Essay Comparing The Most Dangerous Game And The Cask Of Amontillado

People are killed every day, so why do two more people make a difference? “The Cask of Amontillado,” and “The Most Dangerous Game” both focus on characters who have been wronged, and want revenge. I do believe Fortunato, and General Zaroff deserved to die. In the stories, “The Cask of Amontillado,” and “The Most Dangerous Game” the characters Montresor, and Rainsford are justified in taking another human’s life for revenge.

The first two pieces of evidence I would like to point out are both important points to consider. In “The Cask of Amontillado,” we are to believe that Fortunato has wronged Montresor many times; this is shown when Poe writes “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best as I could” (238). I think it is only

just that Fortunato receives retribution, after the “thousands” of times he has wronged Montresor. Furthermore, in “The Most Dangerous Game,” General Zaroff has killed countless people. The quote “I refuse to believe that so modern and civilized a young man as you seem to be harbors romantic ideas about the value of human life” (25) shows that General Zaroff does not consider hunting men, any different from hunting any other game. If Zaroff does not value other men’s lives, I do not see why he should value his own. I think a man who does not value his own life is not deserving to keep his own life.
Secondly, in “The Most Dangerous Game” Rainsford is acting in self defense. Rainsford initially has no malice when he decides to play this ‘game.’ The moment General Zaroff utters, “But may I not venture to suggest that you will find my idea of sport more diverting than Ivan’s?” (28) Rainsford is being threatened. General Zaroff has now stated that he plans to hunt, and kill Rainsford. At this point, Rainsford has every right to kill General Zaroff. Moreover, in “The Cask of Amontillado” Montresor is never physically assaulted, and his life may not have been threatened explicitly, but it does say “When he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge,” (238) so Montresor has been insulted. An insult could be argued, especially in the times in which this story takes place, are just another form of abuse. During these times an insult not only humiliated the person being insulted, but it also humiliated, and tarnished the reputation of their family. I would argue to say the Montresor was not only acting in self defense, but he was also protecting his family, which would lead me to believe that Montresor has just as much of a right to kill Fortunato, as Rainsford does to General Zaroff, if not more of a right.
Finally, General Zaroff, and Fortunato are horrible human beings.

In “The Most Dangerous Game” General Zaroff thinks that his only purpose in life is to hunt. General Zaroff believes “[he, God] made a hunter” (23). The thing General Zaroff believes to be his purpose in life is killing. Killing game is the only thing that has ever interested General Zaroff, and Rainsford was killing a man, who he realized was only fueled by hatred, and death. I would consider what Rainsford did a noble act, because even today, people like Osama bin Laden are killed, because of that same hatred that General Zaroff has had for so long. Fortunato, in “The Cask of Amontillado,” “prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine” (238). Montresor explains that this pride is his weakness, and many would agree that pride is the root of all evil. People often say that pride is the worst sin of them all, as supported by the quote “Only by pride cometh contention,” (Prov. 28:25) which I think means that only by pride will we create a means of separating ourselves from others, and creating a divide with such animosity that those at the top will never come back down. Montresor was taking someone with that amplitude of viciousness from this world, which I would say, at the least, is doing humanity a

favor.
To summarize, Rainsford, and Montresor killing General Zaroff, and Fortunato is, without any doubt, justified. They were well within their boundaries of what, I think any rational agent would agree is justified. I think that Rainsford, and Montresor are not only justified, but are a force for good in the world. They are people who have cleaned up some of the worst trash that humanity had to offer. I think everyone, in small ways should learn from Rainsford and Montresor, and try their hardest to clean up some trash of their own. These men, Rainsford and Montresor are heroes.