What Makes Montresor An Effective Murderer

What qualities allow Montresor to be an effective murderer?

Murderer: a name given to Montresor after he committed a brutal crime. What made Montresor so successful in pursuing his plan? Within The Cask of the Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe, Fortunato, the victim, offended the murderer, Montresor, making him indignant. Montresor felt the need to get revenge on Fortunato because of the previous event. He believed that the proper way to get the revenge is by making Fortunato suffer and eventually die. This plan required various characteristics in order to be successful. Given that Montresor was an ambitious, clever, and assured individual, he had the ability to murder Fortunato.

Within the story, Montresor’s actions demonstrate his ambition to succeed in his plan to murder Fortunato. The reality that Montresor gets Fortunato intoxicated in an attempt to assist with the murder shows his potential in planning and pursuing a mission effectively. “My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. How remarkably well you are looking today! But I have received a pipe of what passes for Amontillado and I have my doubts.” (Poe 2) The way that Montresor words

this statement shows that he is requesting for Fortunato to taste the drink and make sure that the drink is authentic Amontillado. This allows Montresor to intoxicate Fortunato in a seemingly innocent way. The fact that Fortunato is knowledgeable about wine, this seems as though Montresor is complementing him. Therefore, Montresor engaging in his plan in attempt to reach his end goal demonstrates the ambition that Montresor has.
Montresor takes many key steps in killing Fortunato; each showing that he is clever. He reveals his cleverness by using reverse psychology. Montresor tricks Fortunato into coming into the catacombs where he later kills him. The quote, “My friend, no. I will not impose upon your good nature. I perceive you have an engagement, Luchresi-” (Poe 2) proves the clever quality of Montresor. This is telling Fortunato that he should not come into the catacombs, which only makes Fortunato feel the urge to follow Montresor. By making an illusion that Fortunato is too good natured to follow, Fortunato must want to go because he feels insulted. The reverse psychology that Montresor purposely uses to lure Fortunato into his trap proves how clever Montresor really is.
By examining Montresor’s actions, it is apparent that he is an assured individual, allowing him to be confident enough in himself to murder Fortunato.

When Montresor is trapping Fortunato, the statements said and the actions done prove this. His self-confidence allows him to continue his plan, even when he may feel guilty and unable to move on. “My heart grew sick; it was the dampness of the catacombs that made it so. I hastened to make an end of my labor. I forced the last stone into position; I plastered it up.” (Poe 7) Montresor explains how he feels regretful, though he must still be confident enough to place the last stone into its position. He knows that he contains enough power to continue his mission, so he proceeds on and persists. Montresor’s confidence allows him to persevere through his plan of murdering

Fortunato.
The fact that Montresor was an ambitious, clever, and assured individual, he had the capability to kill Fortunato. Within the story, Montresor’s actions show that he is ambitious. Also, he takes a variety of key steps in order to trick Fortunato, showing that he is a clever person. Finally, while looking at the measures that Montresor took, it is evident that he is a very assured individual that allows him to be confident enough to murder. Hopefully, people learn to use their characteristics and traits on positive activities, unlike Montresor.