In “The Cask of Amontillado,” Montresor tells the story of how he got revenge on Fortunato. There are differing opinions on why Montresor is telling the story: is it a confession or is it so he can relive the perfect crime he committed? After close examination of the story, it becomes evident that Montresor is bragging about committing the perfect crime. The story is not a confession because Montresor boasts about his cleverness at luring Fortunato down to the catacombs and taunts Fortunato multiple times without remorse. Montresor teases Fortunato quite a few times while leading him deep into the catacombs. In the beginning of the story, Montresor tells Fortunato that he has purchased a wine called Amontillado but cannot be sure that it
From what kind of story he is telling the reader, to how he describes other characters, and from his actions, Montresor is an extremely unreliable source of information. Vengeance and pride both play a large role in “The Cask of Amontillado” and because of that Montresor loses credibility. Telling the story through the eyes of the one acting on revenge makes it so we are to believe he
"The Cask of Amontillado" is a story about revenge, but the reader is never truly told exactly what Fortunato did to warrant such vengeance. In fact, throughout the story, the reader gradually realizes that Montresor is an unreliable narrator, and that Fortunato is a friend of Montresor who is unaware that Montresor is plotting to kill him. He is a connoisseur of wine who is enticed by Montresor to sample some rare Amontillado and lured into his trap down into the catacombs. While Luchesi is another wine connoisseur and an acquaintance of Montresor and Fortunato; Montresor urges Fortunato to sample his wine by threatening to allow Luchesi to try it first if Fortunato does not comply. that whatever insult Montresor believes Fortunato committed is probably imagined or exaggerated.
While confessing his crime, Montresor seems as not having any feeling of guilty due to the peaceful way that he started to narrate at the beginning of the story. But, as soon Montresor started to talk about his feelings of jealousy and hate towards Fortunato, the reader can change the way its reading the story and the point of view towards Montresor. The “Cask of Amontillado” gives an open clue in the beginning of the story of why Montresor killed Fortunato and the motive of madness that he got along the story while confessing his crime. Montresor didn’t start to narrate the story angry or tense but calmly, accepting what he did and how he planned. The “Cask of Amontillado” took place
In “The Cask of Amontillado”, Montresor is guilty of the cold-blooded murder of Fortunato and should go to jail for his crime. Montresor speaks of the “thousand injuries” Fortunato caused him and, more recently, the “insult” that Montresor cannot forgive. Vowing to seek retribution, Montresor comments on the importance of ensuring his own innocence throughout the process of revenge. He goes out of his way to be friendly to Fortunato. Other evidence that supports the crime as being preconceived includes Montresor preying on Fortunato’s weakness, his love of wine and his conceited nature. He praises Fortunato on his knowledge of wine and taunts him with the full barrel that he just purchased asking him for his expert opinion. In preparation
In "The Cask of Amontillado", Montresor is the narrator. He begins by describing very cryptically how he was wronged, "The thousands of injuries of Fortunato he has borne as he best could; but when he ventures upon insult, Montresor vows revenge" (Poe 528). As the story
The Cask of Amontillado is the story of and envious man by the name of Montresor who has devised a plan to kill one of his long term friends Fortunato. Montresor devised this plan in the beginning of the story after Fortunato had pulled one joke to many while at a party surrounded by many of their close friends. Montresor while at the party remained calm however while still laughing and cheering with Fortunato he started to develop his plot to get his revenge on Fortunato. In the story Montresor while plotting his crime says, “I had to keep my true feelings to myself for not only must I punish but punish with impunity” (Poe). While Montresor plans the murder of Fortunato, Fortunato is simply enjoying life and his wealth. During carnival Montresor sees a drunk Fortunato and ceases his opportunity. A drunk Fortunato walks over to Montresor and gives him a friendly greeting. Montresor sees this as an opportunity to take Fortunato away from the festivities by using both his weakness for wine and his pride against him. Montresor does this by tricking Fortunato into thinking that he had recently brought a cask of Amontillado and he needed Luchesi to distinguish if it was actually Amontillado. Fortunato, who feels that he is the best wine tester in all of Italy quickly replies, “Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry” (Poe) . Montresor knowing the pride and arrogance of Fortunato then says, “"And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for your own." (Poe) . That
“The Cask of Amontillado” starts out with Montresor, the narrator, saying, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.” Simply
In the story, “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe, Montresor seeks revenge on Fortunato because he made fun of his family name. For years Montresor claims that Fortunato had, “hurt him”, so Montresor gets Fortunato drunk and tricks him into going to his house. When Fortunato arrives, they both go into Montresor’s basement and Montresor locks Fortunato up in addition to leaving him there to die. Montresor commits a crime by killing Fortunato in his own basement. Some people may argue that Montresor was a madman who only wanted to kill Fortunato because he made fun of Montresor’s family name; nevertheless, it is easy to see why one would believe that Montresor wasn’t a madman and that he had more motives rather than just that one reason to have killed Fortunato. What motivated Montresor to seek revenge on Fortunato was that he had made fun of Montresor’s Family name, had a drinking problem which causes him to lash out and say mean things to Montresor, and because Fortunato thought he knew more about fine wines than Montresor did. Theses motivations were also Fortunato’s weaknesses.
