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Symbolism in poe's works
Symbolism in poe's works
Edgar allen poe symbolism
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In the story, “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe, it reveals the despicable antagonist of Montresor. The story is a flashback of Montresor’s cruel, unreasonable actions towards his nemesis, Fortunato long ago. Throughout the major conflicts of the story, the author reveals a strong mood of suspense. This is mainly shown by the way Montresor speaks, his thoughts, and actions. Throughout the conflicts of the story, the reader’s mood is affected by the way Montresor speaks. “And I to your long life.”(page 4 paragraph 6) As Fortunato makes a toast to the dead, Montresor makes a toast to Fortunato’s long life. Thus makes the reader feels pity for Fortunato because he feels good to reunite with an old friend, but the reader knows of his unfortunate fate that Montresor placed upon him. “My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. How remarkably well you are looking to-day.” (page 2 paragraph 2) Montresor acts as if he unexpectedly runs into him and acts very friendly towards Fortunato. Once again, the reader feels like they want to tell him not to fall for his tricks, since he is …show more content…
clueless, but there is no way to stop Montresor’s wrong doings. The reader feels sympathy for Fortunato through the conflicts Montresor causes. Through the conflicts of the story, the mood of the reader is also reflected upon Montresor’s actions.
“I continued as was my wont to smile now was the thought of his immolation.”(page 1 paragraph 2) As Montresor smiles at Fortunato he feels safe as he is falling for his devious plan. This gives a very creepy feeling to the reader because this shows that Montresor is in fact, a psychopath. “I replied to the yells of him who clamored. I reechoed-- I aided-- I surpassed them in volume and in strength. I did this and the clamorer grew still.” (page 6 paragraph 7) As Fortunato screamed for help, Montresor yells louder to prove that no one can hear him and no one is coming. Montresor gives the reader a very disturbing sentiment of his course of action toward Fortunato. Furthermore, the reader obtains a strange, eerie feeling because Montresor is revealed crazy through the conflicts of the
story. Through the conflicts of the story, Montresor’s thoughts affect the mood of the reader. “At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk.” (page 1 paragraph 1) Montresor introduces his thoughts and plan by explaining he will get revenge on what Fortunato had done to him. This gives the reader the first impression on what Montresor is really like. Moreover, the reader discerns the first sense of craziness that lingers in his personality. “I was so pleased to see him, that I thought I should never have done wringing his.” (page 1 paragraph 4, page 2 paragraph 1) When Montresor first lays eyes upon Fortunato, he thought it was good to see him but later refers to wishing he didn’t have to kill him. This gives the reader a frightening feeling because Montresor is for some reason, happy to see him, but technically says “too bad I have to kill him”. This gives the reader an uneasy feeling because we don’t know the force driving Montresor to believe he is forced to kill Fortunato. Montresor’s disturbing thoughts give the reader a sinister feeling. As can be seen,“The Cask of Amontillado” is a story of revenge. Montresor, the avenger, is quite a disturbing character. Instead of condoning whatever it was that Fortunato had done, he followed through his deplorable plan. His bizarre personality had a major effect to the story. He is known to the reader as strange, eerie, and sinister. Montresor was bipolar of his killing to Fortunato, but it was imperative to complete his plan. After all, it was what he had sought out to do. MoIt was Fortunato who had done the wrongdoing, according to Montresor, but then he oddly states “In pace requiescat”. So in further context, “May he rest in piece”.
“And I to your long life.” The effect of the verbal irony is that Fortunato did a toast to himself not knowing that we will be joining the dead really and Montresor did a toast to Fortunato’s long life knowing that it won’t
A main theme presented in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe is that Montresor shows obsession with the murder of fortunato. This is exemplified by Montresor’s precise planning, carefulness and slowness of speed in the process.
One catches a glimpse of Montresor’s lost happiness from his obscure past, moreover his distressed self-esteem, in this statement. His façade begins to slip. The strain starts to show. At last Montresor leads Fortunato to the remote niche and secures him to the wall. Surprised Fortunato does not immediately respond.
When they arrive at the Montresor estate, Montresor leads Fortunato down the stairs into the catacombs. Down here is where the Amontillado Fortunato is going to taste and where the revenge of Montresor is going to take place. As he get closer and closer, the narrator opens up more and more to how he is going to kill his "friend". It sound like it is a premeditated murder. Montresor seems so inconspicuous that he acts like he cares about Fortunato which is still a part of his plan.
Hoping to obtain revenge, Montresor, the narrator, lures Fortunato, one of his friends, into the depths of his catacombs to be murdered. Montresor says, "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge"(149). This is the first line in the story, and this is why Montresor seeks revenge. There is no explanation of the insults that Montresor received, so the reader may infer that Montresor is just lying. The insults that were received could possibly be just outdoing in the business arena. Montresor might be using that excuse for his desire to kill Fortunato, because he may be killing Fortunato out of jealousy. Montresor is likely telling this story to a family member, friend, or his doctor while lying on his deathbed. Montresor says, "…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."(150). Montresor just admitted that he knows Fortunato is better than he. Montresor may have been under the influence of jealousy. Redd 4 There are different theories to ...
The major theme in the story is the deep hatred buried within the outwardly congenial Montresor. This makes it vital that the story be told with Montresor's thoughts known to the reader. The tale simply would not work if it were told from Fortunato's point of view, or from a dramatic/objective angle. An omniscient view would function, but by knowing only Montresor's thoughts the reader develops a trust in him, and this causes the story's theme to have a more personal effect on the reader.
In the story "The Cask of Amontillado", Edgar Allen Poe tells the story of Montresor and Fortunato. This story has a much lighter mood to it, but from the beginning there is some tension between Fortunato and Montresor. The story its self has a
“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.
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...
The way he manipulates Fortunato is through the way he speaks. He speaks as if he is trying to use reverse psychology on Fortunato. Montresor speaks in a sorrow tone when he pretends that he has chosen Luchresi to take with him when he first brings up the wine. This hits a nerve in Fortunato which then triggers him to agree to go with Montresor to see the amontillado. “And as for Luchresi, he cannot distinguish Sherry from Amontillado.” (Poe 109). One is able to predict a twisted ending to this story because of the way Montresor speaks to Fortunato. “…he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.” (Poe 108). His tone shows the sociopathic side of Montresor because he is able to hold in his anger toward Fortunato for the greater good of his overall plan. He portrays that he has no animosity against Fortunato by speaking calmly, with an underlying malevolent tone so that readers are still able to understand what Montresor is actually
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.
You were not to be found, and I was fearful of losing a bargain (Poe 332)”. This revels Montresor notices that Fortunato is not able to tell Amontillado from Sherry as he is a great wine-lover. When Montresor is coughing, Fortunato is trying to convince him to leave: “Come,” I said with decision, “ we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was”. This shows jealousy and kindness of Montresor against Fortunato at the same time that is quite sarcastic. From this perspective, Montresor envious all of the things that Fortunato has and who is not reconciled to someone surpass him in the status. He mistakenly feels that this is the injury created by Fortunato resulting in his revenge. Therefore, he blame on Fortunato for all fault that he should eradicate him as soon as possible before he become a threatening when it is too late to take any action. Additionally, he does not even regret his choice and believes everything he does is right. This is because he tries so hard to makes an effort to draw Fortunato to his trap and put down his vigilance simultaneously by
Gruesser further speculates that Montresor may in fact be speaking to a priest to relieve his conscience of the dread he experienced each day since he murdered Fortunato (130). Such a theory is further demonstrated when Montresor calmly echoes Fortunato's exclamation, "For the Love of God" (Poe, 1597). Fortunato is not just crying for mercy during the last few moments that he has a chance. He is also warning Montresor to think of his own demise and the next world thereafter (Delaney, 130). Therein lies the source of Montresor's half a century of dread. He was so blinded by his hatred and lust for revenge that he failed to think of his own soul. Only when it is too late does he realize to how great of an extent he may have actually affected his own life.
In the opening lines Montresor explains what Fortunato has done to him: ?he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge?(75. The next line Montresor explains that he did not threaten him back and he did not reply to the threats. It was not in Montresor?s nature to do return the threat, ?You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat?(75).
The major characteristics of the narrator and main character, Montresor, are anger, hatred, and revenge. In the story, he is angry with Fortunato because he believes that Fortunato has wronged and insulted him many times by saying, “thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could…he ventured upon insult…” (Poe). In addition, Montresor’s hatred for Fortunato goes so far that he believes he must kill Fortunato. He mentions this in the story as, “[y]ou, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat” (Poe). He seems to say that his soul is made of hatred and goes on to say he must give Fortunato the utmost punishment: death. Montresor even shows traits of revenge when he says, “…but when [Fortunato] ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.” and “...I would be avenged…” (Poe). He is saying that he will get revenge on Fortunato, whom he is angry with and hates for being insulted by.