In “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe there are several themes, but the themes that stood out to me the most were freedom and confinement, and revenge. The incorporation of the themes make the readers, think more deeply about what makes them feel trapped, what makes them feel free, and personal faults. Edgar Allen Poe explores the themes of freedom and confinement and man’s desire for revenge through the use of dramatic irony, dialogue, and setting. The setting in the short story is greatly incorporated into theme; it has a special purpose, to suggest freedom or confinement of the characters. Most people go back and forth with feeling free and feeling trapped. The author makes us aware of these emotions through details …show more content…
This is suggesting that, as they travel farther away from the open world, they are also moving further away from that freedom. Fortunato is eventually trapped in a space, chained up and bricked inside a crypt with no air and no way out— the human emotion of entrapment. Unlike Fortunato, Montresor finds freedom at the end of the story by being alive. For one character to be free, another must die. The confinement in the crypts makes both the readers and the characters appreciate the freedom they …show more content…
Through the use of dramatic irony, the reader is reminded of the true intentions of the character. We know something that one or more of the characters do not. An example of such irony is when Montresor toasts to Fortunato’s “long life”, we the audience know that Fortunato might die. Another important passage depicting irony is when the two men discuss Montresor’s arms. "I forget your arms." "A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel." "And the motto?" "Nemo me impune lacessit" (Poe 168). The Montresor’s arms show an image of someone’s foot striding a ‘rampant serpent whose fangs were imbedded in the heel’. The motto ‘nemo me impune lacessit’ means ‘no one insults me with impunity’. Fortunato is unaware of all of this symbolism. He is unaware that everything symbolized in the Montresor’s arms is what’s going to happen to him. He is the foot that is going to be bitten by the Montresor’s fangs. Through the use of the theme revenge, Poe makes the reader think about his own faults and dooms with
Another example of verbal irony lies in Montresor's conversation with Fortunato. Montresor tells him, "My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met." "(Baym) Fortunato seems to interpret these words to mean that Montresor likes him and is glad to have run into him. On the other hand, Montresor, is happy to see Fortunato but for his own despicable reason: that of murder.
Continually drawing Fortunato’s attention to the nitre on the walls, seems a symbolic manifestation of the web of lies Montresor must weave throughout the journey. He uses Fortunato’s vanity as a weapon against him, "Come," I said, with decision, "we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed. For me it is no matter” (Poe).
Throughout the story, Montresor does not justify his reasons for committing murder. He does not disclose anything about the “thousand injuries” (250) done to him by Fortunato, nor does he even reveal the details of the supposed injuries that drove him to vow revenge. Montresor’s family motto, “nemo me impune lacessit” which means “no one insults me with impunity” (252), indicate that Montresor only killed Fortunato to protect his family’s
563-7 Reynolds, David S. "Sources and Analogues of 'The Cask of Amontillado.' " From "Poe's Art of Transformation: 'The Cask of Amontillado' in Its Cultural Context. " New Essays on Poe's Major Tales. Ed.
There's a great deal of symbolism through out the story given: through the culprit's (Montressor) family crest;"A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel." a foot in a blue background crushing a snake whose fangs are embedded in the foot's heel, with the motto Nemo me impune lacessit (No one attacks me with impunity). The nam...
The author writes how in the beginning of the story, Montresor had reacted from all the hurt he had gone through. It states, “A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong” (174). This shows how Montresor is stating how he will create a plan that will make up for the actions that Fortunato himself had done. This would make them even, as Montresor’s plan wouldn't fail. Not to mention, Montresor clearly states that he is seeking revenge in the beginning of the story when he states, “but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge… At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitely, settled --but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk” (173). This explains the thought in Montresor’s head of why he wanted to kill Fortunato for Fortunato had hurt him. As a cause of the insults, Montresor would leave Fortunato in the catacombs to die. Last but not least, Montresor has very unusual statements. For example, the last sentence of the story states what Montresor said as he placed the last stone in the wall. He said, “In pace requiescat!” (179). This translates to In peace he rests. Someone looking to hurt another would probably not wish that they would live happily after death, so it is unusual that Montresor wishes that Fortunato rests in
Dramatic irony is used when we know, or draw a conclusion of, what will happen to Fortunato, although he continues his descent into the catacombs in pursuit of the Amontillado. The sense of revenge reaches its highest peak when Poe uses irony for Montresor to inform us that he will smile in Fortunato's face while using his wine to lure him into the catacombs to taste his imaginary Amontillado. During this scene like a fool in his costume while Montresor is leading him to his death bed. This whole time Montresor plays very innocent.
