Montresor Perfect Crime

The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

The book “Cask of Amontillado” chronicles what a perfect crime is. Giving an account of the events that transpired 50 years prior, Montresor, an aristocrat from Europe introduces the story by explaining how Fortunato a fellow aristocrat and wine connoisseur insulted him. Though it is not revealed how Fortunato insulted Montresor to make him want to kill him, it is evident that he really angered him. Montresor’s plan is not just to punish Fortunato but to bypass the punishment associated with the crime. Montresor exploits the pride that Fortunato has in his abilities to taste wine to lure him into the catacomb where he manages to send him to the afterlife. To highlight what a perfect crime constitutes,

the author uses the concept of history. This paper therefore highlights three aspects of history that the author has used to explain what a perfect crime is.
The first aspect of history is carnival which is a class of festivities that takes place in multiple Catholic cities annually before the Lenten season. In the 18th century France and Italy carnival season was the years highlight. Normally done for at least a week, it marked a period of costumes, parades, feasts and parties (Britannica). In these catholic states the season was the last opportunity for one to have fun prior to lent which is a 40 day period of penitence and fasting. During these festival women dressed like male characters while men dressed like the female characters (Britannica). Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and on particular days of Ash Wednesday Catholics are required to abstain from consuming meat as a spiritual and physical reminder of the sacrifices of Jesus. Prior to As Wednesday a large number of Catholics consume every fat and meat in their homes as well as hold big parties on the streets as a celebration before the season of Lent (Britannica). During this time, all social classes congregate, disguise themselves and forget all their tribulations. In the Cask of Amontillado, the use of Carnival is ironical as well as symbolic. Carnival is used to communicate the fact that things do not always appear as they actually are and it serves as a disguise to the crime Montresor is about to commit (Poe, 1). For one to plot the demise of a person during a carnival is unusual. One would expect a horror story of revenge in a setting such as a stormy and dark night as opposed a happy festival of individuals. The irony lies in the fact that the setting is contrary to the evil plans and dark mind of Montresor. Also, the carnival creates a chaotic setting in which Montresor is able to lead Fortunado to the catacombs without being noticed (Poe, 2). The carnival work exceptionally to fit the crime as Fortunado is easily accessible subject to his ridiculous costume that has a jingle-bell hat. Also, under this setting, Fortunado wouldn’t expect that his life would be in danger. By prodding and poking in the holes, Montresor is able to hear the jingles of the bell and keep track of Fortunado and thanks to the disguise of the carnival that Montresor is able to avoid his servants witnessing him finishing off Fortunado.
The second aspect of history is Freemasons which is believed to have emanated from the stone masons guilds in the middle Ages. Established in the Middle Age as a stone workers guild, Freemans emerged as a strong social force in the 18th century Europe (The Sun). Come the mid-century, the former labor union became a common people and aristocrats’ society devoted to social betterment, rationality and frees though ideals. The symbols and language employed in the rituals of this fraternity are from the Middle Age and reference to it is found in the Regius Poem printed in the 1030s (The Sun). The fraternity significantly spread in the colonies of America and Europe and it was very prominent in colonial America. Though initially instituted to support the spiritual and moral values of its members, it has historically been made up of significantly wealthy men and is involved in secret rituals. Due to the secrecy of the group, the group faced suspicion for multiple evil behaviors. They faced accusation for having loose morals, threatening government power and being anti-Christ (The Sun). Even though Freemason is associated with spreading enlightment ideals in the 1700s it was considered sacrilegious by others. The same is evidenced in the year 1826 when 3 men kidnapped a Masonic prisoner from a jail cell in New York for threatening to publish the secret rituals of Freemasons. The membership of Fortunato to the Freemasons is evidenced by the sign he made with his hand that Montresor would have managed to recognize had he been a mason since they are taught to recognize it (Poe, 5). It is also evidenced by the trowel which Montresor uses to cement him on the wall. By asserting that Fortunato is a member of the Freemason society, Montresor forecasts the cruel death of Fortunato through live burial. Bringing up Freemasons and revealing the tool of murdering Fortunato shows Montresor eagerness to harm Fortunato. Hiding it as an innocent symbol of mason is his excuse to unveil the murder weapon (Poe, 5). The trowel foreshadows the end of the story as well as reveals the nature of Montresor as a calculating killer. The freemason symbols by Fortunato and the trowel use by Montresor highlight the notion that the hate Montresor feel towards Fortunato is because he is a member of Freemason. In Freemason trowel a symbol of the cement of affection and brotherly love that binds its members without hostility but Montresor has used them for purposes of hostility thereby tainting what it stands for.
Finally the book highlights the historical aspect of burial customs in the 18th century Europe when it is revealed that Montresor stored his wines alongside the skeletons of his family in similar underground vaults (Eggleton).

In the region of Palermo, Sicily in the event that an individual died him or her corpse were walled up in catacombs which are underground tombs. Six months following the disappearance of the flesh, the skeletons are considered ready for them to be displayed. The catacombs were lit brightly so that every skeleton could be viewed while holding a card that displayed the title and name of the dead (Eggleton). As for public officials that died in the region if Sicily, dead bodies were showcased on the chairs of church floor with officials fanning away the flies. In some other places, the bones of humans were laid down in boxes that are decorated for their relatives to view. Therefore, the long wall pilled with skeletons was not unusual in the 18th century of Europe (Eggleton). This historical concept has been used to highlight how smart Montresor was in planning his revenge and get rid of evidence that may lead to punishment from the crime committed (Poe, 5). By using the funeral processions of 18th century Europe, Montresor was able to bypass any punishments that may come from committing murder as someone could mistake the remains of Fortunato for those of a dead person that was buried in the tomb.

That said it is pertinent to assert that the author of “The Cask of Amontillado” has used carnival, freemason and 18th century burial custom aspects of history to outline what a perfect crime is. Carnival has been used to highlight how one can perfectly disguise a crime, freemason has been used to communicate the reason behind the crime and 18th century burial custom has outlined how to make the evidence of a perfect crime to go

away.

Works Cited
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Carnival.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 16 June 2017, www.britannica.com/topic/Carnival-pre-Lent-festival.
Eggleton, Pat. “Patti Chiari - Death in Sicily.” ITALY Magazine, 19 Nov. 2013, www.italymagazine.com/featured-story/patti-chiari-death-sicily.
Neuleib, Janice, et al. “The Cask of Amontillado.” Mercury, PEARSON CUSTOM LIBRARY, pp. 1–8.
“Who Are the Freemasons, What Are Their Beliefs and Are There Female Freemasons?” The Sun, The Sun, 12 Mar. 2018, www.thesun.co.uk/news/3322564/freemasons-uk-masonic-lodge-female-members-discrimination/.