Montresor's Insanity In The Cask Of Amontillado

In "The Cask of Amontillado," unreliable narrator Montresor describes his revenge on Fortunato during a carnival in Venice fifty years ago. Montresor doesn't like Fortunato on account of the thousands of injuries he has caused, injuries that he bears magnanimously (yes, that's sarcasm), but when Fortunato resorts to insult, Montresor vows revenge, a revenge which excludes punishment and a revenge which makes Fortunato completely aware of who's getting the revenge. Montresor is easily offended, jealous of Fortunato, and a little strange. His propensity for being offended stems from his insecurity, an insecurity that could lead him to invent a story about masterminding the perfect murder/revenge. His jealousy of Fortunato leads him to slant everything in the story to make Fortunato look stupid--his motley dress, his

drunkenness, his pomposity.

The story itself indicates Montresor lacks sanity and cannot be trusted. It's his insanity, however, that leads the reader to believe he is capable of such an act.

It's Carnival in Italy and good wine is at a premium. Montresor uses stratagem to lure Fortunato into his underground vaults to exact his revenge. Fortunato, ever so happy to display his wine wisdom, agrees to accompany Montresor into the catacombs to test the wine, hoping to expose Montresor as a fool, ironic considering Fortunato's wearing the fool's costume. When they reach the most remote area of the catacombs, they find a smaller crypt that is lined with human bones. From there, they see a recessed area, about four feet deep, three feet wide, and seven feet high. Fortunato continues into this crypt with Montresor's urging him into the smaller space. Poor Fortunato is so drunk that he is confused as Montresor chains him to the area. Fortunato is still asking for the

Amontillado while Montresor brings in stone and mortar. However, once Montresor starts building a wall at the entrance of the small area, Fortunato sobers up quickly. Montresor describes the sounds he hears as he builds, the jingling of Fortunato's bells and the clanking of the chains. The two proceed down the ancient corridor when, suddenly, Montresor chains Fortunato to a wall, where he has remained ever since. Once the wall is about half-way up, Fortunato begins screaming, and Montresor mocks him. Fortunato calms, and says, 'A very good joke indeed,' probably with his last bit of hope. Montresor humors him for a moment, but soon Fortunato realizes it's not a game. He screams, 'For the love of God, Montresor,' and Montresor repeats his words. There is silence. Montresor, who wants Fortunato to continue to beg, becomes impatient and calls out to Fortunato, trying to provoke him. The man does not respond. In hopes of getting Fortunato to respond in some way, Montresor throws a torch into the only open area left. He hears the tinkling of bells. He says his 'heart grew sick' but only on the 'account of the dampness of the catacombs,'and he finishes building the wall. Then he says the events happened fifty years prior.