Everyone has experienced the desire to get even. These feelings of revenge, if not dealt with constructively, can sometimes lead to destructive ends. Edgar Allen Poe's short story, The Cask of Amontillado, clearly exemplifies the nature of revenge. This short story depicts how revenge relates to the desire to punish for past wrong doings.
The tale begins during carnival season where we are introduced to Montressor. Montressor is upset because another man, Fortunato has insulted him obliging Montressor to avenge his honor. Fortunato believes that his "connoisseurship in wine" is far more developed than Luchesi's and Montresor's. For example, Montressor offered to take his business to Luchesi because Fortunato appeared to be pre engaged with enjoying himself within "the supreme madness of the carnival." However, Fortunato replied, " "Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry." Montressor, "That his taste is a match for your own." "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best as I could, but when he went upon insult I vowed revenge." However, he does so in a most cunning way. Montressor pretends friendship and offers a very drunk Fortunato a very rare type of sherry wine that he has in his wine cellar. Being a connoisseur of fine wines, he readily agrees and follows Montressor back to Montressor's home. Montressor has carefully constructed an alibi for himself with his servants, and the house is predictably empty when they enter it. .
Fortunato has a bad cough and so, on their way to the wine cellar, Montressor gives Fortunato "De Grave" (of the grave) wine to drink. There is a bit of foreshadowing that occurs at this point when Fortunato forgets what Montressor's coat of arms stands for. With a sartorial grin, Montressor replies that the motto is, "Nemo me impune lacessit", which means "no one insults me without being punished.".
In a research study about the factors that lead to acts of revenge, University of Arkansas psychologists tested a number of volunteers.
