The Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allen Poe

The Cask of Amontillado
Madison Boddington English Composition II
February 21, 2017 I had read The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe previously, years before in high school. After analyzing the plot and characters in class, I understood the story from perspectives I had never thought of before. The main character of this story is Montresor, who opens the story with saying Fortunato had insulted him in an inexcusable way, to which he wants to seek revenge. Montresor is quoted, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge,” Setting the story up in this way is a part of what makes the plot so interesting for readers. We do not know what it was that Fortunato did to
Montresor has planned and executed a murder that prolonged the process of death, making it truly agonizing for his victim. However, many times in their journey to the Amontillado, Montresor gives Fortunato several chances to turn back. He mentions Fortunato’s sickness, telling him he is not in the kind of shape to be traveling in a cold damp place like that. He suggests that he could find someone else to help him, but still Fortunato persists. These chances that Montresor gives Fortunato could be showing a more three-dimensional character. One that, although as determined as he seems, has his doubts and guilt of committing such a cold blooded crime. These chances, even though they make the act of murder no less justified, might make Montresor feel more humane while doing it. They serve as an excuse. Montresor can say he gave Fortunato several chances to turn back, yet he did not take it. Therefore, he can feel like his murder was
The identity of Montresor is never brought up, we know very little about the character other than their feeling of hate and want of revenge. This is another aspect of this story that intrigues readers, and much is left for interpretation. If you think about it, it is fairly unusual for a man to take an insult so seriously, and plot revenge so carefully as Montresor had. Typically, that is not common of men, especially in Poe’s time. Montresor pulls out this plan of murder, making it as agonizing as possible. Usually, it would be expected more of a woman that was crossed to have behavior like this. As the idea of Montresor being a woman sets in, you start to realize that nowhere in the story does it say that he is not in fact a woman. There are several instances in which it actually makes more sense to see the story in this way. Aside from how careful Montresor is as she plots the murder, there are many other characteristics and actions that point to a character that was feminine in nature. In the beginning, Montresor is in search of a male companion to help her in her journey to the Amontillado as well as give their opinion because in her time, it probably was not common for women to engage in such things. It might have been rare for women to do very much, especially late at night, without a male with