Preview

The Cask Of Amontillado Literary Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
854 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Cask Of Amontillado Literary Analysis
The Cask of Amontillado
The cask of amontillado by Poe is a dark story to read. Poe writes many twisted stories with characters like Montresor very often in these stories there is really no winner, no good guy, no triumph over evil as we see in so many stories today. People love when the unrealistic good forces conquer evil but this is almost the opposite of Poe’s stories where more often than not the leading forces are that of evil. This is prominent in the story of The cask of Amontillado where the reoccurring theme is revenge and deceit relying mostly on the character Montresor. As hard as it is to admit connecting with this character is not hard. Past the unreasonable crazy he seems to be he is just a guy who wants revenge. Although most …show more content…
Montresor creates the continuous theme of revenge throughout the story without him there would really be no story. Just because he is the most important character doesn’t mean he is a crowd favor. Him being the embodiment of evil for this story can cause a dislike of the character for the audience but Montresor represents the darkness in us all. He takes actions to a whole new level killing his friend who secretly regards as his enemy. Pretty much anyone can relate to this secretly disliking someone or hoping for their failure Montresor just acts on his emotions. Montresor does not grow or develop at all through the story he more or less clearly states his emotions and intentions then continues to through his entire actions act on them. His actions mirror his originally stated intentions. All except one, after chaining Fortunato o the stone and sealing him inside his crypt to remain forever he writes on the outside of the wall “May he rest in peace” this action seems unusual considering his hatred for Fortunato. For Montresor to write this it gives him just a little humanity if you can look past the fact Montresor just killed
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Cask of Amontillado essay
    • 1032 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Cask of Amontillado essay

    Considering that he is the only source that we have, we must suppose he is being unreliable. To justify his actions through his words. Montresor was dedicated to his own point of view, which is cruel, vicious, shrewd, and bitter. Montresor doesn’t mind telling us about his torture and murder of Fortunato he thinks what he did was the right way to handle the situation.…

    • 1032 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Cask Of Amontillado Analysis Essay
    • 402 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Cask Of Amontillado Analysis Essay

    In “The Cask of Amontillado,” Poe engages the reader by using point of view to emphasize the untrustworthiness of Montresor's, the narrator’s, character. For example, when Montresor had described how Fortunato had inflicted him with “[a] thousand injuries” and “ventured upon insult”, “[Montresor] vowed revenge” (1). This is the moment when the reader first experiences his unreliability as a narrator. Montresor had never specified the copious wounds that he had supposedly suffered from Fortunato and the severity of his offense. Furthermore, when Montresor had voiced out that Fortunato had ventured, in order words proceed with knowledge of risks, he had let bias trickle into his words. Us, the readers do not know whether or not Fortunato had intentionally insulted Montresor with malicious intentions, but in Montresor’s phrasing of words, it implies that he did indeed intended to do so. This not only makes the reader question the extent of exaggeration that Montresor inserts into his statements, but the reliability of the narrator as the story progresses. In addition, after Montresor had successfully, albeit reluctantly, finishes burying Fortunato in the alcove, he remarks: “My heart grew sick—on account of the dampness of the catacombs” (9). Here, one can see that Montresor had almost a moment in which he had felt guilt, yet had been quick to disregard it to the scenery. The dash indicated that Montresor added the latter portion onto his thoughts as more of an afterthought, rather than a…

    • 402 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    mostresor essay 1
    • 559 Words
    • 2 Pages

    mostresor essay 1

    To begin with, Montresor is an unreliable narrator. I think this because in the beginning of the story,(174) Montresor does not give any background or evidence of being insulted by Fortunato. The texts says, “ The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could...” Usually, when you are blaming someone that has done wrong to you, you would give a background, or evidence that they are in the wrong. My reason number two is that Montresor exaggerates his feelings and actions in the story, which is also why I believe he is bragging about his crime. “There were no attendants at home; they had absconded to make merry in honor of the time...I well knew, to ensure their immediate disappearance, one and all, as soon as my back was turned.” (176) Here is a perfect example of Montresor's bragging. He's basically saying that, he the best of the best, the head chief, and everyone knows when he says to do something, they do it.…

