provides the audience with the overall mood of the work. This theme really helps bring about the ominous mood and tone with the story taking place mostly in the catacombs. In the story, soon after Fortunato and Montresor depart from the Carnival, they made their way down a long and winding staircase with torches to light their way. (Poe, p.109) The catacombs they enter, the torches, and the winding staircase are all crucial components for the story to fall into the Gothic fiction genre. Poe made visualization uncomplicated by providing the reader with such a rich setting, almost as if he wanted the reader to be able to “feel” the dampness that surrounded Fortunato and Montresor. Another major theme within this work shows itself at the very beginning for Montresor and the end for Fortunato, betrayal. Fortunato had previously insulted Montresor, sparking a fire
Is killing someone justifiable? In Edgar Allen Poe’s short story The Cask of Amontillado that question is one that could be asked. The short story is about a man named Montresor and his quest to get revenge on his foe Fourtando who has apparently insulted Montresor. Around the time of the carnival season Montresor leaves his house to go find Fourtando and get his revenge he tells none of his servants to leave his house, but Montresor knows once that he has left the servants will leave and go to the carnival. Montresor who is dressed in all black finds a intoxicated Fourtando who is a professional wine taster, and then Montresor claims to have some Amontillado wine but he is not sure whether is genuine or if it s a fraud. In order to intimidate Fortunato and to lure him in, Montresor tells him he is going to get Luchresi another wine taster in the area, but Fortunato tells him no thus Montresor plan comes together and then he leads hims to the catacombs and chains Fortunato up where he leaves him to die. In my opinion the first question should be what did Fortunato do that was so bad for Montresor to want to and eventually kill him? Then the next question would be was the killing justifiable? In my opinion the killing was not justifiable. The reason the killing was not justifiable is because of the fact that nobody deserves to die such a brutal death. Another reason why the killing
“The Cask of Amontillado” composed by Edgar Allan Poe is one of the precise examples of Poe’s hypothesis of solidarity of the short story. Poe’s utilization of language helps the reader to understand the conflict between two men, Montresor and Fortunato. In the story, Montresor, cunningly, wants to take revenge from Fortunato. Although the two men are seen in an unexpected way, they both need a similar thing; to fulfill the desire for something that has long past due. Montresor is confessing his crime in front of someone. The story broadens Montresor character but limits Fortunato’s character. The theme of trickiness and revenge, is explained with the utilization of symbolism and irony, Montresor seeks peace
In his writing, Edgar Allan Poe has multiple uses of direct and indirect characterization. In The Cask of Amontillado, Montresor had rules such as “I must not only punish but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong” (Poe, 2). Poe used indirect characterization to show the reader that Montresor is an unreliable narrator because he justified his actions or in this case, murder, to the reader using rules that he created for himself. Poe revealed to us that Fortunato looked at Montresor “…with two filmy orbs that distilled the rheum of intoxication” and “the wine sparkled in his eyes…” (“The Cask of Amontillado “6, 8). It is revealed to the reader that Fortunato was drunk. Fortunato and Montresor are both full of pride. Fortunato “prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine” and Montresor considered himself as “skillful in the Italian vintages” (Poe, “The Cask of Amontillado” 3). When Fortunato “ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge” (Poe, “The Cask of Amontillado” 2). Montresor is vengeful and creates rules for killing with impunity. Poe also showed indirect characterization in Hopfrog. The king had known that “Hop-Frog was not fond of wine; for it excited the poor cripple almost to madness, and madness is no comfortable feeling. But the king loved his practical jokes, and took pleasure in forcing Hop-Frog to drink, in
Another prominent theme we see is the contrast between life and death. We are shown this as Poe sets the opening scene by writing that “It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season” (762). Here you are shown a very lively event where all the townspeople celebrate and come together. It is a joyous celebration full of life and happiness. Later on in the story, Montresor brings Fortunato to his family wine cellar and catacomb where they’re left completely alone, away from all life. One part of the cellar is described as
Montresor’s apparent pride in his having gotten away with the murder of Fortunato and the subtle lies he implants into the story only adds to the cold-hearted man who is Montresor.
