...The cask of Amontillado is short story written by the famous American writer Edgar Allan Poe. He was poet, editor, and literary critic and considered part of the American Romantic Movement best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre. The cask of Amontillado is one of his well-known work. In the story Montressor had this belief that Fortunato is trying to insult him and his relatives. Montressor found his chance to take revenge against Fortunato during a carnival. Montressor knew that Fortunato loves wine and other liquor. Montressor made Fortunato believe that they were just going to see an Amontillado but in fact, he is going to lead Fortunato to his death. He led him to the catacombs of the Montressors and there, he buried Fortunato alive with "in pace requiescat" as his last words. Edger Allan Poe was famous for the use of Irony and Symbolism in his stories and this story is one of his masterpiece where he showed his talent. The cask of Amontillado have many Irony and Symbolism in it threw out the whole story. In this paper I am going to discuss about the irony in the story setting, the symbolism which shows the reverse physiology used by Montressor in his speech and other irony and symbolism in the story. The setting of the story have several ironic meaning which describe the faith which Fortunato will face at the end of the story. The story began at dusk which gives an ironic meaning because the beginning of the story marks the end of Fortunato’s life. The...
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...Selfishness and revenge are woven through “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe and “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner like a fine silk thread, supporting the theme of death in each. In the short story, “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner, the cause of death is never obviously revealed but lightly hinted upon Emily as the cause. “The Cask of Amontillado,” a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, the cause of death is revealed but no one knew the cause of Fortunato’s disappearance. These stories contain many differences as well as similarities ranging from imagery, symbolism, theme, and tone. The recognizable commonality of the two is the theme of death. Each of these stories portrays death, or murder, as a result of vengeance, revenge and betrayal. “The Cask of Amontillado” deals with the death of Fortunato and “A Rose for Emily” deals with the death of Homer and Emily. William Faulkner never admits that Emily is the cause of Homer’s death but gives the audience clues that suggest Emily was indeed responsible. Emily’s death seemed to be of natural causes (Faulkner, 1931, p 531). Edgar Allan Poe, in “The Cask of Amontillado” tells the audience of Montresor’s plot of revenge and murder of Fortunato. Betrayal and revenge are obvious throughout both stories. In “A Rose for Emily,” Emily first betrayed Homer after he did not take her for his wife after the whole town saw the two of them together. In “The Cask of Amontillado” betrayal is shown in Montresor’s actions,...
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...Symbolism in “The Cask of Amontillado” Symbolism in “The Cask of Amontillado” The symbolism throughout Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” constantly pair similar ideas that contradict each other. The characters are unaware of the symbolic details in conversations or events that occur throughout the story. The reader may find him/her self siding with Montresor since we have all been insulted at one time or another, but that doesn’t constitute revenge to the point of killing a person. Literature containing symbolism can be interpreted or viewed differently by the reader. Poe put much effort and thought into the details of his literature, he painted a descriptive picture for the reader matter how dark and dreary. The name “Fortunato” means fortune/fortunate, which is symbolic because it is the complete opposite for the character in this story since his fate has been decided for him, “derivation from the verb fortunate, blessed by the goddess fortuna, or random fate. Naturally, to embrace fortuna was unthinkable in the Reformed traditions. Fate was not random” (87). Montresor is constantly smiling at Fortunato so he will have no suspicion of his bad intentions. “I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation” (108). A kind gesture such as a smile can be misleading, it is hard to depict whether an individual is a friend or foe. Fortunato is dressed as...
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...wrote several critiques of Hawthorne’s work. On a personal level, Poe often disagreed with how often Hawthorne used allegory. As a literary element that many people use, Poe was not a fan. He once stated that: “I allude to the strain of allegory which completely overwhelms the greater number of his subjects, and which in some measure interferes with the direct conduct of absolutely all.” (Poe, 1847) It seems as though Poe regarded Hawthorne’s work as works of allegory. To say that this was the only literary element he employed, however, would be false. Throughout history, authors have endeavoured to master other forms of literary elements, to become the master of those elements, and equal to none in them. By comparing “The Cask of Amontillado” with “Young Goodman Brown”, is to study two masters, at odds with their specific forms of writing, but each a master in his own right. Each story shows how two people that can be so far apart on a scale, can use the same literary elements in similar and different ways without compromising their work as a whole. Foreshadowing Foreshadowing is vital in the world of literature. Foreshadowing is always about being subtle. How can an author slip in a clue or help build a story to a dramatic, yet unforeseen conclusion? Foreshadowing in the hands of a master seems to be a piece of elegance and can be so subtle that the reader wonders how he or she missed...
