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Themes in the cask of amontillado
Themes in the cask of amontillado
The theme of the cask of amontillado story
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Emily Dickinson portrays a hidden truth from her literature piece of work titled “Tell it Slant.” This truth outlines Montresor’s course of action for fulfilling his vengeance towards Fortunato. Emily Dickinson’s message throughout “Tell it Slant” exclaims that the truth dazzles gradually and in the “Cask of Amontillado,” Fortunato and Montresor are both exposed to this prominent statement. Emily Dickinson’s “Tell it Slant” enlightens the readers understanding of Edgar Allan Poe’s “Cask of Amontillado” by giving us a general truth of the characters attributes and desires, how they execute their course of action, and how truth is shown in two perspectives.
To start off, we learn that Montresor has borne many insults by Fortunato that leads him to the extremity of whisking away his life. Towards the beginning, it is made clear that Montresor’s desire is revenge and that he is persistent in making it a reality. We also learn that Montresor is sly and cunning when acting towards Fortunato. Montresor’s fake smile and cunning ways of appeasing Fortunato’s senses lead him to his own demise. We learn from these actions that Fortunato is a fool and oblivious. Not only that, but we are given a sense of humor as well when
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Montresor states that a simple cough will not kill Fortunato. This gives a sense of dark humor to Montresor’s characteristic attributes. In addition, we learn Montresor’s course of action for fulfilling his vengeance.
He addresses Fortunato’s wine tasting abilities and uses it as his Achilles heel. Fortunato was already drunk at their first encounter during the carnival season; therefore, Fortunato was practically playing into Montresor’s hands to begin with. Even when the nitre in the vault is addressed, Fortunato is persistent in going down to “taste test” the Amontillado. Montresor soothes Fortunato with cunning statements and was drunk enough to walk into his own tomb. At this expense, Montresor begins to slap stone and mortar to fit the space’s walls. We knew from the start what Montresor had in store for Fortunato, but what comes next is what manipulates the emotions of both
parties. Furthermore, Emily Dickinson’s “Tell it Slant” plays a factor in all of this because its message was the foundation for Montresor’s actions and his manipulated emotions. When Emily Dickinson states that the truth dazzles gradually, it reveals to us that Fortunato realized his fate and ultimately accepted it. We learn at the end of the story that Montresor’s actions towards Fortunato plagued him for half-a-century. Even though success was found through an indirect path, the truth hid a superb surprise for Montresor. To sum it all up, we can predict Edgar Allan Poe’s “Cask of Amontillado” through Emily Dickinson’s “Tell it Slant.” The message from Emily Dickinson’s piece of literature is a moral jurisdiction for Edgar Allan Poe’s characters. It also shows how the truth can dazzle in a negative way rather than a positive one when manipulating each character’s emotions.
Montresor must trick and manipulate Fortunato to accomplish his goal of revenge. He tells Fortunato the reason he is at the ...
He gives very little information about Fortunato, past that he is a wine connoisseur. There is no mention of what Fortunato does for leisure, his family, or even his job. In fact, the only details the reader receives on Fortunato paint him as a fool, with his costume, his drunken attitude, and obliviousness Montresor is focuses on the facts that make Fortunato look bad; he not only wants Fortunato dead but he also wants Fortunato’s name discredited. Montresor tells the reader even less about himself because there is no background to who Montresor is, what he does, or even what kind of contact he has with Fortunato. The only true details of Montresor that are given must be implied and give a sense of intelligence. In addition, he gives little to no details about the carnival, such as where it was, why the carnival was happening, or even why he chose this particular day to enact his plan. From these details, or lack of details, it seems Montresor doesn’t want his audience to know this information. The audience is supposed to simply look at Fortunato a fool and Montresor a genius, the harbinger of death. The facts such as who these people were, the time, or the setting are not important to Montresor’s focus in the
Montresor wants to get revenge on people who make him mad such as Fortunato. How Fortunato may have hurt Montresor is by insulting him and by threatening him somehow. Therefore, Montresor wants to make sure that Fortunato doesn’t expect anything by being his friend. Once Montresor
It is constantly seen that people take revenge on each other in the real world so it comes to no surprise that Montresor is taking revenge on Fortunato. Specifically in this story Montresor will feel better if he “not only punish but punish with impunity” (108 Poe). But further on what I found to even more realistic was that this wasn’t normal revenge, this was pure mastermind torture. Montresor knew that Fortunato was sick with Montresor saying “…but the severe cold with which I perceive you are afflicted”(109 Poe) regarding that he didn’t want Fortunato to come down to his vaults, but Montresor true intentions were wanting Fortunato to fight Montresor request of not coming, and it worked. Montresor also knew how well Fortunato was at differencing wine “I was silly enough to pay the full Amontillado price without consulting you in the matter” (109 Poe). By Montresor exploiting Fortunato’s sickness and skill of wines, Montresor knew that he could get Fortunato in the vaults where he could execute his revenge. At a first glance this may not seem lifelike because there’s an assumption to be made that people aren’t this immoral. But the truth is that the revenge that Montresor conducted is seen constantly in our culture. It’s undeniably real of the monstrosity that was made by Montresor when comparing it to the wicked
Montresor is a man who feels pride in himself and in his family, so when Fortunato—an acquaintance of Montresor— “venture[s] upon insult,” Montresor “vow[s] revenge” against him (1). Montresor hastily decides that he must kill Fortunato, even though his use of the word “venture” implies that Fortunato had not yet insulted him, but nearly did. Montresor’s impulsive need for revenge causes him to formulate a plan to murder his acquaintance. He keeps Fortunato intoxicated by “presenting him…[with] wine,” he “fetter[s] him to the granite,” and he “plaster[s] up… [a wall of] new masonry” to trap Fortunato in the catacombs (39, 71, 89). All of these acts are signs that the need for revenge has made Fortunato insane. A person who has any sense of morals would not commit crimes such as Montresor’s. His impetuous decision to exact revenge caused him to lose his
He describes Fortunato as a “rich, respected, admired, beloved; happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed. For me it is no matter” (252). Montresor takes insult at the fact that Fortunato seems to look upon the fact that he is not a freemason with disdain. And when Fortunato explains that he has forgotten the Montresor’s family coat of arms, Montresor takes insult. This explains that Montresor is indeed jealous of Fortunato, which is likely the true reason as to why he kills him.
