Psychological Analysis Of The Cask Of Amontillado

The Cask of Amontillado, by Edgar Allan Poe, tells a tale of a friendship between to men. One named Montresor, seeks revenge on the other, named Fortunato. The reason is unknown. Montresor finds Fortunato in the city celebrating and drinking. He tells him about a drink called Amontillado that he wants him to drink. He talks about how good it is and lures him to go with him. A big thing that helped lure in Fortunato was when Fortunato was coughing and seemed sick, Montresor showed that he was concerned and used reverse psychology telling him he should not go because he is sick. Fortunato being anxious bypasses it and goes with him. As they are in the cave headed to get the Amontillado, Montresor makes Fortunato keep drinking and makes it easier

His insanity rises and hits another escalation point when he finally gets Fortunato right where he had planned for him to be. “While Fortunato wanted to be released from an excruciatingly painful joke, Montresor, his friend, is paining to hear Fortunato beg for his life or apologize for the insult. A meaning emerges with Fortunato’s cry. Like Kurtz in “The Heart of Darkness” whose “horror, the horror” emphasizes his rooted pain, similarly Fortunato’s primal plunge within reveals the deepest pain of his heart. Instead of morality in the conventional sense, Poe is opening up a newer horizon of deep pain” (Whatley 2). To Montresor, he does not care about Fortunato’s pain. It actually makes him happy that he is suffering. His grudge is at an all-time high. Fortunato is hoping this is a joke and wants all of this to end but then realizes that this is happening. No matter what Fortunato does it does not work. Montresor laughs at him, mocks him and makes fun of him and the grudge he has keeps him fine with that. He continues to finish the job and when he comes down to putting in the last brick he yells out Fortunato’s name. Over and over there is no response then the bells from his hat starts to jingle. Once he hears that, his grudge slowly starts to fade

“In Montresor’s confession to the priest, his honesty interlaces with darkness. He “vomits” the book of his life. His final words: “In pace requiescat!” (24), reveals a different aspect of Montresor. Like an onion divested of its covers, Montresor, having freed himself of painful knowledge, darkness, feels dizzy or lighthearted. He turns around and playfully gives Fortunato his last rites. The confession within the framework confession is a peephole into Montresor’s heart. Having carried Fortunato in his mind and heart, Montresor feels free at last. When Montresor confesses after fifty years on his deathbed, remorse is not paramount.” (Whatley 2). Once his grudge leaves him, he starts feeling guilt and remorse. He killed Fortunato because of the grudge he had and the anger that was in his heart. It was not the right thing for him to do but he did not realize it until after the deed was done. He does not tell anyone about this for fifty years. In this long silence, he is confronted by his guilt. His heart feels low and he is disappointed in himself. He keeps calm on the outside but on the inside, he is being torn apart. He finally cannot take any more fifty years later and had to tell what happened after his guilt convicted him more than he can