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“The Cask of Amontillado” is a ravenous and dark story by Edgar Allen Poe. The story tells of a man bound to find vengeance for the heinous crime of humiliation. Poe’s beautiful imagery and stunning symbolism only add to this already impeccable story. Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” displays multiple symbols through Montresor in three key ways: his thoughts, his words, and his actions. First, Montresor’s thoughts symbolize his true hatred. This is clearly seen in the first paragraph of the story, before the reader even gets a chance to meet the victim. Montresor states in his thoughts to the reader, “But when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge”(236). Since this thought is given at the very beginning of the story, readers can …show more content…
This can be clearly seen in paragraphs five to eighteen when Montresor is telling Fortunato of the Amontillado he bought. Montresor states, “‘My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met… I have received a pipe of what passes for Amontillado,’”(237) because Montresor knows of Fortunato’s sweet tooth for alcohol. Since Montresor knows how to play on Fortunato’s addiction, the reader can conclude that his words represent his wit. The second case of his words representing how clever Montressor is can be found in paragraph forty-nine while they are walking through the catacombs. Montresor is describing his coat of arms’ motto and says, “‘Nemo, me impune lacessit,’”(238) which is Scottish for no one dare attack me with impunity, seeing that Montresor is just about to do so to Fortunato, the reader can collect that these words represent his quick-witted and clever …show more content…
Aforementioned, Montresor wishes to get revenge on Fortunato, yet in paragraph two we learn the reason for his good behavior towards Fortunato. Montresor states, “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”(236). Since the reader knows Montresor wishes to kill Fortunato, the reader now knows Montresor’s actions represent his ultimate goal of obtaining revenge with impunity. The next instance of his actions representing his revenge with impunity is found in paragraphs sixty-seven to seventy. As Montresor describes their walk through the crypt from, “the most remote end of the crypt there appeared another less spacious,”(239) by this action, leading Fortunato to a less spacious and remote crypt, the reader can gather that his action represent the isolated and remote location necessary to kill Fortunato with
Montresor is a man who feels pride in himself and in his family, so when Fortunato—an acquaintance of Montresor— “venture[s] upon insult,” Montresor “vow[s] revenge” against him (1). Montresor hastily decides that he must kill Fortunato, even though his use of the word “venture” implies that Fortunato had not yet insulted him, but nearly did. Montresor’s impulsive need for revenge causes him to formulate a plan to murder his acquaintance. He keeps Fortunato intoxicated by “presenting him…[with] wine,” he “fetter[s] him to the granite,” and he “plaster[s] up… [a wall of] new masonry” to trap Fortunato in the catacombs (39, 71, 89). All of these acts are signs that the need for revenge has made Fortunato insane. A person who has any sense of morals would not commit crimes such as Montresor’s. His impetuous decision to exact revenge caused him to lose his
Montresor proves not to mess with someone's feeling. He explains, “I must not only punish, but punish with impunity” (Poe 372). Fortunato does not know that he is going to die, yet Montresor and the reader do know, making the situation dramatic irony. By punishing him with impunity he is going to get revenge that he has wanted now for years ever since he did wrong to Montresor and now that he finally gets the chance of course he will seek revenge on Fortunato. And it is dramatic irony because Fortunato is oblivious to the situation. Montresor proves that one should be careful on what they say. He speaks, “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” (Poe 372). Montresor is saying
“The Cask of Amontillado” is a dark piece, much like other works of Edgar Allan Poe, and features the classic unreliable narrator, identified by himself only as Montresor. This sinister central character is a cold ruthless killer that is particularly fearsome because he views murder as a necessity and kills without remorse. Montresor is a character who personifies wickedness. Poe uses this character and his morally wrong thoughts and actions to help the reader identify with aspects of the extreme personage, allowing them to examine the less savory aspects of their own. The character of Montresor detailing the glorious murder he committed is a means of communicating to the reader that vengeance and pride are moral motivators that lead to treacherous deeds and dark thoughts.
