Edgar Allen Poe
Romano Vargas
Ms. Watts
English Composition II
May 2, 2008
Death-Despair-Revenge: A Recipe for a Good Drama
“Scorching my seared heart with a pain, not hell shall make me fear again.”
Edgar Allan Poe, Tamerlane, Part II
Death, despair, and revenge, these three words form a treacherous triangle to any reader who dare enter the mind of Edgar Allen Poe. In many of his works these expressions seem to form a reoccurring theme. Comparing the works “The Mask of the Red Death” and “The Cask of Amontillado”, we will discuss these themes while analyzing the method behind Poe’s madness.
In much of Poe’s Work, the presence of revenge and death seem to precede each other. In both stories, if someone dies, then revenge follows. If someone commits revenge, death seems to find that person. With the death of the commoners in "The Masque of the Red Death", revenge seems to follow the prince who abandoned them. When Fortunato betrays Montresor in "The Cask of Amontillado", death follows shortly after. In the end of the stories the characters come full circle with fate, whether it fortune or misfortune.
In the story "The Cask of Amontillado", Edgar Allen Poe tells the story of Montresor and Fortunato. This story has a much lighter mood to it, but from the beginning there is some tension between Fortunato and Montresor. The story its self has a
Vargas 2 rushed tone and you are held on the edge by the suspense that something dark could happen at anytime. There are hints throughout the storyline that give innuendos that there is revenge in the near future. The dreary tone of death looms in the air as the two characters interact with one another. Montresor, although he is all smiles in front of Fortunato, is planning the demise of his foe in his head. Fortuna mistreats Montresor and this is why he has such a hatred for the man.
The story seems to take place at night. The two men, Fortunato and Montresor, are together. Fortunato seems very condescending towards
Ms. Watts
English Composition II
May 2, 2008
Death-Despair-Revenge: A Recipe for a Good Drama
“Scorching my seared heart with a pain, not hell shall make me fear again.”
Edgar Allan Poe, Tamerlane, Part II
Death, despair, and revenge, these three words form a treacherous triangle to any reader who dare enter the mind of Edgar Allen Poe. In many of his works these expressions seem to form a reoccurring theme. Comparing the works “The Mask of the Red Death” and “The Cask of Amontillado”, we will discuss these themes while analyzing the method behind Poe’s madness.
In much of Poe’s Work, the presence of revenge and death seem to precede each other. In both stories, if someone dies, then revenge follows. If someone commits revenge, death seems to find that person. With the death of the commoners in "The Masque of the Red Death", revenge seems to follow the prince who abandoned them. When Fortunato betrays Montresor in "The Cask of Amontillado", death follows shortly after. In the end of the stories the characters come full circle with fate, whether it fortune or misfortune.
In the story "The Cask of Amontillado", Edgar Allen Poe tells the story of Montresor and Fortunato. This story has a much lighter mood to it, but from the beginning there is some tension between Fortunato and Montresor. The story its self has a
Vargas 2 rushed tone and you are held on the edge by the suspense that something dark could happen at anytime. There are hints throughout the storyline that give innuendos that there is revenge in the near future. The dreary tone of death looms in the air as the two characters interact with one another. Montresor, although he is all smiles in front of Fortunato, is planning the demise of his foe in his head. Fortuna mistreats Montresor and this is why he has such a hatred for the man.
The story seems to take place at night. The two men, Fortunato and Montresor, are together. Fortunato seems very condescending towards
Cited: Poe, Edgar Allen. "The Cask of Amontillado". Literature: The Cask of Amontillado. http://bau2.uibk.ac.at/sg/poe/works/cask_amo.html. Poe, Edgar Allen. "The Masque of the Red Death". Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. New York: Longman, 2005.