    • 559 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    How Does Montresor Show Revenge
    • 1555 Words
    • 7 Pages

    How Does Montresor Show Revenge

    Montresor displays several other traits, each of which support the notion that his character remains…

    • 1555 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Cask Of Amontillado Essay
    • 535 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Cask Of Amontillado Essay

    it may be possible that the reason he waited that long to tell anyone was for his own safety, but if that is true, there is no reason he should ever tell anyone. while he tells the story, montresor does not inflate the insults that fortunato causes nor does he omit his own lessor misdeeds. montresor does not try to make himself look better because he is not ashamed by his actions. when his story is finished, montresor says a phrase in latin which translates to “rest in peace.” this acts as a final stab at fortunato and shows that montresor shows no remorse for his past actions.…

    • 535 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Cask Of Amontillado Literary Analysis
    • 1276 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The Cask Of Amontillado Literary Analysis

    Roughly 56,600,000 people die every year, making it no surprise that authors everywhere create stories based around the sport of killing. In the horrific and sadistic stories of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” and Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game,” the authors use literary elements to illistrate nefarious murderers . No matter the motives of these murders, demented people always commit them. In “The Cask of Amontillado,” the guile Montresor seeks vengeance on Fortunato, an imprudent man who has an addiction to alcohol by using Fortunato’s desire of Amontillado against him to lure him to his death. In Connell’s amazing short prose “The Most Dangerous Game,” Rainsford, a skillful hunter, falls off a yacht into the Amazon. There he meets the hunting fanatic General Zaroff, who eventually implies that the only creatures that give him a thrill to hunt are humans. Rainsford thought he was being treated well and that him and Zaroff were to hunt other humans together; however, he soon finds out that he is the one who will be hunted. Authors Poe and Connell use tone, metaphores and suspense to illuminate a foreboding atmosphere in their tales “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Most Dangerous Game” ultimately creeping readers out…

    • 1276 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Montresor's Manipulative Essay
    • 904 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Montresor's Manipulative Essay

    The main way he completes his revenge against Fortunato is by being creative in his planning. In the beginning, Montresor creatively plans everything out the way it should go, because he makes sure that his attendants at his house would be gone by saying, “I had told them that I should not return until…

    • 904 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Does Montresor Show Dominance
    • 507 Words
    • 3 Pages

    How Does Montresor Show Dominance

    In one of the last passages, Montresor had just finished building the wall about chest high and he decided to shine the torch into the “trap.” Out of nowhere, Fortunato releases a loud scream, which surprises Montresor. In response, Montresor yells back. He states that “I replied to the yells of him who clamoured. I re-echoed, I aided, I surpassed them in volume and in strength. I did this, and the clamourer grew still” (Poe 254). This supports the idea that Montresor craves dominance; taking control of the circumstances and getting his vengeance was Montresor’s plan the whole time. When Fortunato threatens his dominance, Montresor responds with greater force and strength. Afterwards, since the act of dominating Fortunato is accomplished so well…

    • 507 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Cask of Amontillado
    • 272 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Cask of Amontillado

    Montresor indulges in large quantities of Italian Vintages, resides with attendants in large suites with archways which lead into vaults which are extensive. The Montresor’s have their own family arms and motto. These are all indications that Montresor is wealthy and of an upper social class. From the very first paragraph, where Montresor vowed revenge, it is apparent that his character would not be made a fool of nor be taken advantage of. As the story is told you see just how calculated and planned out Montresor’s actions are. Evidence of the unreliability of Montresor as a narrator is revealed when Fortunato acknowledges he is of the Mason’s and asks Montesor if he too is a Mason. Montresor tries to convince Fortunato that he is a Mason however it is apparent that he is lying; this may give way to doubting what other memories and tales Montresor has held with expectations of revenge. As Montresor was about to complete the wall he was erecting, sealing Fortunato into a recess of the catacombs, he makes reference that it was the dampness of the catacombs making his heart grow sick. This implies that Montresor may be out of his mind or crazy, where he actually is a cold blooded murderer. He has taken the family motto “Nemo me impune lacessit,” Latin for “No one provokes me without punishment,” literally with the actions he…

