Fortunato is Italian for “fortunate,” which is ironic because by throughout the story, he is not very fortunate at all. He is a wine expert, but it is actually what leads him to his death In “The Cask of Amontillado” Edgar Allen Poe uses Montresor’s first words to Fortunato, the wine tasting, and Montresor’s reaction to the crime he committed to show the irony of Fortunato’s misfortunes. “My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. How remarkably well you are looking to-day! But I have received a pipe of what passes for amontillado, and I have my doubts” (Poe 237). Montresor seems happy to meet Fortunato. It is ironic because he is actual happy because it is a perfect time for a murder. “I was so pleased to see him, that I thought I should never …show more content…
He volunteered to go into the catacombs to taste the amontillado wine. The cough he had prevented him from asking any questions about why he had to go into the catacombs in order to get the wine because any wine taster could tell you that wine would not be stored there. Fortunato is drunk, so it interferes with his mindset to understand exactly what is going on clearly. “‘My friend, no. It is not the engagement, but the severe cold with which I perceive you are afflicted. The vaults are insufferably damp. They are encrusted with nitre’“ (Poe 237). He continues to go into the vaults with Montresor, who one could tell that he is not the best influence. “‘I drink,’ he said, ‘to the buried that repose around us’“ (Poe 238). Fortunato feels the need to toast his drinking to the people that are buried in the catacombs where he stands. Ironically, little does he know that he will be buried there alive in a few …show more content…
It is ironic because Montresor should have felt bad for burying a man alive. He tricked him by drugging him and pretending to be his friend. “A succession of loud and shrill screams, bursting suddenly from the throat of the chained form, seemed to thrust me violently back. For a brief moment I hesitated – I trembled” (Poe 240). At first, Montresor felt a little guilty about what he was doing to Fortunato. It was only an instant before he felt okay with the horrible act of murdering Fortunato. “For the half of a century no mortal has disturbed them. In pace requiescat” (Poe 240). Rest in peace is what he says to Fortunato, which is ironic because it is not a peaceful way to die being buried alive and drunk. Montresor kills Fortunato, and he satisfied with what he has
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 does not want Fortunato to die from anything other than his own plan of slow death by asphyxiation. Symbolism in "The Cask of Amontillado" This story by Poe has numerous examples of symbolism. For example, the manner in which Fortunato is dressed is ironic for a man with his societal prominence.
Meanwhile as Fortunato was concocting his plan beneath the earth, Montressor was heading back to his house feeling slightly guilty about what he had done. “He insulted me, he made me to be less that I am, he had it coming.”, Montressor told himself reassuringly. But that did not erase the ominous tone he now felt in the vaults. Something was not quite right since he pushed that last brick into place in Fortunato’s tomb. Shaking the feeling off as best as he could he reached the top of the catacombs and entered his home with a taste for the barrel of wine that he knew was Amontillado all along. After his drink he returned to his bedroom for the night and before he fell asleep he heard a small voice in his head saying that Fortunato was still alive and that he was coming for him.
This man, Montresor is cunning and manipulative, as he'll get what he wants through trickery or deception. Montresor is sly because he notes that Fortunato is proud for being such a renowned wine connoisseur; therefore he utilizes this exploit to lure him into his trap. And so, Montresor appealed to his confidence of wine expertise by saying, “'As you're engaged I am on the way to Luchesi.' ”(133) This stirs up Fortunato's pride and makes him offer to check Montresor's amontillado instead of Luchesi, his supposed rival in wine expertise. Additionally, he plans the date of his murder on the carnival so Fortunato would be drunk as well as being inconspicuous to wear a mask and a costume so nobody would be able to identify the person that went off with Fortunato. When Fortunato arrives at the vault he makes a scene where he seems genuinely caring and toasts him, “'And I to your long life.' ”(135) The irony is that Fortunato won't have to wait long before his demise and that Montresor only said it to advert suspicion from Fortunato. He managed to trick Fortunato until the very end which proves how clever he is.
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 ...
...rfeited” (33). Montresor has inquired about Fortunato’s health throughout their walk to the catacombs. It is too late for him to change his mind so all that is left to do is seal him in.
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
He hands Fortunato wine in hopes of making him too drunk to realize what is going on when he buries him. Montresor buries Fortunato alive without his knowing. Montresor lures Fortunato into the recess and begins layering bricks to close up the wall. Poe writes, “I had scarcely laid the first tier of the masonry when I discovered that the intoxication of Fortunato had in great measure worn off. The earliest indication I had of this was a low moaning cry from the depth of the recess” (112).
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.
With Fortunado dead and buried, Montresor has won. Thanks to his deception he has the revenge he wanted for so long. There are no more insults or injuries for Montresor to tolerate. Fortunato is dead, never to be seen again. Because Montresor believes what he has done is not wrong he does not have to worry about the guilt or shame afterwards.
How simple, indeed--at least until we examine a group of irreconcilable paradoxes in the story. To begin with, the names Montresor and Fortunato are synonymous. (Hoffman 223) Secondly, we find that the motive for the crime was some unnamed insult. Motives for killing someone should be important enough to detail. Why does Poe have Montresor gloss over the motives? One view is that Montresor relates the details of the murder not to justify his actions, but as a form of confession. But if this be confession, where is the regret? Again, Poe leaves his readers mystified concerning the time and location for issuance of the narrative voice. If Montresor still lives, he must be a very old man. If so, the phantasms of his deed may have horrified him all of his life. Then why does he not seem horrified? If this be confession, then why does he seem not penitent?
--over our wine --he! he! he!"(poe). His speech clearly pictures he is distracted of the amontillado.this also exemplifys his foolishness because he is unaware of the becoming obvious plan where his life ends. When Montresor first sees Fortunato he is wearing a jester costume, he “ had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress, and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells.” (poe) .
" He seems to be nice and caring to Fortunato until the end of story, but it was all part of his plan. When he takes Fortunato into his vaults, he keeps on suggesting to return after Fortunato start’s coughing. It is ironic that when Fortunato says he will not be killed by a cough and Montresor agrees to it as he knew exactly what would kill him. Montresor had been so nice to him that he thought is as a joke even when he was chained. This can be proved when Fortunato says, "Ha! ha! ha!
The depths the narrator went in order to deem what he did to Fortunato as right as well as play the role of the victim were extreme. This can be seen when he gave no reason for the readers to blame him yet, only provided the blame on the horrid insults and actions of Fortunato. This was only achievable through playing the role of the narrator. This along with the fact that his objective to persuade Fortunato into getting very drunk with the further end goal of thinking he is being lead to a pipe (barrel) of Amontillado can solidified how unreliable Montresor and other first-person narrators can be. The true aim of Montresor was to get Fortunato very drunk to the point that his conscious state was altered and he would be unable to realize what was going on and try to stop Montresor from his plan of revenge.