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.
He did not show even by words that he is going to kill. Also, he did not let Fortunato to know that he intended any grudge against him “..neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will... He did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation (8-10).” One night while Fortunato was drunk, Montresor told him that he bought a barrel of wine called Amontillado “But I have received a pipe of what passes for Amontillado, and I have my doubts (25).” He understood that Fortunato “prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine (12).” He attracted him to going to his house to check the drink by saying that he might invite Luchresi to do it, a seeming rival of Fortunato 's, instead “As you are engaged, I am on my way to Luchresi. If any one has a critical turn it is he. He will tell me (37-38).” When they left, Montresor put on a mask and quickly took the way to his property. He was sure nobody could see them together on Fortunato 's last night. Moreover, Montresor completely knew Fortunato and used the knowledge versus him. He planned his deed carefully and carried it out slowly. It seems that Montresor anticipated his revenge with joy. While they traveled down the cavern, Montresor gives Fortunato many opportunities to leave. Fortunato looks weak against the niter, which is growing on the walls, and repeatedly coughs. Montresor commented on Fortunato 's health and asked
As Montresor is the one that is not drunk, he acts more normally than Fortunato would and therefore shows more character traits. For example, Montresor shows smartness as he manages to get Fortunato into chains, he also shows manipulation as he manipulates Fortunato into thinking that they are friends as Montresor is drunk for the majority of the story making the reader unable to comprehend how he would like normally when the only part in the short story “The Cask of Amontillado” that he is sober is when he has been chained up and about to be buried alive. During this part, the reader still can not understand Fortunato’s character traits as all he does is moan and trash like a normal person would do if they were to be in the same type of
Montresor proves not to mess with someone's feeling. He explains, “I must not only punish, but punish with impunity” (Poe 372). Fortunato does not know that he is going to die, yet Montresor and the reader do know, making the situation dramatic irony. By punishing him with impunity he is going to get revenge that he has wanted now for years ever since he did wrong to Montresor and now that he finally gets the chance of course he will seek revenge on Fortunato. And it is dramatic irony because Fortunato is oblivious to the situation. Montresor proves that one should be careful on what they say. He speaks, “I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation” (Poe 372). Montresor is saying
Montresor is a man who like to get revenge back to the people that did something to him. Montresor like to get back at the people when they are no longer thinking about what they have done. Because Montresor is that way Fortunato insulted him and he reacted to what was said about him. Yet, Fortunato was saying all these things about Montresor and thought it was okay. The personalities that Montresor have is that he don’t play about what people say to or about him, and don’t take it lightly. He is also that person that like to take care of business and get things done. Fortunato is a man that loves to run his mouth and has these emotion when he wants to say things and later think about what he has said. Fortunato act like it doesn’t matter
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
and his family, Montresor retaliated by plotting to kill him. Montresor thought of Fortunato as a
Carefully, cautiously the Montresor plotted precisely how he would exact revenge upon Fortunato. Much time and great energy was devoted to this plan, selecting a time that would be best: during carnival when the town would be celebratory, his servants apt to run off and join the celebration, when the two could silently disappear without notice or question. No detail is forgotten; he allows for no deterrents. He follows through with such a confidence that never does he stumble or hesitate in carrying out his plan. The Montresor indicates that he had never given. To continue with this ploy, he even goes so far as to express false concern for Fortunato as they pass through the catacombs. Blaming the nitre and damp, the Montresor suggests that they turn back as not to compromise Fortunato’s ill health, though he has no intent of doing so. Never once until the very end did Fortunato have cause to suspect that there were any foul plans afoot.
The first indirect factor that could contribute to Montresor’s vengeful act, and thus the story’s theme of revenge, is the character of Montresor. Montresor tends to harbor feelings of resentment and has a hard time not taking things out of context (Womack). He also plans the murder of Fortunato in advance and devises it in such a way that he will not be caught. In killing Fortunato, Montreso...