Cask Of Amontillado Montresor Character Traits

Friendly Gesture, Unfriendly Death

Throughout a human’s lifetime, he or she will face experiences that can affect the development of his or her character. In Edgar Allen Poe’s short story, “The Cask of Amontillado,” Montresor is the narrator and main character throughout the story that faces an experience that changes his viewpoint on his former friend, Fortunato. Although Fortunato is not aware of Montresor’s issues towards him, he soon finds out the true level of their friendship. Throughout the short story of “The Cask of Amontillado,” Montresor portrays the characteristics of vengeance, manipulation, and lack of sympathy towards his “frenemy,” Fortunato, to show the significance of his ruthless character.

In the short story “The Cask

of Amontillado,” Montresor’s actions towards Fortunato display hatefulness and revenge. Montresor comes from a wealthy and honorable family; therefore, he takes much pride in honoring his family name. Previously, Fortunato had insulted Montresor by laughing at his family name: Montresor. Fortunato’s insult towards Montresor made him so furious that he promised himself that he would seek revenge. Patrick White (1989) states, “To do justice to Montresor, we should understand that he is not an individual person seeking redress for personal insult or injury but, rather, and agent of retribution acting on behalf of his family” (p. 552). However, Montresor’s idea of revenge is much crueler than the average human’s idea of revenge. Fortunato drank heavily on wine, and Montresor used his heavy wine drinking to his advantage to seek vengeance fifty years after the insult. Montresor says, “And wine, I thought, wine would give me my revenge” (Poe 2010). Montresor then uses his despicable plan to seek satisfaction of finally retaliating Fortunato. Montresor invites Fortunato to his family’s elegant palace to where they would taste one of the finest wines: Amontillado. Montresor leads him into the dark and cold underground catacombs of his castle while they go to get the Amontillado. Montresor continually tells Fortunato that they will eventually reach the Amontillado; however, Montresor is actually leading Fortunato further underground to his burial site. As the two men walk deeper under the ground of the palace, Montresor continually promises to let him taste the Amontillado. He then manipulates Fortunato to enter the vault, where Montresor told Fortunato the wine was being stored Once Fortunato was inside the vault, Montresor built a wall of stone trapping him inside, where Fortunato’s burial place would lie. Montresor leaves him in the vault and ties him up in chains to suffer and die slowly underground of his family’s palace, the same family Fortunato laughed at fifty years ago. Montresor waited fifty years to actually seek revenge against Fortunato for laughing at his family’s name. Therefore, Montresor’s despicable plan of burying Fortunato alive is significant in establishing his vengeful character.
While Montresor is extremely vengeful, he also portrays manipulative acts towards Fortunato so that his plan will be successful in the murder. In the story, Montresor knows exactly how to get Fortunato to visit his family’s palace. He knows that Fortunato is an educated and heavy wine drinker, and he also knew that Fortunato had previously been drinking before they met in the street. Therefore, Fortunato trusts Montresor, because he is intoxicated. Since Montresor had purchased one of the finest wines, he knew that Fortunato would not turn down such a grand offer. Montresor uses cryptic phrases and words to attract Fortunato to visit the castle. He states, “No, my friend, no. I can see that you are not well. And the vaults are cold and wet” (Poe 2010). He says statements and comments like these so that Fortunato will feel pity for not accepting his invitation, although Montresor knows that Fortunato will not turn down an invitation dealing with drinking wine. He also manipulates Fortunato by mentioning a man named Luchresi. Luchresi is a man that is highly educated in the history of wines; however, Fortunato is also a man that is educated about wine. Montresor states that if Fortunato could not taste the wine then he would get Luchresi to taste the wine, because Luchresi understands wines the best out of everyone (Poe 2010). This was Montresor’s final act in luring Fortunato to visit the palace. Montresor’s scheming actions throughout his plan in “The Cask of Amontillado” help portray his manipulative character.
Although Montresor is manipulative towards Fortunato, he presents a characteristic of being unsympathetic towards Fortunato when making crucial decisions of murdering him.

Montresor falsely shows the emotion of actually being sympathetic; however, he is just manipulating Fortunato into believing that Montresor actually cares about him. Montresor states in the story, “I heard only a soft, low sound, a half-cry of fear. My heart grew sick; it must have been the cold” (Poe 2010). Montresor was fully aware that Fortunato was not crying because he was cold; however, he was crying because he realized that Montresor was burying him alive. This statement shows irony in proving that Montresor feels no sympathy for his malevolent actions. In 2016, a literary critic says, “Moreover, Montresor does not appear to be remorseful; his detailed recollection of every evil laugh and taunt underlies cruel arrogance, not remorse” (“The Cask of Amontillado,” 2016, p. 1). Throughout “The Cask of Amontillado,” Montresor continually states that he gives Fortunato no reason to doubt his mischievous actions, and he says statements to him to believe that he is genuinely happy to have his presence in the palace. However, Fortunato does believe his scheming plan. With Montresor’s motive of claiming to be sympathetic, his actions help the reader understand his characteristic of being unsympathetic while showing no remorse towards

Fortunato.
Although Montresor is a vicious murderer, his methods of manipulating Fortunato into certain death is necessary in making him an interesting character throughout the story. While an average murder’s actions and speech would usually show vengeance, Montresor’s plan for murder is quite the opposite. Montresor’s plan for murdering Fortunato is by luring him in with a friendly smile and invitation to his favorite drink: wine. He uses wine to the advantage as a comforting medium that would eventually bring Fortunato to his death. Montresor’s characteristics of vengeance, manipulation, and lack of sympathy are significant in making his despicable plan successful.