The Jealousy In The Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe

The title, “The Cask of Amontillado,” helps describe the theme of human nature because it represents envy toward an object. Fortunato believes he is a gift from God, and when he hears Montresor needs his help to taste a wine that could be Amontillado, he jumps to the occasion. He is shocked that Montresor has accumulated a pipe of Amontillado during carnival season and becomes envious. Fortunato is so envious of the wine he is willing to do anything just for a taste and the glory of the Amontillado. It is only when he walks into his own that he realizes that he jealousy got the best of him.

“The thousand injuries of Fortunato” (Poe) cut Montresor deeply and to the extension of capital punishment. “The reader has no way of knowing what these ‘thousand injuries’ and the mysterious insults are thus can make no judgment whether Montresor’s revenge is justifiable” (50 Baraban). All the reader knows is that Montresor vowed revenge upon Fortunato because he could take

The family motto is “Nemo me impune lacessit,” (Poe) translating to “No one attacks me with impunity,” The family motto and the overall wrath of Montresor toward Fortunato push him to the edge of murder. Montresor has been attacked and if he does not act he is letting his family down. “The coat of arms suggests that if someone puts its foot on the family, the family will strike back as best it can, as a snake might strike the heel of the foot that crushes its body, and not nose any of its assurance of virtue” (553 White). The golden foot represents Fortunato as he injures Montresor, but Montresor is shown as the snake getting the more deadly and sweeter revenge. Montresor would prefer to stay away from justice, but if Fortunato’s death means his own he will take it. Montresor’s last name is worth more than his life, and he shows this by going threw unrealistic depths to prove he is just another generation in a family