In Edgar Allen Poe’s, “A Cask of Amontillado” it is filled with symbolism, irony and the suggestion of good versus evil. The narrator of the story, Montresor, hides behind a mask, he is part of a different world than others, and is out for revenge. Some might say that he is slick, diabolical, calculative man who is out for revenge with impunity. Being a descendant from a very powerful aristocratic family Montresor could not possibly let Fortunato insult him with impunity. As his family motto states, “Nemo me impune lacessit,” which means, no one attacks me with impunity. He never states what Fortunato did to deserve the ultimate punishment. He only states that Fortunato has caused him “a thousand injuries.” Montresor’s plan for revenge is very …show more content…
devious, crafty, and manipulative. He plans on encasing Fortunato into the walls of the catacombs for his wrong doings against Montresor. The perfect time for the crime to take place is the carnival season, a time of indulgences. In this case, Fortunato’s indulgence is wine; therefore, Montresor knows that he will be inebriated enough to control him with ease. Far from being an amateur murderer, Montresor elaborates a sophisticated philosophy of revenge: "I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. 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" (543,544, Poe) Poe uses the character’s names that suggest that Montresor and Fortunato are of the opposite ends of the same personality. Fortunato’s name means that he is “Fortunate” which is ironic in how he dies. He is actually the lesser of the fortunate ones, because he is unaware that his best friend is plotting his death. If Montresor believes that somehow Fortunato has authority over Montresor’s luck, this might be motivated to kill Fortunato. In Poe’s story, Fortunato is also a very trusting person who likes to have a festive time just like a harlequin. His personality is a free-spirited, a jokester, but also very gullible. Monstresor knows Fortunato, as they are supposed to be very close and he knows Fortunato’s weakness. He uses Fortunato’s love for wine against him and for Montresor’s benefit. Fortunato’s indulgences of wine end up being his biggest downfall, as he becomes a lamb being led to the slaughter. Fortunato also translates as “lucky” and “blessed” but suffers the fate of being without luck after all. Montresor’s name is a French word for “my treasure” Another ironic piece from “A Cask of Amontillado,” is that Montresor has a family emblem that shows someone’s foot stepping on a snake and the snake is digging its fangs in the heel of who ever has stepped on it.
This is very symbolic of how Montresor views him and Fortunato’s situation. From Fortunato’s viewpoint he thinks that he and Montresor are on good terms, which makes it even more heartbreaking to know that Montresor has been plotting his death. He feels that Fortunato has constantly stepped on him without consequences and has gotten off too many times. Montresor is the snake that digs his fangs into Fortunato’s heel. “Secrecy, sunning, serpentine subtly—these are the these Montresor demonstrates best of all.” “Allegorically speaking, the foot and he serpent are locked together in a death embrace; neither can escape the ironic bond that is between them.” …show more content…
(Stepp) Poe uses symbolism throughout the whole story, especially in the setting. After reading the story I came to the conclusion that there is a parallel between the carnival and Fortunato, and the catacombs to Montresor. The carnival is lively, a time of sins of the flesh. It fulfills indulgences, which Fortunato partakes in, especially with wine. The carnival represents life, happiness, and also rose colored lenses that are put on the townspeople eyes of the world below. Montresor intends to use the carnival as a cover up to get Fortunato to come with him to the catacombs to have the finest wine, Amontillado. While the carnival represents Fortunato, the catacombs are illustrative of Montresor and his mind. The catacombs are lined with remnants of Montresor’s family. The catacombs depict selfish desires, hate, and death. They serve as a representation of Montresor’s evil thought toward Fortunato. Just below are the excited, celebratory streets are the catacombs, mysterious and sinister. Similarly, Montresor seems to be a well-liked man in the society., but he has a dark and depraved personality just below the surface. Both the catacombs and Montresor’s true personality cannot be noticed from the outside. For they are threatening and treacherous once discovered. This setting would be the perfect place to kill Fortunato because no one would ever come looking there. It seems that Montresor chose for his revenge "one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season" (544, Poe) because of him using reverse psychology telling him that he would be out of town during the carnival, know that the servants would not stay at the residence. The carnival setting is also important because the traditional carnival symbolism helps Montresor undermine Fortunato's position. “The "madness of the carnival season" (544, Poe) in Poe's story is "supreme" because carnival is not simply a temporary substitution of normal order by chaos, but its