The Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe

“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

Francis Bacon once wrote “A man that studieth revenge keeps his wounds green, which otherwise would heal and do well.” Bacon is telling us that it really hurts the individual to hold a grudge and seek revenge. “The Cask of Amontillado” is a short story by the American poet, editor and story writer Edgar Allen Poe. This story is a tale of revenge touching on the darker sides of human nature and at what lengths a man will go to achieve vengeance. We are told by our narrator Montresor that he had been insulted by a wealthy wine connoisseur named Fortunato. Montresor picks him out of the carnival and lures him into his wine cellar with promise of a renown sherry wine, Amontillado. Fortunato is baited by the trap and follows Montresor to the

     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.”

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.

“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.

Edgar Allan Poe, an American born writer and poet during the early 19th century, is known for his dark and twisted diction that continues to captivate readers to this day. Nearly all of Poe’s stories contain hidden symbolism and themes that entice readers to discover the secrets in his writings over a hundred years later and the “Cask of Amontillado” is no different. Written in November of 1846, nearly three years before Poe’s death, “The Cask of Amontillado” is often regarded as one of Poe’s master pieces, full of symbolism and dramatic irony. Edgar Allan Poe’s dramatic ironies and symbolisms in his short story “The Cask of Amontillado” convey a dark theme of pain, manipulation, and the impact of revenge.

“The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe is a story of crime. It is not a “Who done it?” requiring a detective to solve (Baraban). The reader’s mind is compelled to use intelligence to determine the reason for the crime. The murderer treats his prey with high respect to hide his real deviant intentions. The villain uses flattery and the victims declared pride in wine to lure him as a participant in his revenge plan. The murderer makes certain that his concerns towards the victim’s health are heard and decides to strike during carnival season.

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.

Throughout American literature, stories contain themes that can be similar or different. The themes are as diverse as the stories themselves. Three stories will be discussed in this paper -- first, Edgar Allan Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado tells a dark tale of revenge. Next, in Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery, it is shown that a tradition can be dangerous when followed blindly. Finally, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown deals with the loss of innocence and faith.

Edgar Allen Poe, an American writer known for his many dark and disturbing poems and stories, maintains his usual tone of writing in the short story “The Cask of Amontillado.” The very start of the story tells of “the thousand injuries” (391) the unnamed narrator has received from a character named Fortunado, and how the narrator plans to claim revenge once and for all. When the narrator states, “It must be understood that by neither word nor deed had I given Fortunado cause to doubt my goodwill. I continued, as was my in to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my to smile now was at the thought of his immolation” (391) he paints himself as a deceiving person. Because the narrator immediately starts out by coming from a place of revenge and deception, he is highly unreliable.

Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” is a frightening and entertaining short story about the severe consequences that result from persistent mockery and an unforgiving heart. Poe’s excellent use of Gothicism within the story sets the perfect tone for a dark and sinister plot of murder to unfold. “The Cask of Amontillado” simply overflows with various themes and other literary elements that result from Poe’s Gothic style of writing. Of these various themes, one that tends to dominant the story as a whole is the theme of revenge, which Poe supports with his sophisticated use of direct and indirect factors, irony, and symbolism.

Edgar Allan Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado tells a tale of revenge, maliciousness and horror. We are informed early on that Montresor, whom we can consider the “unreliable narrator,” feels he has been profoundly insulted by a character named Fortunato and conspires to seek revenge, by whatever means necessary. Montresor makes us aware that he has suffered injuries by way of Fortunato many times, however; it is when he feels insulted by him, that he vows to seek revenge. Through Montresor 's own words, “I must not only punish, but punish with impunity,” (pg166) we can see that not only does he feel his actions are warranted, but that he should be except from punishment for them. Although, we are never made aware of what Fortunato supposedly has done to Montresor, it is clear that Montresor feels his actions to seek revenge are justified and we can see in this that revenge is a powerful motivation.

“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.