In the text “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe Montresor’s commitment to getting revenge on Fortunato is like a bounty hunter not giving up to apprehend a fugitive. In the text, Montresor main mission is to get rid of Fortunato a wine taster like himself who did “a thousand wrongs” (Poe, 67). Or did something so bad that it equals a thousand wrongs .The two characters set off into Montresor’s vaults, to taste the Amontillado that Montresor so called “bought”. The real question is what did Fortunato do to have this cruel revenge meet upon him. What makes Montresor able to wreak revenge upon Fortunato is his commitment, his preparation, and his persuasive skills.
Bill Delaney makes the following statement about Montresor’s plan for revenge and murder in “The Cask of Amontillado”: “If he were to have had a change of heart and had released Fortunato, he would only have experienced a renewal of the fury that led him to immolate his enemy in the first place. He could not have allowed Fortunato another chance to add to "the thousand injuries"
He does this by using Fortunato’s ego and pride for wine against him. Like here Montresor teases Fortunato by saying his rival, Luchesi, is always at hand if you are not up to the task of checking the Amontillado. This takes a stab at Fortunato’s ego. Instead of heading back because of Fortunato's rising illness. He continues ahead to prove something to Montresor that he is a better wine examiner.
Edgar Allan Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado tells a tale of revenge, maliciousness and horror. We are informed early on that Montresor, whom we can consider the “unreliable narrator,” feels he has been profoundly insulted by a character named Fortunato and conspires to seek revenge, by whatever means necessary. Montresor makes us aware that he has suffered injuries by way of Fortunato many times, however; it is when he feels insulted by him, that he vows to seek revenge. Through Montresor 's own words, “I must not only punish, but punish with impunity,” (pg166) we can see that not only does he feel his actions are warranted, but that he should be except from punishment for them. Although, we are never made aware of what Fortunato supposedly has done to Montresor, it is clear that Montresor feels his actions to seek revenge are justified and we can see in this that revenge is a powerful motivation.
“The Cask of Amontillado” is told in first person by Montresor. In the opinion of John Gruesser, Montresor who “lies on his deathbed confessing his crime to an old friend, the You’ of the story’s first paragraph” (129) is showing his guilt fifty years after the murder. Montresor is telling this sin to someone out of regret not revel. Gruesser further assumes that Montressor may in fact be speaking to a priest to relive his sense of right and wrong of the fear of a terrible future he experienced each day since he murdered Fortunato (130).
When looked at for the first time, Montresor in Edgar Allan Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado may seem disturbing. Montresor has plans to murder a man, Fortunato, for insulting him and plans on doing so by walling him up in the catacombs under his home. Montresor devises a clever plan that will leave Fortunato clueless as to his intensions. Upon a closer look, this character is admirable. Montresor carries out his plan successfully without being caught. He does this by using traits that are commendable at the very least. Montresor is Poe’s most admirable character because he is patient, extremely confident, and very calculated.
As the story progresses, Montresor devises a careful plan to lure Fortunato to his death trap, but he is careful enough not to place himself at risk. He approaches him at a carnival, and plays on his victim’s weakness for wine by offering to show him a brand of wine akin to the light Spanish sherry, Amontillado (8). The narrator presents an interesting description of his encounter with Fortunato at the carnival; at first expressing dislike for his friend’s behavior by claiming that he approached him with too much warmth since he was drunk, but then he adds that he was extremely delighted to see Fortunato at that particular moment. This illustrates the depth of Montresor’s desire to exert revenge on his friend, since the sole reason of his pleasure at seeing Fortunato is that he knew his plans had taken off, and he anticipated the satisfaction of the act of brutal revenge.