Symbolism In The Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe

The short story, The Cask of Amontillado, was made by Edgar Allan Poe. Edgar grew up in Richmond with his father after his mother died in 1811. After a short time of being at the University of Virginia, he went to Boston to start publishing his work. His adopted father sent him to West Point but was expelled, moving to New York. Poe would marry his thirteen year old cousin, Virginia Clemm. One of his famous poems is the Raven, which was made in 1845, Poe died 4 years later due to alcoholism. Poe is known for his suspense and his symbolism. In the Cask of Amontillado the theme is that revenge can consume a man to the point of ultimate obsession. This will be shown in the setting, the characters, and the symbolism.

Where does the Cask of Amontillado

is actually set in? “Its walls had been lined with human remains, piled to the vault overhead, in the fashion of the great catacombs of Paris” (Meyer 197). This sentence shows us that this story is set in Paris, France. The two characters, Montresor and Fortunato, are also in a carnival. “It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season, that I encountered my friend” (Meyer 194). Pointing out this carnival they also would have masks on showing that it would be also hard to figure out who was who when these two went into the cellar. This setting also goes from a happy and enjoyable time (the carnival). To a dark and grim place where there are signs of death and is very dark (Lee).
The two characters in this short story is Montresor and Fortunato. The protagonist is Montresor where we are introduced to him talking about having revenge on Fortunato for insulting him. “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge” (Meyer 193). The antagonist is Fortunato, the one that Montresor wants to kill and exact his revenge on. Showing us also the conflict to this story which is obviously man vs man. Montresor obviously scheming and planning to have the right time to exact his revenge on Fortunato.

It must be understood, that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good-will.
He had a weak point-this Fortunato-although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared.

He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine.

(Meyer 194)

This showing that he became so obsessed with killing off Fortunato for an insult. It also shows us that he would go to great lengths so that he will not be caught. Especially when he brings Fortunato down to the cellar so that he can bury him alive.

Edgar Allan Poe is a master of symbolism especially in this short story. When Edgar Allan Poe goes from the happy and joyful carnival, to the damp, dark and cold cellar that has casks of remains. Even the title, The Cask of Amontillado, foreshadows into what will happen in this story. A cask being a coffin, the amontillado being the wine or the lure to bring Fortunato into the cellar.

I said to him: “My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. How remarkably well you

looking to-day! But I have received a pipe of what passes for Amontillado and I have my doubts” (Meyer 194).

Also when they are walking down to the Cellar, Fortunato asks what the logo of the Montresor’s family are. Montresor replies by saying “Nemo me impune lacessit.” Which the book explains saying no one wounds me with impunity (Meyer 196). This is also when Montresor talks about not just punishing but with impunity (Meyer

194).

As you can tell Poe is a master of symbolism, putting in subtle words and ideas so that if you look closer you can see the whole story going together.

From the setting, the characters, and the title. This also shows that Poe believes that people that are so obsessed with revenge it is their whole goal to finish that job- whatever means necessary. Though, Montresor at the end of the story was rethinking his thought process of taking his revenge but, he put in the last piece of stone to show that his work was all over (Meyer 194). Montresor even had a subtlety of respect and honor to Fortunato. So, even if revenge seems like the perfect option, it will consume you whole, engulfing your whole personality, and your only desire to achieve that

goal.

Works cited
Meyer, Michael. The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. 9th
ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012. Print.

Lee, Christina. “What Details of the Setting Contribute to the Horror of the Story ‘The Cask of
Amontillado’?” What Details of the Setting Contribute to the Horror of the Story "The
Cask of Amontillado"? | Education - Seattle PI, Seattle Pi, 21 Nov. 2017,
education.seattlepi.com/details-setting-contribute-horror-story-the-cask-amontillado-660
6.html.