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The Lure of The Cask of Amontillado

            Edgar Allan Poe's "A Cask of Amontillado" is perhaps the most famous tale of terror ever written. Montresor, the story's narrator, leads the reader through his revenge on Fortunato. Montresor entices Fortunato into the dark recesses of the family catacombs with the promise of a very fine wine. At the climax of the story, Montresor shackles Fortunato to a wall and seals him away forever behind brick and mortar. "A Cask of Amontillado" expresses its dark view of human intention by using elements of irony and foreshadowing. The first person point of view also lends itself to an exploration of the inner secrets of Montresor. The major theme in the story is the deep hatred buried within the outwardly congenial Montresor. This makes it vital that the story be told with Montresor's thoughts known to the reader. Although I do not prefer horror stories, all these aspects have allowed consideration for "The Cask of Amontillado" to be one of the memorable and favorable stories for me.
             This intriguing story written by Edgar Allan Poe gives verisimilitude to the murder of Fortunate by Montresor. From the very beginning of the story Poe starts to show the reader that there is an odd side of Montresor. "I must not only punish but punish with impunity" (Paragraph 1). This is when he starts to make out his plan of revenge. During this time, Montresor was careful not to let Fortunato onto his plan. .
             Neither by word or by deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation" (Paragraph 2). .
             Montresor is pictured as the diabolical narrator of this tale of horror, who pledges revenge upon Fortunate for an insult. When the two meet during the carnival season, there is a warm greeting with excessive shaking of hands which Montresor attributes to the fact that Fortunate had been drinking. (Paragraph 4) Montresor also appears to be "happy" to see Fortunate since he is planning to murder him.


Essays Related to The Lure of The Cask of Amontillado

1. Diction and Syntax in The Cask of Amontillado

... The Cask of Amontillado, Montresor, a wine merchant, who tells the story, has acquired a cask of amontillado. Scheming, he had asked Fortunato, whom he has been annoyed with for his slights and insults for a long time, to advise him in the tasting. In order to carry out his plan of revenge, he must lure Fortunato into the vault. He pesters Fortunato until he follows him into the saltpeter wine basement. In this short story, The Cask of Amontillado ... , Poe used vivid diction and unorthodox syntax to give this story a mystifying character. The syntax of the short story can be seen as ... ...

  • Word Count: 879
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Caks of Amontillado

... advantageous in implementing his plan to kill him. Fortunato prides himself upon being a connoisseur of fine wines. Montresor uses this to lure Fortunato away from the festival allowing him to think they are going to taste the Amontillado. Montresor's actions and attitude towards Fortunato as they are heading down towards the catacombs are very deceiving. He tries to convince Fortunato that he should turn back and ... one lays each tier around Fortunato. "I laid the second tier, and the third, and the fourth; and then I heard the furious vibrations of the chain (Poe, 1846 pg. 200)." The...

  • Word Count: 810
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Murder In The Catacombs

... takes relies on their past. Poe took refuge from the physical world in the private world of his dreams and in his tales. Poe writes his story The Cask of Amontillado in which the protagonist, Montressor, carefully plans his revenge. Montressor has become aggrieved by the insults of his friend Fortunato however the details of the insults are never given. Montressor entices Fortunato with the amontillado as he lures him into his family crypt where ... chance when in fact he planned it. Fortunato treats Montressor like a friend even though he is about to kill him. Montressor used alcohol t...

  • Word Count: 1150
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

4. Cask of amontillado

... of the most important parts of the story's layout. The theme is the controlling idea that the author is trying to convey to the reader in his work. Edgar Allen Poe was a writer who used a dark and negative theme in his works. "The Cask of Amontillado" is no different; in this work the main theme that Poe utilizes is revenge, a perfect example of a dark and negative theme. Revenge is sworn at the beginning of the story by the ... in wine is clearly his downfall and is very important to the story. That is the only way Montresor is able to lure Fortunato to his own death. Montresor is also ...

  • Word Count: 853
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

5. The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

... Allan Poe conveys Montresor's true vindictive personality. The short story "The Cask of Amontillado," by Edgar Allan Poe, shows the protagonist Montresor is out for revenge. Poe's dark story leads the reader to believe that Montresor is malicious and unremorseful. In the story "The Cask of Amontillado" we hear the confession of a man who committed a horrendous crime half a century before. Montresor allows the reader to know why he vows revenge: " ... disappearance, one and all, as soon as my back was turned" (544). Poe also conveyed Montresor's cleverness when he described how Montr...

  • Word Count: 690
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Has Bibliography

6. Montresor's Point of View in The Cask of Amontillado

... formed with Montresor allows the audience to see the mad and insane person that he truly is. "If there is any doubt that Montresor is mad, consider how he echoes Fortunato scream for scream, shrieking even louder than his victim"(Peithman 174). Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado " takes a confession of a horrendous crime and illustrates the inner thoughts and emotions of the narrator, Montresor. Poe is able to lure the audience in by ... creating an unreliable narrator, holding onto the audience till the very end. This very hold creates an opportunity for Montresor's confession of revenge a...

  • Word Count: 1224
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography

7. Cask of Amontadillo

... remains found within the catacombs and describes the "foulness of the air"(247) as they arrived at a "deep crypt". (247) The main theme in The Cask of Amontillado is Montresor seeking revenge on Fortunato. Montresors feels he has borne a "thousand injuries"(244) of Fortunato and the final blow was when Furtunato "ventured upon insult"(244). Poe weaves this theme throughout the story as he lures Furtunato to his ultimate demise. The lure is wine ... known as amontillado. Montresors fuels ... ...

  • Word Count: 1075
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

8. Poe's Cask Of Amontillado

... relies not on his brute strength, but his intelligence to exact his revenge. Fortunato's weakness is easily exploited and Montresor uses this knowledge to manipulate him. When attempting to lure Fortunato into the catacombs, Montresor says, "AS you are engaged, I am on my way to Luchresi. If any one has a critical turn it is he" (220). While Fortunato responds, ""Luchresi cannot tell ... such exacts payback on those he deems have insulted him. Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" gives its reader the crime through the eyes of the assailant. With this, the reader is allowed to glimpse into th...

  • Word Count: 820
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

9. Montresor and Fortunato in The Cask of Amontillado

Edgar Allan Poe's story "The Cask of Amontillado" introduces two protagonists, Montresor and Fortunato who were friends. The encounters the two men has was hatred and revenge that turned to murder on the behalf of Montresor. The encounter for Fortunato was the appearance of his naivety but he encountered a deadly consequence. Montresor was an angry but proud man who felt that what Fortunato did was wrong. He "Vowed revenge ... , Fortunato's drunkenness due to the excess drinking at the carnival as well as his love and greed for the taste of the rare Amontillado was his weakness that later beca...

  • Word Count: 522
  • Approx Pages: 2

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