Theme Of The Tell Tale Heart And The Cask Of Amontillado

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Poe 's work as an editor, a poet, and a critic had a deep impact on American and international literature. His stories mark him as one of the originators of both horror and detective fiction. Many anthologies credit Edgar Allan Poe as the "architect" of the modern short story. Poe was the author of the two short stories “The Tell Tale Heart” and “The Cask of Amontillado”. In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell Tale Heart” the narrator has an obsession fixed on the old man’s “evil” eye which leads him into madness and hate, and to killing the man he claims that he loved. The Montresor of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” hates his enemy Fortunato and he becomes obsessed with the thought of getting back at Fortunato, his hate becomes increasingly …show more content…

Unlike “The Tell Tale Heart” were the narrator loved the old man just hated his eye, the narrator of “The Cask of Amontillado” hated Fortunato but did things that make it look like he loved him. Montresor approaches Fortunato with claiming to have acquired something that could pass for Amontillado. Here Montresor may seem like he is being nice but he really just using Fortunato’s love for wine against him. As they went through the catacombs Montresor gave Fortunato enough wine so that he would be drunk and would be oblivious of what was happening as they went deeper and deeper into the catacombs. Fortunato never expected this to be the plan but just as a simple act of kindness from Montresor. As mentioned in the introduction of this paper the narrator of this story wanted revenge. Why does the Montresor want revenge? Well it is mention in the story on page three “THE thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge” but never gives us a full reason just that Fortunato insulted the Montresor in some …show more content…

(http://www.merriam-webster.com/) Love and hate are both very common obsessions. Obsession is one of the more general themes of these short stories, but the theme can be taken a step further and become more specific. There are multiple different themes for Poe’s works. Love and hate is one of these themes and is also the theme that is related to both “The Tell Tale Heart” and “The Cask of Amontillado”. Both stories use the elements of death, darkness, horror, coldness, dampness, fear, obscurity, and mystery to get the point and theme across. Obsession is shown in “The Tell Tale Heart” by the obsession with the eye even after the narrator killed the old man. Obsession is shown in “The Cask of Amontillado” with Montresor’s obsession with getting back at Fortunato. Another way obsession is shown is in way Montresor’s holds a grudge on Fortunato just because he insulted him once. Everything Edgar Allan Poe has written in these short stories was put there for a reason. So every sign that points towards the theme being love and hate was put there to show

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