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...The “Cask of Amontillado” is a gothic tale of revenge and horror, the true genius of which lies in Poe’s abundant use of symbolism and irony. * Symbolism in "The Cask of Amontillado" Fortunato's Outfit: Fortunato's carnival garb is described as follows: "The man wore motley. He had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells." In short, Fortunato is dressed as a fool, a symbolic representation of what he is. The Setting: The "supreme madness of carnival season" represents the supreme madness of the narrator's mind. It is the backdrop of carnival season that lends the story its fantastic nature, a nature trumped only by the madness of Montresor's revenge. The Cask of Amontillado: The word cask, a sturdy cylindrical container for storing liquids, and the word casket have the same root. The Amontillado represents two causes of Fortunato's demise: (1) Fortunato is extremely drunk, more than likely drunk on wine. It is probable that his venturing into the catacombs has little to do with his desire to serve Montresor. Fortunato understands that the trip will produce one of two results--free Amontillado or Montresor's humiliation; (2) Fortunato's passion for good wine leaves him susceptible to flattery, flattery which Montresor provides. Montresor: In French, mon tresor means my treasure. The treasure the narrator possesses is the knowledge of the perfect revenge. The Montresor Family Motto, "Nemo me impune lacessit": Fortunato...
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...Insanity is one of the topics widely discussed by many writers. The definition of insanity is “not sane; not of sound mind; mentally deranged” (Dictionary.com). In “The Yellow wall Paper” by Charlotte Gilman, “Young Goodman Brown” By Nathaniel Hawthorne, and “A Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Poe insanity is the most prevalent theme. Each story takes place in a prison like environment and each protagonist is suffering from a form of insanity. The story “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman takes place in the late 19th century , which anchors it in a very specific historical moment in terms of women and their perceived abilities. The narrator and her husband John are renting a beautiful, isolated estate for the summer. The narrator says the house is “The most beautiful place! It is quite alone, standing well back from the road, quite three miles from the village. It makes me think of the English places that you read about. For there are hedges and walls and gates that lock, and lots of separate little houses for the gardeners and people” (Gilman pg.552). It’s a fancy house but more saliently, it stands back away from the road and contains many "locks" and "separate little houses." Overall, this is a very isolating place. It’s separate from the road and therefore could be considered separated from society; the house itself is described as a place that binds and restricts. Within the house the narrator is primarily confined to a “big, airy room….with windows that...
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...Critical Essay: Elements of Literature in Poe’s “Cask of Amontillado” Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” Is a well written shorty story filled with many significant literary elements. Firstly we will write about the plot, the overall summary of the story, and the main themes, the central ideas of this tale. The plot of "The Cask of Amontillado" is a great account of vengeance. The assassin promises “revenge” upon Fortunato for an “insult.” The main theme revolves around the assassin plans to pursue vengeance in support of his family motto: "Nemo me impune lacessit. This means “no one cuts (attacks) me with impunity.” On the coat of arms of his family, which bears this motto, looks "a huge human foot d'or, in a field of azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are embedded in the heel.” Thus reflects the theme of vengeance because the assassin’s plan of revenge on Fortunato for an insult. Secondly we have characterization, the personalities of the characters of the characters produced. The true focus lies upon the assassin, the wicked Montresor. Montresor is an evil man who is happy at his chance to murder. The costume that Fortunato donned on the night of his murder was that of a jester, while appropriate...
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...” “The Cask of Amontillado,” and the poem, “For Annie.” All of these were written by Poe, and each one represents death, and desolation. When Poe was two years old, his mother, Elizabeth Poe passed away. He was then adopted by a wealthy family, but Poe never received any money. He lived a poor life until he married his cousin Virginia. Then, Virginia died and Poe “collapsed from stress.” All of the deaths of his loved ones’ affected his writings, causing him to write with sorrow...
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...February 2013 The Masque of the Red Death vs. The Cask of Amontillado “The Masque of the Red Death” and “The Cask of Amontillado” written by Edgar Allan Poe are somewhat different. The major themes of these stories differ significantly, as does the emphasis placed on each character which dealt more to The Cask of Amontillado” than to “The Masque of the Red Death” Regardless of this, the stories are similar in many ways. For instance, both belong to the literacy of the gothic genre, it shared a small theme, and the characters shared a lot of the same characteristics. Poe known as a great writer how was his overall literary style determined for these two short stories? The similarities of both tales belong to the gothic genre. This is true from large number of features presented in either one or both of the stories. The most prominent were the dreary, damp, and decaying catacombs of the “The Cask of Amontillado” and the dark themes such as death and insanity, which was a consistent presence in both stories, in the forms of madness of Montresor and Prince Prospero and death of Fortunato and Prince Prospero, along with his guest who took shelter from the Red Death in Prospero’s palace. Other features common to the gothic literature of the narratives were mysteries in the shape of the mysterious shrouded figure in “The Masques of the Red Death” and how Montresor would avenge himself against Fortunato in “The Mask of Amontillado” and the fact the setting was in a palace; just like...
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...Short stories written in different time periods consist of many of the same styles/elements. The authors of these short stories have many hidden meaning behind their words. “The Masque of the Red Death” by Edger Allan Poe, the “Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and, “Cast of Amontillado” by Edger Allen Poe have similar styles such as, using symbolism to enhance and foreshadow the reading. The author in Cast of Amontillado uses symbolism through the meaning of the title its self “ Cast of Amontillado” since Amontillado mean wine, and in the story the plot mainly happen based on the characters drinking wine, I thought the name symbolizes the results/effects in an irony way or drinking wine in this story. Since the character lures the other character...