inversion.” (Baraban) Another great example of Poe’s irony is what the character’s costumes are. Fortunato is dressed as a jester or the costume of the court fool. Jesters were usually used to amuse the king whenever he called, but they were known for being fools and they were very gullible, just as Fortunato was. “The fool” is also a person that is very trusting of everything and sees the good in all. That being said, in his drunken state he was unable to see the dark creature behind the mask. Montresor’s costume is that of a “mask of black silk” and cloaks him in “a roquelaire,” which is a thick coat. The reader does not know what color it is but the items, the mask and the roquelaire conceal his identity or future plans for Fortunato. The dark mask is also an implication of the role of an executioner. His mask hides the true emotion or soul within the eyes and that is one of the reasons Montresor wears it. “Since Montresor is costumed as an executioner when he walls up Fortunato, it is worth recalling that live burial was once a practiced form of capital punishment.” (Platizky) Lastly the title itself says a lot about the story. A cask is defined as a large barrel-like container used for storing liquids, typically alcoholic beverages. A cask can also be defined as a place where someone is laid to rest in. Amontillado is very expensive and fancy wine that Montresor promises Fortunato at the end of the catacombs. I think it is really telling that Fortunato’s cask if you will, is the amontillado. Fortunato’s self-indulgence has led him straight to the end of the catacombs, but also to the end of his life. Montresor being quick witted and sly, knows that Fortunato would never be able to resist such a delicacy in wine because he is a self-proclaimed connoisseur. Fortunato believes that he will ultimately reach a cask of wine, but instead he meets his casket of death. Amontillado illustrates enjoyment and satisfaction to Fortunato. He is willing to go through the darkest depths of death to get what he wants. Throughout traveling down into the catacomb the nitre even starts to bother him, but his mind is set on getting the Amontillado. In the end for Fortunato, Amontillado means confinement by his own aspirations. He is trapped and there is nothing he can do but die; although, this could be considered freedom from his indulgences. In the end, Poe’s “A Cask of Amontillado,” is filled with irony, death, and life.
The reader clearly sees through the black silky mask Montresor wears and finds that he is just a selfish, self-proclaimed narcissist. He thinks so highly of himself to take someone’s life because the “fool” has made a fool out of him. The setting, which symbolizes life and death, joy and darkness. It is a parallel with the characters as well. Montresor is this dark creature of the night lurking in every corner to make his final mood. He wants to make Fortunato suffer the way he did “a thousand injuries.” Fortunate is a very positive, optimistic, kind heart person that kind of drowns in his indulgences in wine. Without that clarity, without alcohol in his system he would have been able to tell what was going on in Montresor’s mind, but because Montresor is so smart, Fortunato will fall at his feet. The snake digs into the heel of his victim, even if it was a mistake. In his eyes, it was prey and a threat. It never states in the story why Montresor wanted to murder Fortunato, but even at the end of the story when he finally admits to the murder, Montresor still feels no shame or guilt because he will not be insulted with
imputiny.
When they arrive at the Montresor estate, Montresor leads Fortunato down the stairs into the catacombs. Down here is where the Amontillado Fortunato is going to taste and where the revenge of Montresor is going to take place. As he get closer and closer, the narrator opens up more and more to how he is going to kill his "friend". It sound like it is a premeditated murder. Montresor seems so inconspicuous that he acts like he cares about Fortunato which is still a part of his plan.
Montresor is dressed in, “a mask of black silk”, and “a roquelaire” (Poe 544). His costume is reminiscent of death; this detail foreshadows Fortunato’s death at Montresor’s hands. He is portrayed as death leading Fortunato from his world of pleasure to be chained in hell below. This is in stark contrast to Fortunato’s costume which represents a court jester, or a fool; “He had on tight-fitting parti-striped dress and his head was surmounted by a large conical hat with bells” (543). This foreshadows Fortunato’s foolishness in his willingness to be so easily manipulated by Montresor.
As the story opens, an unnamed narrator first says, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. ”(164) Montresor who tells the story is taking revenge on Fortunato because he has suffered a “thousand injuries” although he never mentions exactly what happened. Edgar Allan Poe creates a perfect crime in the murder story “The Cask of Amontillado” through the use of a character that exhibits characteristics of a psychopath, a horrifying plot and dramatic irony. Montresor, who confesses his crime without emotion, the story of his killing of Fortunato fifty years before, is a wealthy man living in a large “palazzo” with servants.
Symbolism is something that represents more than what it really is. It is often by authors in their writing to give it more emphasis. For example:" In life there will always be peaks and valleys" meaning in life there will be ups and downs but we should enjoy the peaks and fight through the valleys. Objects can also be a form of symbolism such as The Bible, it represents more than just a book. It represents Life, Church, Religion, and the life of Jesus Christ and what he stood for. Irony is like a twist or words or the opposite of what is intended. For example: Laughing at someone that just slipped and fell, then later you find yourself slipping and falling is a form of irony. Irony is found in real life situations as well as writings. Symbolism is a technique that gives authors a better story and shows objects as more than what they are. They use techniques like this to catch the reader’s attention.
Accordingly, Poe is well responsive to this psychological trait of the human brain. Likewise, Poe employs the perception of perversity and remorse in “The Cask of Amontillado.” The reason of burying Fortunato is not only vengeance, but also a robust reaction that is described in “The Black Cat”. There is a passionate yearning in Montresor to hurt Fortunato even if he has not made any harm to him. Although Montresor asserts that he has been injured several times by Fortunato, he cannot defy calling him “respected, admired, beloved,” admitting his “good nature,” and also calling him “noble” (Little 212). These expressions confirmed that Fortunato is a good quality person and the expression “injuries” used in the first phase of the story is simply a hyperbole that Montresor’s psyche has fabricated. Furthermore, wickedness does not come unaccompanied, but it carries itself a sense of remorse. Even if Montresor reflects himself as the diplomat of his family for deafening down rivals, he suffers remorse while walling up Fortunato. Consequently, Poe’s clasp of unreasonableness and culpability of the human mind is
Irony is also used throughout this tale. The use of revenge in this story shows irony. Montressor avenges himself by fooling Fortunato into literally walking into his own grave. Fortunato pursues the "cask" which ends up being his own casket. Montressor even asks Fortunato repeatedly whether he would like to turn back.
Montresor in "The Cask of Amontillado" is similar to the narrator in "The Tell-Tale Heart" in that his obsession with consuming the soul of Fortunato influences his every action. However, it is with Fortunato himself that he is obsessed. He feeds off of Fortunato's pain, unlike the narrator in "The Tell-Tale Heart" who's obsession is with destroying a menacing inanimate object. Montresor's entire conspiracy is focused around making Fortunato suffer, and for him to know just who is causing this suffering. This is why he goes to such lengths to put together this intricate strategy. It could have been so much easier to kill Fortunato in some easier, quicker way. Instead, he dedicates himself to torturing Fortunato. He creates a plan that leads Fortunato into the depths of the catacombs beneath his home, and kills him in an excruciating manner.
While Montresor has become fatally involved in his plan of revenge he still has not forgotten that Fortunato is a friend. When they are ready to go to the vaults, Montresor shows concern for Fortunato’s health.
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...
The Cask of Amontillado is a short tale of revenge, written by Edgar Allan Poe. The two main characters in the story are Montresor, who is the murderer, and Fortunato who plays a wine connoisseur and the victim. In this dark story, we can see a lot of irony, hate and revenge coming from the main character who has been planning this all along. In this essay I will analyze, examples of irony and foreshadowing used by the writer, symbols and themes, among other things. (Hasanbelliu)
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 first indirect factor that could contribute to Montresor’s vengeful act, and thus the story’s theme of revenge, is the character of Montresor. Montresor tends to harbor feelings of resentment and has a hard time not taking things out of context (Womack). He also plans the murder of Fortunato in advance and devises it in such a way that he will not be caught. In killing Fortunato, Montreso...
The story begins with, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.” Montresor cites what must have been in his mind, the ultimate betrayal imaginable, at least in his mind. A betrayal that
as a result of taking my revenge.” This indicates that Montresor is well prepared and have carefully planned out everything to take his revenge. It also states, “I continued to smile in his face, and he did not understand that I was now smiling at the thought of what I planned for him, at the thought of my revenge.” Montresor puts up a facade as his mind is full of thoughts on how to make Fortunato suffer. Based on Montresor’s evil thoughts, the reader can tell that he is a man full of
The major characteristics of the narrator and main character, Montresor, are anger, hatred, and revenge. In the story, he is angry with Fortunato because he believes that Fortunato has wronged and insulted him many times by saying, “thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could…he ventured upon insult…” (Poe). In addition, Montresor’s hatred for Fortunato goes so far that he believes he must kill Fortunato. He mentions this in the story as, “[y]ou, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat” (Poe). He seems to say that his soul is made of hatred and goes on to say he must give Fortunato the utmost punishment: death. Montresor even shows traits of revenge when he says, “…but when [Fortunato] ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.” and “...I would be avenged…” (Poe). He is saying that he will get revenge on Fortunato, whom he is angry with and hates for being insulted by.