Is Montresor A Psychopath

Poe the Psycho

In the short story “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe, the main character Montresor can be classified as a psychopath. He shows many of the classic signs. These signs include having an overblown sense of self-worth, having superficial charm that allows him to appeal to his victim, and having the ability to manipulate others (Baker). All of these traits put together allow Montresor to lure and murder Fortunato with ease. One trait that psychopaths have is an overblown sense of self-worth (Baker). Robert Hare, the leading specialist in psychiatry, has made a psychopathy checklist to determine if someone has psychopathic tendencies. The second trait of his list is “Inflated view of his abilities and self-worth Psychopaths

Hare’s first trait on his psychopathy checklist is a glib, superficial charm, smooth, engaging, slick, no shyness, never tongue-tied (Baker). In “The Cask of Amontillado” Montresor shows that he knows how to appeal to his victims. Montresor says, “I gave Fortunato no cause to doubt me. I continued to smile in his face, and he did not understand that I was now smiling at the thought of what I planned for him, at the thought of my revenge” (Poe 68). Montresor acts friendly towards Fortunato to gain his trust. While on the inside, he is hiding his hatred for him. Mr. Wells, who is classified as a psychopath, says that he has many different tactics that he uses to gain the trust of others (Griffiths). When a psychopath gains the trust of someone that someone can sometimes become the victim. “Falling prey to a psychopath can be a confusing, terrifying experience. They seem so normal, so sympathetic at first, yet when they win their victim’s trust, the ugly side starts to emerge” (Baker). Montresor’s ugly side does indeed emerge, but Fortunato is not aware of it until it is too late. Montresor uses his superficial charm to put a false sense of security over Fortunato. He makes sure that Fortunato does not expect a thing while he is leading him to his death through the wine cellar. Even while Montresor stacks the stones to wall in Fortunato, Fortunato does not go into full on panic mode. He tries to play

Psychopaths know how to get just what they want. Mr. Wells says, ‘I can get literally anything from them, which is incredibly useful’ when talking about his condition (Griffiths). Montresor uses this same method to lure Fortunato. Montresor knows what he must say to get Fortunato to get him to follow him into the cellar so that he can carry out the murder. “My dear Fortunato! I am indeed glad that I have met you. I was just thinking of you. For I have been tasting my new wine. I have bought a full cask of a fine wine which they tell me is Amontillado. But….” (Poe 69). Montresor is aware that Fortunato thinks of himself as a wine connoisseur, “but he had one great weakness: he liked to drink good wine, and indeed he drank much of it. So he knew a lot about fine wines, and proudly believed that he was a trained judge of them” (Poe 70). He also knows that Fortunato will insist to see the wine once he finds out that Montresor might be considering someone else to go and inspect the wine. “Amontillado! Quite impossible. I know. It does not seem possible. As I could not find you I was just going to talk to Luchresi. If anyone understands wines it is Luchresi. He will tell me….” (Poe 69). Fortunato also is under the influence of alcohol when Montresor is talking to him. With Fortunato in this condition it only makes him easier to manipulate. “He spoke to me more warmly than was usual, for already he had