Montresor is a man who like to get revenge back to the people that did something to him. Montresor like to get back at the people when they are no longer thinking about what they have done. Because Montresor is that way Fortunato insulted him and he reacted to what was said about him. Yet, Fortunato was saying all these things about Montresor and thought it was okay. The personalities that Montresor have is that he don’t play about what people say to or about him, and don’t take it lightly. He is also that person that like to take care of business and get things done. Fortunato is a man that loves to run his mouth and has these emotion when he wants to say things and later think about what he has said. Fortunato act like it doesn’t matter
Montresor is one of the two characters dynamic characters in the story. Montessor is insulted by Fortunato’s opinions about him. As Montresor gets fed up with Fortunato’s comments Montresor seeks revenge. “The thousand of injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge” (114). This develops suspense for Fortunato because he is clueless of what’s coming. Throughout the planning of revenge he decides there is a specific way he should punish him. “I must not only punish, but punish with impunity” (114). This makes the reader think how must one punish with impunity and starts to question the author. Montresor planning revenge on Fortunato is a little
Montresor’s cleverness is displayed multiple times within the selection, many times with irony. An excellent example is his charade of compassion towards Fortunado’s well being in the catacombs. As they venture deeper in the catacombs, Montresor asks Fortunado of his cough, only pretending to care while this also gains a little bit of Fortunado’s trust. Another example of Montresor’s cleverness is continually giving Fortunado wine to increase his state of unawareness as Montresor says, “Here, Fortunado. Drink
The thoughts and feelings of Montresor lead the reader to conclude that he is not successful at revenge. Montresor says in telling his story, "You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however that I gave utterance to a threat" (153). By communicating in this way, the question arises of who Montresor is actually speaking to, and why he is telling this story fifty years later. One can only conclude that it is for one of two reasons: he is either bragging or finally giving confession. As he tells the story, it becomes obvious that he has not yet filled his need to win, and now a half of a century later, is still struggling with his conscience. As Gregory Jay s...
In “The Cask of Amontillado,” author Edgar Allan Poe sets the tone of the short story by the setting, the characterization, and the irony aspect of the story. Poe, as the author, only lays out the tone, leaving
Poe’s first-person narration style in “The Cask of Amontillado” allows the reader to experience the story from a different level and the ability to look at the story from a different light. An unusual perspective. From the mind of a killer, the narrator and main character making him familiar with the reader. Poe focuses more of the thoughts and emotions of the main character rather than physical attributes of Montresor which made for a more intimately disturbing story for the reader.
Montresor is a man who wants revenge and is willing to do anything to get it. He wants it so badly that he even “vowed revenge” (1108). He’s also a very proud man with an ego that no one hurts him. He’s proud that he got the revenge he wanted but did not want anyone to know. The reason he didn’t want anyone to know is due to the fact that he didn’t want to face the punishment. Throughout the entire story the character also used reversed psychology on his friend. One example of this is when he offers to go get someone else to taste the sherry instead (1109). Montresor is a vary manipulative character with the perspective that he gets what he wants no matter the
While at the carnival, Montresor bought some of the finest Amontillado wine to use in his vengeful plan to murder Fortunato. He then meets his "friend," Fortunato. Fortunato is wearing "a tight fitting parti-striped dress and head is surmounted by the conical cap and bells" (Poe 528). By him wearing this outfit, makes it great for the narrator because he is going to make a fool out of Fortunato. Montresor is a manipulative person. He challenges Fortunato's connoisseurship on wine tasting and leads him to his family estate.
Because Montresor narrates the story in the first person, the reader is able to perceive his thoughts and understand his motivations and justifications for his ruthless murder in a manner which a third person point of view would not allow. Montresor’s personal narration of the events of the story does not justify his crime in the audience’s eyes, but it does offer a unique opportunity for the audience to view a murder from the perspective of a madman killer. It is Poe’s usage of this unique angle that causes the story to be so captivating and gruesomely fascinating. As the story opens, Montresor explains why it is necessary that he “not only punish but punish with impunity” to avenge for Fortunado’s insult to him. This justification for his crime is a piece of information that the audience is able to learn only because they are permitted inside the mind of the protagonist. In the final scene, when Montresor is carrying out his murder pl...
"A Cask of Amontillado" is replete with ironic statements and situations. Fortunato's very name is ironic given his horrific fate. At the beginning of the story, when Montresor divulges his theories on proper revenge, he says, "A wrong is unredressed when retibution overtakes its redresser." This is ironic (and a bit amusing) as Montresor is utterly consumed by his hatred of Fortunato. Then, during their descent into the catacombs, Montresor tries several times to con...
The first indirect factor that could contribute to Montresor’s vengeful act, and thus the story’s theme of revenge, is the character of Montresor. Montresor tends to harbor feelings of resentment and has a hard time not taking things out of context (Womack). He also plans the murder of Fortunato in advance and devises it in such a way that he will not be caught. In killing Fortunato, Montreso...
Edgar Allan Poe is a famous writer in writing detective stories and horror stories. One of his horror stories, “The Cask of Amontillado” was talking about how a man took his revenge to his friend. However, to look deeply in this story, I found that this story was not just simply a horror tale about how a man gets his revenge in the safest way. Instead, it also demonstrates much irony in several areas: the title, the event, the season, the costume, the environment, the characters’ personalities, a man’s dignity and cockiness and at the end, the public order. he are