    • 272 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    What Makes Montresor An Effective Villain
    • 1050 Words
    • 5 Pages

    What Makes Montresor An Effective Villain

    The first factor that makes Montresor an effective villain is the setting upon which he approaches Fortunato in. The story states that Fortunato was in high spirits, and sporting a Jesters…

    • 1050 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    my lief steel
    • 644 Words
    • 3 Pages

    my lief steel

    Montresor’s disruption in the story was due to the insult upon his name and family honor by his friend Fortunato. Fortunato used to pick on Montresor all the time. Infect Montresor said” The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could.” (Poe, 37)One example of these injuries is when Fortunato said to Montresor that he is not a Mason. Montresor never saw these injuries as a big issue. When Fortunat insulted Montresor’s family honor, Montresor got very upset, “but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge”(Poe, 37). This shows Montresor’s anger .…

    • 644 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Pride in "The Cask of Amontillado"
    • 915 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Pride in "The Cask of Amontillado"

    It is important for the reader the realize not only that Montresor murdered Fortunado out of revenge, but why the insult meant so much to him and how Montresor actually felt about it. The story itself gives almost no historical background to either of the characters, and the only fact learned about them is the fact that they are prideful men. Fortunado shows pride in his wine connoisseurship and his membership in the masons. The wine connoisseurship was also ironically Fortunado’s weak point and ultimately led him to his death. Montressor took advantage of the fact that Fortunado supposedly knows wine better than anyone else to lure him into the vaults. According to Robert E. Morsberger, “The pride…becomes grotesquely disproportionate and leads him [Fortunado] into the trap.” (4) Montresor was obviously angry with Fortunado and murdered him for some reason. Evidence read in the story proves to the reader that in actuality Montresor murdered out of revenge because his pride was treaded on more than lightly. From the very beginning of the story, Montresor’s pride in himself is spoken of…

    • 915 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Cask Of Amontillado Revenge Analysis
    • 649 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Cask Of Amontillado Revenge Analysis

    Montresor already expresses his need for revenge and why he seeks it in the first line of the story; “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne the best I could; but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge.”(Poe, 1846, p. 1). When reading this line it is noted that Montresor didn’t bear just one problem from Fortunato but several and what finally broke Montresor to start plotting his vengeance is that specific insult that was addressed to him. Montresor’s reaction can show that he acted out of anger, rage, annoyance or spite and these feelings are what led him to plot his revenge against Fortunato. Another way to look at this line is that the insult in question may have been grave or in a sense of high caliber as it is mentioned that Montresor decided to plot revenge after that insult that has been preceded by said thousands of injuries, this idea can also be supported when the line mentions that Fortunato ventured upon insult; the idea of the insult being ventured can show that this insult could be addressed personally and that Fortunato knows that this insult would offend Montresor, thus the reason for Montresor to seek revenge. Another line that suggests that the insult was Montresor’s basis for vengeance is; “I continued, as was my wont to smile at his face, and he did not perceive that my smile was at the thought of his immolation.”(p. 1). The line states that…

    • 649 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Character Analysis Cask of Amontillado
    • 536 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Character Analysis Cask of Amontillado

    The first thing I realized about Montresor was his vengefulness, or his desire to harm. At the opening we read that Montresor has vowed revenge against Fortunato. The story opens with “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge” (Poe, 1). It is there we see the animosity Montresor had toward Fortunato. In the beginning Montressor also said “I must not only punish but punish with impunity” (Poe, 1). That too revealed the resentment he had towards his friend.…

    • 536 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Internal Conflict In The Cask Of Amontillado
    • 1011 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Internal Conflict In The Cask Of Amontillado

    In this story, the point of view makes a huge difference of the reader’s takeaway. Montresor’s thoughts are so vindictive it’s hard to believe. “I continued, as my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation” (Poe 59). Montresor states here that he smiles at Fortunato, but his smile is deceptive. He is smiling only because he knows that he will…

    • 1011 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics