The Most Dangerous Game

Zaroff vs. Montresor Although Zaroff and Montresor share certain qualities in their actions, attitudes, and personalities, they also differ in several approaches, including their motives and incentives for murder, producing two similar yet unique characters. Both characters have the same intention, but act upon their foes by implementing different schemes. Zaroff seeks to kill Rainsford while Montresor wants to kill Fortunato. Zaroff, an experienced hunter, applies guns, knifes, and dogs to track his enemy, while Montresor utilizes stones and mortar to trap his foe. Furthermore, both men employ an underground facility to manipulate their victims. Zaroff implements a dungeon below his house to hold his victims hostage before hunting them on his island. In addition, Montresor takes advantage of his underground catacombs by “bowing Fortunato through several suites of rooms to the archway that led into the vaults” in order to trap him(Poe 2). However, Montresor is successful in killing his enemy, but Zaroff is instead defeated by his adversary. Aside from their actions, their attitudes and personalities are comparable but distinctive as well. Both Zaroff and Montresor are exceptionally clever men with mischievous minds, and exploit tools of deception to toy with their enemies. Zaroff rouses Rainsford by presenting their battle as “a game worth playing. Your brain against mine… Your strength and stamina against mine,” and presented the game as “outdoor chess”(Connell 7). On the other hand, Montresor tricks Fortunato by “accosting him with excessive warmth, for Fortunato had been drinking much”(Poe 1). In both stories, Zaroff and Montresor want to be relieved of burdens by searching for answers to their problems. Zaroff’s dilemma is that “hunting had ceased to be what you call a sporting proposition. It had become too easy… and there is no greater bore than perfection”(Connell 5). Zaroff has an extremely cocky attitude and has an adventurous personality. Therefore, he