Stories with an eerie and creepy tone almost always attract attention. In Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado,” Montresor reaches his breaking point when Fortunato insults him, so he tricks Fortunato with his weakness, wine. Fortunato drinks too much, just as Montresor devised, and he leads Fortunato down to the catacombs. There in the catacombs, Montresor carries out his revenge on Fortunato by chaining him and then building a brick wall around him. The setting in “The Cask of Amontillado” affects the reader’s assumptions, mood, and senses during the story, enhancing the eerie, yet somehow humerus, tone.
The setting affects the assumptions that the reader makes throughout the story. “The Cask of Amontillado” takes places during carnival
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season in Italy, and all of the people are dressed in costumes. The costumes are the first occurrence that leads the reader to make assumptions. Fortunato is dressed in a “tight-fitting parti-striped dress” (166), which is a jester’s costume. His costume is an example of symbolization. Fortunato’s outfit portrays his actual character. A jester tends to agitate people and act like an ignoramus. Fortunato represents this well in two situations during the story.
When Montresor claims that he had bore a “thousand injuries” (166) from Fortunato, the reader can assume that Montresor’s injuries may have been jokes. The notion that Montresor may have merely been …show more content…
overreacting to jokes sets forth the tone of the story as comical, but the eerie tone begins with the next assumption from Fortunato’s costume. He is an ignoramus when he allows Montresor to dupe him into drinking and then lead him to the catacombs. Another assumption that can be made by the reader takes place later in the story when they are in the catacombs. Montresor states that the catacomb’s “walls had been lined with human remains” (169) and he appears to not be bothered by them when he sits “down upon the bones.” (170) This leads to the question that maybe Fortunato is not the first person that Montresor has murdered. The mood and even the senses of the reader are affected by the setting during “The Cask of Amontillado.” The tone alternates between humerus and eerie throughout the story, and as a result, the reader’s mood alternate as well.
The story opens up during carnival season, which is a time of happiness and fun. Even as the story progresses, the reader is amused because of the costumes and because of Fortunato’s drunken state, but the mood begins to change as Montresor leads him further into the catacombs. The “flambeaux” (169) depicts that the catacombs are dark, while the “foulness of the air” (169) is sickening, affecting the reader’s senses of sight and smell and setting the tone as more eerie than humerus. The human remains scattered inside the crypt furthers the dark mood, and that mood turns to horror as Montresor chains Fortunato and begins to surround him with a brick wall. A glimpse of hope and humor is erected as Fortunato cries out “A very good joke, indeed. An excellent jest.” (170) For a moment, the possibility that it all is a joke lingers, until the torch is thrust “through the remaining aperture.”
(170) Various aspects of the setting enhance the tone of “The Cask of Amontillado.” The reader’s assumptions, mood, and even senses are affected by the setting throughout the story, enhancing the eerie, yet somehow humerus, tone. First of all, readers are led to assume that the character’s costumes in the story reflect their actual personalities in both the positive and negative ways. They can also assume that Montresor may have committed murder before his incident involving Fortunato. Senses are brought into play by using descriptive words for appearances and smells. Lastly, the story causes the reader’s mood to fluctuate rapidly by interchanging constantly from happy, amused, horror, and so on. The tone has a somewhat humerus quality in many aspects throughout the story, but the primary tone of “The Cask of Amontillado” is set as eerie as the final brick is placed in the crypt, sealing Fortunato’s fate.
In “The Cask of Amontillado,” it is especially important because the setting is the cause of much of the plot itself. It was the direct cause of Fortunato’s excessive alcoholic consumption, Montresor’s faux compassion for Fortunato’s health in the catacombs, and Fortunato being tricked into entering the cavern that ultimately led to his entrapment. Without the setting in this story, Poe would have struggled to come up with a way to have all of these actions to come into action at the same time. The setting adds a source of imaginary visuals of where the characters are at any given time in the story to give the reader a sense of place and sometimes
The mood established by Edgar Allan Poe in his short story, "The Cask of Amontillado," plays a crucial role in conveying to the reader his underlying theme. For example, when Montresor, the narrator, st...
No matter how well executed, a crime of this magnitude will leave scars on the conscience, thus marring it’s perfection. Conflicting psychological emotions and actions plague the journey causing inner conflict ranging between pity and revulsion by the time the narrator concludes. Notwithstanding the shortage of information on Montresor’s life in the ensuing fifty years since Fortunato’s death; it can be surmised from the events leading to the murder that Montresor does, in fact, have a conscience and that it builds upon itself as the action
1) The meaning of “Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe is the manipulation of Fortunato by Montresor using wine as Fortunato is led into the trap by Amontillado, an expensive type of wine similar to the wine sherry, and Medoc, another type of wine used to keep Montresor drunk, unable to think clearly. If it were not for the cask of Amontillado that Montresor supposedly had, Fortunato would not have gone with Montresor into his Palazzo to take look at the Amontillado which resulted in him getting chained up. Because of the Amontillado, Fortunato went deeper and deeper into Montresor 's catacombs even though he knew that the Nitrite was not good for his health. These are important since it is the baselines of the plot since if it had not been for the Cask of Amontillado, Fortunato would not have followed Montresor into the catacombs and died.