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...Kerrie-Ann Greene Stephen Henrichon ENC 1102 29 January 2016 Death By Wine Edgar Allen Poe writes about a secret murder in the gothic short story, “The Cask of Amontillado”. Montresor, the narrator, lures his victim, Fortunato, into an underground death trap. Montresor tells the story fifty years later. The terror in the story is that the readers never get a clear picture of the motive, only knowing Montresor says in the beginning, “[a] thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge” (Poe 165). There is a lack of evidence. The “insult” is the final straw. Poe uses imagery, symbolism, and characters to describe the horrific tale of revenge. The story begins with visual imagery...
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...Marek Hullinger Mike Fiscel English W132 26 September 2013 From Tribes to Literature The word Goth derives from a German tribe referred to as the Goths. The term Gothic was later used during medieval times for the construction of buildings with pointed arches and vaults (Lad). In my essay, I chose to discuss two pieces of Gothic fiction. The first piece of Gothic fiction I decided to discuss is, “The Cask of Amontillado.” It was published in 1846 by the famous short-story writer and poet, Edgar Allan Poe. The second piece of Gothic fiction I chose to discuss is, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” It was published in 1966 by Joyce Carol Oates. In Gothic literature there any many characteristics to its writing and famous short-stories such as “The Cask of Amontillado” and “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” contain many of those Gothic fiction characteristics. Summary “The Cask of Amontillado” is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe. Montresor is the main character of the story and also acts as the narrator. The story begins by him vowing his vengeance towards Fortunato for insulting him. Montresor hides his animosity towards Fortunato so he does not expect anything. He maintains a deceiving presence towards Fortunato and plots to exploit Fortunato’s weakness for luxurious wines. Carnival season came upon the city and Montresor finds Fortunato at the carnival. He invites him to try some of his sherry at his home. Montresor doubts Fortunato’s skill with...
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...The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe is a gothic horror story written in 1846. This short story by Poe uses many different techniques to grab and hold the reader’s attention. While the main subject of the story is murder, there is no shown repercussions of Montresor’s actions. In this reading response we will discuss the basic outline of the story, the setting, and, the symbolism behind each portion of the story. The Cask of Amontillado is set in an unspecified Italian town in what I estimate is the early 1800’s during carnival season. The story starts off by the main character and narrator Montresor telling a backstory about how Fortunato insulted him, and that Montresor vowed to get revenge. Montresor formed a plan to get his revenge during carnival when all his servants would be away. When Montresor runs across Fortunato in the streets, he tells Fortunato that he is on his way to the rival wine connoisseur in town Luchasi, to get a pipe (130 gallons) of a wine named Amontillado authenticated. This causes Fortunato to follow Montresor to his demise....
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...The cask of amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe Plot Sypnosis The characters in this story are Montresor, a deranged man who seeks revenge and Fortunato, a haughty wine connoisseur against whom Montresor seeks revenge. The story begins during the carnival. Montresor avenge against one of his "friends," ironically named Fortunato, for insulting him, and explains that he has found a way to avenge himself that satisfies the two conditions he has: that Fortunato knows for sure Montresor is behind it and that he himself escapes revenge or punishment. Fortunato has a cold. Montresor finds his friend Fortunato at dusk. He is drunk and dressed in carnival costume as a jester. Using reverse psychology, he induces Fortunato, whose knowledge of fine wine he admires, to follow him into the catacombs underneath his palazzo to determine if his newly-acquired barrel storage cask of Amontillado, a kind of Spanish sherry, is indeed authentic and thus worth the price he has paid. They talk as they walk deep into the catacombs, discussing Fortunato's health, the Montresor family motto Nemo me impune lacessit, Latin for "No one assails me with impunity", and membership in the Freemasons. The ominous atmosphere intensifies as they continue to the damp, potassium nitrate air of the Montresor crypt. Dumbfounded at the absence of the Amontillado at the end of their passage, Fortunato stands 'stupidly bewildered' and Montresor takes advantage of the situation, suddenly chaining Fortunato to the wall...
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...The Cask of Amontillado | By: Edgar Allan Poe | “Nemo me impune lacessit” | Sigmund Freud Theories | Premises | Proofs | * Most of the individual’s mental processes are unconscious Montresor do not want his plan of killing Fortunato to be ruin but as explained by Freud our hidden desires are shown by the unconscious part of us. Montresor himself gave hints to Fortunato to his true intensions. | When Montresor said their family coat of arms, "A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel." Motto, “no one assails me with impunity”. With that he means, he will ultimately crush Fortunato...Another is when he said, “I drink to your long life” that is in irony. What he really implies is that Fortunato will eventually die soon. With those words that he did not really meant to say comes from his mouth because of the unconscious part of him that shows what he conceals. | The mental processes have three psychic zones: id, ego, super ego | Proofs | * id It is the dark, inaccessible part of our personality, and most of this is of a negative character. * Settings * It was about to dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season...... * The vaults are insufferably damp, dark and the vault in the end of the catacombs is piled with skeletons. * “A moment more and I had fettered him to the granite. In its surface were two iron staples, distant from each other about two feet, horizontally...
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