Vengeance and pride are fundamentally important to this short story. From the inception of the tale it is clear that the narrator is a proud, vindictive man; opening with, “the thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge,” the narrator immediately alerts the reader to the dark aspects of his own character. Because “insult” and not “the thousand injuries” caused the narrator to “vow” revenge, the reader can infer Montresor is prideful because, although he already had conflict with Fortunato, insult was what made the tense situation unbearable for Montresor––so much so that he vowed to take action. Use of the word “vow” is significant because it indicates that the grievance was meaningful in the mind of Montresor, allowing for the reader to more easily identify with the actions to be revealed throughout the course of the story; if the reader believes that Montresor was provoked in a profound way, ...
For instance, Montresor’s family crest is a serpent biting into an ankle treading upon it. The emblem is symbolic of Montresor’s response to being bitten by Fortunato’s foolish pride. The snake on the crest and the family’s motto, “No one wounds me with immunity,” both address Montresor’s seemingly inherited nature to retaliate. Another instance of symbolism in the story, is the reference to the secret society, the Freemasons. As a sign to prove his fellowship, Montresor pulls out a trowel to show his brotherhood. Ironically, this is the same trowel that will seal Fortunato’s tomb. The final major symbol in “The Cask of Amontillado,” is the Amontillado wine. The way the wine is created is through the deprivation of oxygen, the same way Fortunato is killed. The thought put into the murder portrays Montresor as a genius, but also shows the regard he has for his victim. Montresor sees his victim like a cheap bottle of sherry instead of the fine Amontillado that is revered and mature. Taking it upon himself, Montresor decides to mature Fortunato and views it as a masterpiece. The death of Fortunato is Montresor’s art (Lewis
Because Montresor narrates the story in the first person, the reader is able to perceive his thoughts and understand his motivations and justifications for his ruthless murder in a manner which a third person point of view would not allow. Montresor’s personal narration of the events of the story does not justify his crime in the audience’s eyes, but it does offer a unique opportunity for the audience to view a murder from the perspective of a madman killer. It is Poe’s usage of this unique angle that causes the story to be so captivating and gruesomely fascinating. As the story opens, Montresor explains why it is necessary that he “not only punish but punish with impunity” to avenge for Fortunado’s insult to him. This justification for his crime is a piece of information that the audience is able to learn only because they are permitted inside the mind of the protagonist. In the final scene, when Montresor is carrying out his murder pl...
Montresor meets his fake friend Fortunato and tells him about amontillado. Montresor had probably been humiliated or embarrassed by this jest, because he is angered once he lays eyes on him from a distance. Fortunato was wearing a jester outfit which makes him seem that he is not meant to be taken seriously. Once met he then manipulate Fortunato into following him into the catacombs of the montresor’s. Once in the catacomb, Montresor then precedes to tell Fortunato about his cough. Trying to lead Fortunato into thinking that he deeply cares about his health, but Fortunato not wanting Luchresi to come along he keep moving forward. While walking
While commenting on how extensive the vaults are, Fortunato is told by Montresor that his is “a great and numerous family.” To which Fortunato replies that he forgets his coat of arms so Montresor describes it for him and reveals that the motto is “Nemo me impune lacessit.” An obvious symbol that although this is Montresor’s family motto, it is directed at Fortunato for the transgression he has
Fortunato asks about Montresor’s coat of arms and he replies “A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel." (Poe 146) This imagery symbolizes that Fortunato has taken a bite out of Montresor and he is bringing his foot down on his attacks. The motto of Montresor’s Family "Nemo me
As for Luchesi——” (120), however he was not able to finish his sentence due to Fortunato interjecting, “He is an ignoramus” (120). This is ironic however because he is unintentionally walking into the room where Montresor plans on killing him. Thus, truly highlighting Montresor’s mastery of manipulating Fortunato. With the usage of irony, Edgar Allan Poe is able to focus on the immorality of Montresor’s character, further encompassing a more cynical look on the behavior of
The main reasons for Montresor’s traits are his family arms and family motto. He mentions his family arms as, “[a] huge human foot d’or, in a field of azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel” (Poe). This quote, to me, means as, “[a] ...