Why Is Fortunato Wrong

The readers can pick up on Montresor’s crazy and vengeful, yet cunning, character from the feelings Montresor expresses on revenge. He is clever as he executes his plan to annihilate Fortunato. Montresor treats revenge very seriously. Montresor says when he plans to get revenge he has to follow through, it is never just a threat. He feels so strongly towards revenge and so insecure that when he says something he feels he has to do it; otherwise, others will think he just issues empty threats. Although he does not want to get caught, he says the victim needs to know who is getting the revenge. It should not be small it should be planned well. “I must not only punish, but punish with impunity” (87). Throughout the whole time leading up to Fortunato's immolation, Montresor says he must make sure Fortunato does not doubt his goodness. Montresor deceives Fortunato by smiling at him and continuing to act the same, all friendly like nothing happened. Montresor takes revenge so seriously, that

A type of dramatic irony in the story can be seen in Fortunato’s attire at the carnival. Fortunato was dressed as a jester, though it was actually Montresor who was laughed at and ridiculed. Professor Charles N. Nevi, of the department of English in Medford, Oregon, writes about the irony in Fortunato’s dress when he says, “Fotunato’s dress is ironic, for a jester is not just a man to be laughed at; he is a man who makes others laugh by being aware of the frailties of mankind and then ridiculing them, but Fortunato is aware of very little and who ridicules nothing. It is Montresor who came closer to the role of jester,” (Nevi par.8). Here Professor Nevi suggests that Montresor is the one who is actually ridiculed and should be a better fit in the jester dress. These examples demonstrate Fortunato’s ironic misfortunes that lead to his eventual death.

<br>The way the narrator treats his enemy is one of the clearest examples for ironic elements. When the characters meet, Montresor realises that Fortunato is afflicted with a severe cold, nevertheless he makes a point of him looking "remarkably well". Montresor acts in the most natural and friendly way towards the man object of his revenge, and even praises his "friend's" knowledge in the subject of wines. Also upon their meeting, Montresor begins a psychological manipulation of Fortunato. He claims that he needs his knowledge to ascertain that the wine he has purchased is indeed Amontillado. Furthermore, he acknowledges that Fortunato is engaged in another business (i.e.: the celebration of carnival), so he would go to Luchresi, who, one is made to believe, is a competitor of Fortunato's. To these words, Fortunato is forced by his pride to accompany Montresor to the vaults (where the Amontillado is kept), dissipate his doubts and also to prove his higher status than Luchresi as a connoisseur of wine. In fact, during their way down under in the catacombs, the twisted mind of Montresor, dares to give Fortunato the chance to go back, due to the almost unbearable dampness and foulness rampant in the vaults and Fortunato's state of health. The narrator clearly knows about the stubborn nature of Fortunato, and is

Conflict: For Montresor to revenge himself for Fortunato’s insult, he has to get away with it – if Fortunato can revenge him back,

“Revenge is often like biting a dog because the dog bit you.” This quote means that people act in such a devious way as the person who hurt them which does not make them any better. In the short story, The Cask of Amontillado, Montresor wants to seek revenge from Fortunato’s iniquity. Montresor feels that he has been insulted by his acquaintance. In Montresor’s mind, retaliating the same way Fortunato did toward him is the right thing to do. He decided to get Fortunato boozed up on wine since he knew that was his fondness. By this time Fortunato is very gullible and will do anything Montresor insist on him doing. Montresor planned out everything in detail what he cinched to do to Fortunato whether it was right or wrong. He just wanted to seek revenge, but conceal every detail so that it is not obvious. Montresor is a sociopathic character who did everything in his mite and power to show that revenge is a successful ending.

Montresor tells the story in detail of how he leads a man, Fortunato, to his death. Montresor repeatedly expresses the need to kill Fortunato because he has done something to insult him and he must pay for it with his life. Montresor tells readers early in the story that he is going to be lying to Fortunato’s face by acting one way, but thinking about killing him the whole time. He says "I continued, as was my wont, to smile in

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

At the beginning of the story, Montresor tells us that he has vowed vengeance on Fortunato. Montresor also states "I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when

It's certain that Fortunato has no idea of Montresor's anger, and this makes the story even more tragic and frightening as the story goes on. The seemingly happy jangling of the bells on the top of Fortunato's cap become more and more sad the deeper the two venture into the catacombs. ” Edgar Allan Poe uses irony to develop his theme of a man who seeks salvation through repression. In “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe, Montresor is out for revenge. Montresor's only concern appears to be exacting revenge with impunity.

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).

Both Characters are wearing a costume that describes who they are in the short story. When they both leave Montresor begins to put “on a mask of black silk and drawing a roquelaire (similar to a black cape) closely about my person.” Montresor wearing this is a symbol of him being a villain. In most stories the villain wears a black mask and on some occasions they wear a black cape. Also Fortunato “had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress, and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells,” dressed similarly to a jester. A jester is a fool or entertainer for the people who were smart enough to pay for someone to entertain them. Fortunato is the jester to Montresor; he is foolish enough to walk through the catacombs to his

Fortunato. The story begins with Montressor’s vow of revenge. This is proven in the first sentence when Montressor says, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne best I could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.” Montressor is a manipulative and vengeful person. These characteristics lead to the death of Fortunato. Through the words, acts, and thoughts of Montressor, one is able to see him carry out his plan for revenge.

“The force that drives Montresor to commit the horrible murder of Fortunato is his powerful desire for revenge. His first words in the story speak of it: “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.” The idea of revenge is repeated several times in the opening paragraph. Montresor will not rush to act, he says, but “at length I would be avenged”; he is determined to “not only punish, but punish with impunity.” In seeking revenge, Montresor is acting out the motto of his people, as it appears on the family coat of arms, Nemo me impune lacessit (“No one wounds me with impunity”).” (Bily)

The opening two paragraphs of The Cask of Amontillado early on allow the reader to comprehend two of Montresor's character traits; he is very deceptive and vengeful. Consequently, Montresor is able to hide his true intentions of vengeance through a persona of someone who is calm and benevolent. Montresor makes it clear that his revenge against Fortunato is based on him being offended or insulted by something that was done by Fortunato. Nevertheless, Montresor’s motivation is true because the text continues to say that Montresor is not the type of person to get offended easily; but he is smart and patient when it comes to seeking vengeance. Moreover, one is able to understand this from the very first sentence when he says, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge,” which leads us to conclude that Fortunato must have done something extremely grave to deserve death as revenge (Poe, 1). Furthermore, Montresor justifies his revenge by reasoning that he needs to defend his pride/status after being “insulted” by Fortunato. When Montresor continues to say, “a wrong is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong,” it is important to understand that Montresor wanted to feel as satisfied as the person who had insulted him, who in this case happened to be Fortunato (Poe, 1).

narrator Montresor uses revenge as a motive to trick and murder and old friend, Fortunato, in the