...In Edgar Allan Poe’s short story, “Cask of Amontillado”, Fortunato is preyed upon by narrator, Montresor. Fortunato has “injured” Montresor more times than enough. Due to his actions, Fortunato places himself in a life-ending predicament. Fortunato’s plight is applied to represent more general concerns of humanity. The first sentence of the story reads, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.” As mentioned previously, it sounds as though Fortunato earned this death for himself. The situation could’ve been avoided if he acted with regard of others. Too many times humans do things without expecting a consequence. People also say things and they don’t anticipate the response...
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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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...Jonathon Criswell Essay 1 Assignment 3/14/2016 Foreshadowing Fortunato’s Fate in Cask of Amontillado Edgar Allan Poe introduces the readers with an unpleasant tale of revenge in The Cask of Amontillado. It is revealed by Montresor who confesses to the murder of his old friend Fortunato over fifty years ago. Montresor led Fortunato to the catacombs where he was entombed. Fortunato, is led into the catacomb to his impending death with the assurance of a magnificent sherry, amontillado. As Montresor pilots Fortunato deeper into the catacombs, Poe foreshadows the impending murder. The word cask in Cask of Amontillado, is an abbreviation for the term casket. Fortunato is being led to his casket or final resting place in the catacombs. Elena Baraban, of “The Motive for Murder in “the Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe”, believes that “the whole imagery of the crypt suggests that the word “Amontillado” is a metaphor” (55). This is symbolic of the way Fortunato is killed. The title could easily have read “The Grave of Fortunato.” Special importance is placed on Carnival in the story. Montresor saved his revenge until the Carnival celebration began, because it would be an excellent time to carry out his plan of revenge “during the supreme madness of the carnival season,” (Poe 227). Nothing is as it seems during the Carnival. People pretend to be something that they wish they could be. Carnival is an escape for the people. Many things happen at...
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...Analysis of “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe & “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemmingway Analysis of “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe Abstract “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe, is a short story about a man named Montessor who gets revenge on one of his “friends” named Fortunado by trapping him and burying him alive. Treatment Setting: Two kinds Plot: Man gets revenge on his “friend” Characters: Montresor, Fortunado, Montresor’s family, and Luchesi Setting: An underground catacomb, somewhere in Italy, during the carnival season Time: Over two days Conflict: For Montresor to revenge himself for Fortunato’s insult, he has to get away with it – if Fortunato can revenge him back, then Montresor has lost. The punishment must be permanent − Fortunato has to feel it, and he has to know it’s coming from Montresor. Resolution: The satisfaction of the death of Fortunado Narrative point of view: First person, Central (Montresor) Literary devices: Repetition- "Amontillado" - This shows Fourtunato's doubt about the wine being Amontillado. Dialect- "I will not impose upon your good will." - The way the character talks suggests that they are in the past and educated. Onomatopoeia- "ugh...ugh, ugh...ugh." - instead of just saying that Fortunato had a cold or was sick, the author used onomatopoeia to show the reader that he had a cough and was very ill. Evaluation At the end of the story The Cask of Amontillado, by Edgar Allan...
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...enlighten the reader of Edgar Allan Poe’s “Cask of Amontillado.” The theme of “Tell All the Truth but Tell it Slant” is on a different level than “Cask of Amontillado,” but still gives good insight. Dickinson is discussing more about what truth is and how it relates to the human race. She describes the power of truth and how to best tell it to someone, especially if they don’t like what they are about to hear. For example, she says, “The Truth must dazzle gradually/or every man be blind.” This is saying that the truth is sometimes hard for people to hear, so it should be brought upon them gradually, or not at all. This associates with Poe’s work and the overall theme of having to “slant the truth.” In “Cask of Amontillado” this is drawn out when the main character, Montresor, is lying when talking to his adversary, Fortunato....
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...Montresor from the tale, “The Cask of Amontillado”. The whole tale leads up to a really big decision, a decision of pure perverseness. Perverseness first off, is doing something willfully against what is good or actually right. Poe uses this theme in many of his tales, it is shown in many different and odd ways. So in the tale about “The Cask of Amontillado” Montresor wants to get revenge on the second character named Fortunato. Fortunato hurt Montresor in some way that was not really described with in the text. But because of this unknown incident Montresor is going to take things to the next level via trickery and lies, in which the perverseness will begin to show. In the beginning of the tale we were given some background information on both characters, Montresor and Fortunato. Then it leads to Montresor lying to Fortunato about a great cask of the best wine, Amontillado. Montresor knew Fortunato could not resist the temptation of getting his hands on some amazing wine, Fortunato is rich so why wouldn’t he take the offer? Although just believing was not enough for him so he had to go see the cask and taste it which is what Montresor wants. Montresor claimed the Amontillado was down in the way back of the catacombs, so they started heading there to the wine where no one ever goes. Montresor started this mission by slowly getting Fortunato drunker and drunker. As the two made their way down the stairs into the catacomb; Montresor offers more wine to Fortunato in order for him to be...
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...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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...Personally, I liked the story The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe because if grasped my attention more then Everyday Use by Alice Walker. In this story the exposition would be during the Carnival in Italy when Montresor runs into Fortunato and offers to share a bottle of Amontillado wine. Montresor offers to share the Amontillado wine because he is seeking revenge against Fortunato and Fortunato seems to be completely oblivious to the fact that he is Montresor’s enemy. The Rising action of the Cask of Amontillado is when Montresor brings Fortunato to his catacombs to taste his Amontillado. During this time Fortunato get a little big intoxicated and not becomes unaware what is happening around him. Montresor claims that he bought a large barrel of Amontillado and doubts if the wine is legit or not. The climax of the story is when Montresor chains Fortunato to the wall of the catacombs and Montresor then ignores the screams of Fortunato for mercy. The falling action of the story is when Fortunato stops screaming, and Montresor only hears the jingling of the bells on his costume when he throws his torch the catacombs. Montresor also is finishing sealing the wall he is making in front Fortunato, so one finds him. The resolution of the Cask of Amontillado is this phrase “In pace requiescat,” (Literature, Page 19) which leads us to believe that Montresor succeeded in his revenge and murder. I picked this piece because it really is suspenseful, and that is what kept my attention...
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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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...1) What does cask mean in the story the Cask of Amontillado? A cask is a very small barrel in which wines of high value were stored. Sometimes such wines were too expensive or valuable to come in the larger size barrel so they were stored and sold in smaller ones. It is also a variation of "casket" a container for burying a person. 2) What is ironic about Fortunato's name in 'The Cask of Amontillado'? The name Fortunato can mean fortunate one or simply fortunate. It is ironic because he is about to receive a most unfortunate surprise and meet a most u nfortunate end once Montressor kill’s him. 3) What happened in 'The Cask of Amontillado'? The Cask of Amontillado is a story about how Montresor avenged his anger at Fortunato. His family motto contributes a lot to the whole of the story. Montresor's anger towards Fortunato is not only based on a one time happening, he saved up a lot of things that Fortunato did that provoked his anger. Motresor was like a jar, slowly filling up with anguish and when that anguish overflowed, he decided to take action for his revenge. In the beginning of the story, Motresor described his fleeting anger, his undefined emotion, his wish to be an avenger. He slowly created a plan on somewhat called a perfect crime. Having this "crime" planned, he proceeded to do it. He treated Fortunato with irony. We all know what he's planning yet he used sweet words to lure Fortunato into the catacombs. He devised a plan to send Fortunato to death. This...
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...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 wines which makes him want to prove him wrong. Montresor dresses up in a disguise and leads Fortunato to his home. Once they reach the home of Montresor, he leads Fortunato down to the catacombs. Montresor encourages Fortunato to drink alcoholic beverages, resulting in him becoming intoxicated. Fortunato realizes that Montresor is not who he thinks he is...
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...Irony in The Cask of Amontillado Edgar Allan Poe is considered the inventor of detective fictions. This can clearly be seen in one of Poe’s famous work, The Cask of Amontillado. In The Cask of Amontillado, Montresor seeks revenge against his friend Fortunato with only the hint, “Fortunato had hurt me a thousand times and I had suffered quietly;” therefore, he deserves punishment. As a result, Montresor is eager to murder Fortunato, but with impunity. According to Montresor, the reward for revenge is the gift of salvation. In The Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allan Poe uses irony to develop his theme of a man who seeks salvation through repression. One way Poe conveyed irony was through the character’s name such as Montresor and Fortunato. Fortunato’s...
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...Allen Poe has herd after reading his short story “The Cask of Amontillado”. “The Cask of Amontillado” is the story of man, Montresor, and his brutal revenge against his former friend, Fortunato, who had insulted him. Poe’s story is riddled with examples of dramatic, verbal and situational irony which highlight the brutal revenge and brings humor into the story. Dramatic irony occurs when the reader knows something that one of the characters does not. Such is the case in “The Cask of Amontillado” as the story begins with Montresor stating “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge”(510). This statement sets up dramatic irony throughout the story as the reader knows Montresor has sworn revenge on Forunato, while Fortunato believes they are still friends. This irony is evident through the whole story as Montresor pretends to be friends luring Fortunato to his cellar where he would eventually trap and kill him. The irony enhances the brutality of the murder as the reader knows throughout Montresor is planning some revenge while Fortunato believes he is going to sample his friends wine. Secondly Poe weaves verbal irony, a statement in which the meaning that a speaker employs is sharply different from the meaning that is ostensibly expressed, throughout to add humor to the story. The story is filled with verbal irony as Montresor is planning on killing Fortunato so almost every word he speaks is ironic as he convinces...
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...Rosa Trahin Ms. King ENG 102 9/2/13 The Thin Line between Obsession and Insanity What triggers people to murder; or to even have the slightest thoughts about killing someone? There might be many answers; however, the best answer could be insanity. Edgar Allan Poe was a well-known writer; best known for his short mystery and horror stories. “The Black Cat” and “The Cask of Amontillado” were two short stories written by him. Both of these stories consist on some sort of paranoia, obsession, and death. The “TBC” and “TCOA” are stories being narrated by the ones that have committed the crime of the story, such as murder. On the “TBC” the narrator is a man that with time turned into an aggressive, alcoholic, obsessive person. The man’s name was not revealed on the story. On the other hand, the narrator of “TCOA” was Montresor. This man was seeking revenge. Montresor stated “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge” (“Amontillado” 144). On both stories the narrators kill someone due to their obsession. These two short stories written by Poe had similar altercations but different outcomes; such as Montresor never getting caught for what he did and the man from “TBC” got sentenced to the death penalty for the crime he committed. The story of “The Black Cat” talked about how this man murdered his wife due to his obsession with the black cat. This man had a cat named Pluto. As he was growing older his...
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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 a...
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