preview

The Cask Of Amontillado Character Analysis

Decent Essays

In the story “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe our feelings for the characters change throughout the story. The narrator, Montresor, starts off by telling us Fortunato had insulted him and now wants to seek revenge. This allows us to have a positive attitude towards Montresor until he hits a week point in his revenge and our attitudes change for both characters. In the beginning of “The Cask of Amontillado” Montresor makes us feel empathy for him, but towards the end we find Montresor is a liar and a coward and we begin to feel sympathy for Fortunato.
Being the narrator of the story, Montresor lures us in right in the beginning. We begin to feel empathy towards him as he says, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge” (1). As soon as we read this sentence we are already on Montresor’s side. Instantly, Montresor make us hate Fortunato due to his unnecessary insult. He forces us to feel that revenge on Fortunato is well deserved. Our empathy for Montresor continues as he says, “You, who so well know the nature of my soul…” (1). This is when we really start to feel like we know who Montresor is. He brings us on his side by using the word “you”. Montresor is not just talking to anyone, but we as readers. He really wants us to feel for him as he begins to show who Fortunato really is “…. he was a man to be respected and even feared” (1). Our empathy for Montresor continues to rise as we find out Fortunato is not only feared by Montresor, but others as well. Montresor does a great deal of persuading us to view Fortunato as an unpleasant, hurtful guy.
As the story continues, Montresor knows Fortunato is a wine lover and while Fortunato his drunk, he lures him into the catacombs to show him a rare, tasty wine. Even as Montresor lures him into the catacombs we still show empathy for him. We know Fortunato has insulted Montresor and through Montresor’s persuasion we agree revenge is what he should, and needs to do. As we read, Montresor is able to get Fortunato into the catacombs with no struggle. He chains Fortunato up and as intoxication of Fortunato did no longer exist, he screams for Montresor. Leaving him there for dead,

Get Access