The Two Personalities of Edgar Allan Poe

Therefore, when Fortunato damages Montresor’s pride, he determines to seek revenge for his sense of reputation, so he doesn’t appear frail and inferior. Throughout the story, he has no sense of guilt, he can only think about killing Fortunato to redeem himself. Also, the wrongdoing of Fortunato was not addressed clearly and properly, which elicits doubt on the credibility of Montresor for the reader. Furthermore, Fortunato seems to be very carefree, which suggests that Fortunato is unaware of his wrongdoing and a biological mechanism such as insanity might be driving Montresor’s moral choices.

Edgar Allen Poe was bone in Boston on January 19 1809 to David and Elizabeth Poe. He lost his parents at the age of two years and had to be adopted by John Allan and his wife Frances Valentine Allan. John Allan was a very wealthy man but he only gave Edgar a third of his school requirements and this alienated him from Edgar. When Allan’s wife dies Edgar also decides to move out because he could not put up with John Allan. Edgar loved poetry from a tender age. He even wrote verses to girls that he developed feelings for. He could have had his first poetry book published by the age of 14 years but there was no support both from his teachers and his adoptive parents. In the course of his life Edgar became an alcoholic and mentally disturbed and this enhanced his writing skills. He created his characters trough imagination to show mystery and adventure.

When Montresor sees Fortunato during the carnival Montresor just smiles at Fortunato, but Montresor was not smiling in a nice way. He was smiling at the thought of Fortunato’s demise. The quote “I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.”(“The Cask of Amontillado”, by Edgar Allan Poe). Tells us that Montresor is at his breaking point. Montresor vows to get revenge on Fortunato.

However, Montresor has a characteristic that, not shown prominently, but given through little hints until the end. That secret characteristic is guilt, guilt for wanting to kill Fortunato. Some of those hints show at the carnival, down in Montresor’s catacombs, and even as Montresor is building in the wall to keep Fortunato in to die. At the carnival, Montresor calls Fortunato his ‘friend’. “It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season, that I encountered my friend.” (Poe). In addition, Montresor is talking about Fortunato, with the term friend being used. Another is, “I was so pleased to see [Fortunato]...” (Poe). In this part of the story, Montresor even says himself that he was happy to see his friend, Fortunato. He shows signs of actually liking Fortunato, but for strongly believing in his family motto and arms of revenge, he feels the need to get revenge on Fortunato for what he did to Montresor. Montresor greets Fortunato kindly and with warmth, “[m]y dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. How remarkably well you are looking to-day!” (Poe). Montresor

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.

Throughout the short story, Montresor appears to be murderous and mentally insane. As Montresor continues to tell his story, the reader learns that Montresor is not only a murder and insane, but he is a narcissist as well. Montresor displays the characteristics for this to be true. When Montresor decided to take revenge on Fortunato, he was persistent in doing it himself for his own satisfaction. As his plan began to go along perfectly, he was very pleased with himself. In addition, the cause for Montresor’s revenge plan was because of an insult. The death of Fortunato was not justifiable by his actions. It was merely a prize for Montresor

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).

This essay is about Edgar Allan Poe and how is often disturbing stories and poems were a direct reflection of the chaotic and sad filled life. Poe had many people in his life die around him and this was the reason for his fascination and some say obsession with “death.” Of course, Poe is most famous for writing many stories and mysteries that centered on murder, suicide, and overall macabre themes. Many people throughout time have been astonished by his many writings calling them “stories written by a genuine mad man.” When you do an Internet search of his name you often find the word lunatic attached to his name. However, this disturbing stories and death-obsessed poems are nothing when compared to his actual life, and the various experiences throughout it. Poe has ten people in his life that were close to him, very important figures that either died or exited his life without an explanation. These “losses” left Poe unable to manage his emotions, ultimately destroying them altogether, which resulted in him writing so many mysteries.

"In one case out of a hundred a point is excessively discussed because it is obscure; in the ninety-nine remaining it is obscure because it is excessively discussed." This quote by Edgar Allan Poe describes his obscure works which have been discussed and criticized in great detail for many years to come. Some readers believe that his works are too dark and eccentric maybe even deathly. Others believe his works to be masterpieces. However, one thing that is not up for debate is the fact that Edgar Allan Poe is a literary genius. Edgar Allan Poe, the creator of the ratiocinative story and the amateur sleuth and leading contributor to the gothic genre, is the greatest author of the mid-nineteenth century.

Poe often used depressed tones and imagery to create a dark kind of feeling to his work. The death of Edgar Allen Poe’s young wife put a bitter resentment in the writer. He felt like he was cursed and that the heavens stole his joy and claimed that the angel envied their happiness. Poe was accused of rumors and scandals his whole life, afflicted with depression, pinned down by phobias and horrific fantasies, and his writing reflects the madness in every lover’s heart. (Harris 60) In many of Edgar Allen Poe’s writings, he used gothic elements to express his pain and revealed the darker side of human nature.

You are rich, admired, loved.You are a man to be missed” (Poe 69). This cite reveals, that Montresor is upset about the accomplishment Fortunato has over his unsatisfying ability. Montresor is sucking up and using fake charm to show his respect as Fortato won't assume somethings up. I can determine, that Montresor is awaiting for Fortunato fight back against the disrespectful decision Montresor made. I feel that Montresor is jealous of the life Fortunato is living.

Montresor approaches Fortunato during the carnival. And the carnival can be a symbol for the madness going through Montresor’s head. Montresor claims that Fortunato inflicted a “thousand injuries” (Poe, 236), on him, and we never really find out what these injuries were. Perhaps

The Cask of Amontillado is a short story written by Edgar Allen Poe. It is a story about a man name Montresor who was insulted by Fortunado. Montresor then plots to exact revenge against Fortunado. Montresor is the narrator, and his tone is interesting as it changes in the story. The definition tone, “of a written work, is described as the attitude the narrator seems to take toward the subject and or the audience, and the tone is a primary way of determining the motivation and overall reliability of a narrator”.

In many of his stories, it seemed as though Poe craved to see the pain of sorrow in others. The unstable mind motivates the body to act out in such a violent manner in order to satisfy its desires. In “The Cask of Amontillado” the protagonist, Montressor, “[hearkens] in vain for a reply” of agony from his enemy. Poe wanted to hear the suffering of his adversaries; he needed to hear them feel the pain he felt. His desire to force this punishment onto others, questions his sanity and reason. Frances Winwar, Author of the The Haunted Place, suggests that the discovery of a female body found on the Hudson “roused the sleuth Edgar Allan Poe in his alter ego.” (Winwar 226). The darkness that Poe encountered and experienced was the reason he developed the insane characters in his stories.

Edgar Allan Poe was a fictional writer that astonished readers with his many mysterious poems and his tales of horror such as “The Raven”, “Annabelle Lee”, and “The Fall of the house of Usher”.