In her article, Renee utters that when the thought of vengeance build up in an individual’s brain, it coerces him insane and does not tolerate him to present it a second thought. The first sentence of the story, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge,” clearly describes the whole theme of the story as a deeply enrooted revenge in Montresor’s mind” which is an absolute portrayal of retribution that occurs due to arrogance and jealousy. Author sees himself as a superior individual and was victimized by a superiority complex which is quite visible through the phrases which he wrote in the story that Montressor expresses superiority as showed his victim as a foolish person by attributing weird physical appearance and dress appearance in which he described his dress code of “tight fitting parti striped dress and head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells.”
"The Cask of Amontillado" is one of Edgar Allan Poe's greatest stories. In this story Poe introduces two central characters and unfolds a tale of horror and perversion. Montresor, the narrator, and Fortunato, one of Montresor's friends, are doomed to the fate of their actions and will pay the price for their pride and jealousy. One pays the price with his life and the other pays the price with living with regret for the rest of his life. Poe uses mystery, irony, and imagery to create a horrifying, deceptive, and perverse story.
Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” is a horror story about revenge and murder that occurred half a century ago. Through the haunting confession of the narrator, Montresor, the reader is able to feel what Fortunato had endured half a century ago. In this tale of revenge and murder the dark, damp, and bone-filled catacombs provide a contrast to life during the “madness of the carnival” (553).
The story “The Cask of Amontillado” is written in first person point of view and this story is fairly simple to understand. This story is affected by the narration when looking at what the narrator's focus is, the narrator’s thoughts or opinions, and how the reader interprets the story.
“The Cask of Amontillado” is a dark piece, much like other works of Edgar Allan Poe, and features the classic unreliable narrator, identified by himself only as Montresor. This sinister central character is a cold ruthless killer that is particularly fearsome because he views murder as a necessity and kills without remorse. Montresor is a character who personifies wickedness. Poe uses this character and his morally wrong thoughts and actions to help the reader identify with aspects of the extreme personage, allowing them to examine the less savory aspects of their own. The character of Montresor detailing the glorious murder he committed is a means of communicating to the reader that vengeance and pride are moral motivators that lead to treacherous deeds and dark thoughts.
In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado,” Montresor sets out on a vengeful mission that will end Fortunato’s life in an untimely fate. Montresor appeals to Fortunato’s love for wine to tempt the unsuspecting fellow to his impending doom. While Montresor tricks the foolish Fortunato frightfully, it is ultimately Fortunato’s pride that leads to his demise in the crypt. Poe uses several literary devices to foreshadow this murderous exploit of Montresor. Through the use of irony, symbolism, and imagery, the story entices readers to delve into the relationships and differences between Montresor and Fortunato.
Edgar Allen Poe’s tale of murder and revenge, “The Cask of Amontillado”, offers a unique perspective into the mind of a deranged murderer. The effectiveness of the story is largely due to its first person point of view, which allows the reader a deeper involvement into the thoughts and motivations of the protagonist, Montresor. The first person narration results in an unbalanced viewpoint on the central conflict of the story, man versus man, because the reader knows very little about the thoughts of the antagonist, Fortunato. The setting of “The Cask of Amontillado”, in the dark catacombs of Montresor’s wine cellar, contributes to the story’s theme that some people will go to great lengths to fanatically defend their honor.
The first –person narration style of “The Cask of Amontillado” is vital in creating the quality of the story. The story allows one of the main characters in the story Montresor, to tell the story from his point of view which gives the reader intimate yet disturbing look into the mind story teller thinks and feels which the reader doesn’t normally get from other narrative styles. The narrative style of this story is important because it sets the tone of the story. The reader become more familiar with the thoughts and intentions of the main character and this allows the reader to slightly figure out the outcome of the story and further understand the ironies throughout the story. If this story was told from a different angle I don’t believe it would be as powerful. First person narration
Fortunato “takes possession” of Montresor’s arm, for which he suffers (716) in order to carry out his plan. Poe’s use of possession and suffer give the impression that Montresor is being afflicted again by Fortunato. Once Montresor reveals this meeting at this evening is no coincidence by divulging he made sure none of his attendants would be home. By giving the direct orders to be home. Poe shows us that Montresor was not respected or feared by his servants’ actions. The servants’ leaving after being given a direct order to stay does give credence to the fact that Montresor must be very methodical and unyielding to his schedule. Only once Fortunato to the catacombs does he betray his own premise. Montresor refers to Fortunato as his “poor friend” (716). At this point Poe has depicted this instigator of a “thousand injuries” as a drunken jester that can barely catch his breath at this point in the story. Now Montresor is showing some sympathy towards him. At this point the transition is complete. Where the two men stopped at the entrance to Fortunato’s tomb, this is the moment that leaves no doubt that Montresor is the villain and Fortunato is the
The Cask of Amontillado is a horror short story, which revolves around the themes of revenge and pride. The plot involves two men: Montresor, the narrator, who is an Italian aristocrat seeking revenge against the second main character: Fortunato, a proud man that flaunts about his knowledge of wines and who finally walks into his own death.
Edgar Allan Poe is a famous writer in writing detective stories and horror stories. One of his horror stories, “The Cask of Amontillado” was talking about how a man took his revenge to his friend. However, to look deeply in this story, I found that this story was not just simply a horror tale about how a man gets his revenge in the safest way. Instead, it also demonstrates much irony in several areas: the title, the event, the season, the costume, the environment, the characters’ personalities, a man’s dignity and cockiness and at the end, the public order. he are