In “The Cask of Amontillado” Edgar Allan Poe takes us on a journey into the mind of a mad man. The story relates a horrible revenge made even more horrible by the fact that the vengeance is being taken when no real offense had been given. In a short space and with ultimate technical skill, Poe creates a nightmare, guaranteed to give the reader a sleepless night.
Montresor is trying to lure Fortunato to his vaults by telling him that Luchresi can just come and taste the Amontillado because he knows best. He knows Fortunato will freak out by this statement, and then show Montresor that he is wrong in saying that. Indeed, this leads Fortunato down into the catacombs, just so he can prove Montresor wrong. That 's when Montresor will take his final step in his plan to end Fortunato. This event leads to the most suspenseful part in the short story. The reader doesn’t know what Montresor’s next step is going to be in his plan, along with what stupid move is Fortunato going to take to leading himself closer to his death.
To develop the analytical paper about the text “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe, some sources will be used to support the thesis statement, which is “The author uses irony in the text to illustrate the murder of Fortunado by Montresor, who seeks salvation through death”. Also, there is going to be an analysis on the irony found in the text in relation with the story. To support this thesis, I am going to use some examples from some sources such as “Literary analysis: Irony in The Cask of Amontillado" by Amelia Tibbett, “Irony in "The Cask of Amontillado” by Kerry Michael Wood, and “Poe 's Short Stories Summary and Analysis” by Bella Wang , and the text will be written in the third person.
What can a character that lived in 1700s Italy have in common with a teenager in the 1960s? Though it may seem impossible Edgar Allan Poe’s character Montresor in The Cask of Amontillado shares similar characteristics to John Updike’s A&P teenage Sammy. Both of these characters share sarcastic tendencies and a need to make a name of himself. Though, each man differs in the way he goes about making that name. While Montresor decides murder is the way, Sammy quits his job to be noticed.
All of these descriptions that Poe creates through conversation between the characters and the details we are pulled along through the story, much as Fortunado is pulled along through the catacombs, where we all see his demise. Montresor eventually chains Fortunado to the wall and build up the cask that he will forever be in, alluding to the talk of the mason background of Montresor’s family. At the end Montresor thinks to himself, “my heart grew sick; it was the dampness of the catacombs that made it so,” (Poe
“The Cask of Amontillado” was written by Edgar Allan Poe and was published in 1846. In the short story the narrator, Montresor, executes his friend Fortunato because he feels like he insulted him. For this, he seeks revenge. Fortunato is known to be very knowledgeable about all types of wine. Montresor uses this to his advantage to take him down to his family crypt during the carnival celebration. He tells him that he has a unique wine, and believes it is an Amontillado. After Montresor and Fortunato go deeper and deeper into the crypt, Montresor chains Fortunato and builds a wall around him. At first Fortunato thinks it is a joke, but he soon realizes that he will be dying in the crypt. Montresor goes on to boast about his crime and how he has never been caught. This shows that Montresor is a sinister, mentally insane, and a narcissist.
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.
Fear, suspense, and the upcoming revenge can be seen on the first line of the story when Montresor says, "The thousand injuries I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge." This line prepares the reader for the whole development of the story; it gives the reader a sense of fear, tells him that there is going to be revenge, but keeps him wanting to know
Edgar Allan Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado is thought to be one of his most popular vengeful short novels. The two main characters, Montresor and Fortunato are re-acquainted friends who meet each other at The Carnival. Montresor has intentionally planned to lure Fortunato to his own death by deceiving him to believe that Fortunato is coming to Montresor's family catacombs to taste a fine wine “Amontillado”. After Montresor leads Fortunato into the crypts, Montresor eventually chains Fortunato up in a secluded section and mortars him behind a brick wall while he is still alive. The story ends with Montresor throwing a flaming torch into the small opening while he continues to put the last brick in place, essentially burning Fortunato alive. Edgar Allan Poe creates conflict between characters Montresor and Fortunato which primarily creates the major theme of revenge in this story. Edgar Allan Poe depicts setting in this novel by portraying death by illustrating human bones, within a cold and damp crypt to contribute to the eerie theme of revenge. Montresor's characterization is expressed through the betrayal of his friend, which adds another element to the theme of revenge in this story. In Edgar Allan Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allan Poe utilizes conflict, setting, and characterization to create a theme of revenge.
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.