CASK OF AMONTILLADO – Edgar Allan Poe’s Cask of Amontillado holds various moral lessons we could learn from. Despite the numerous morals we could derive from the story, a universally accepted lesson we could take from it is this: We should always be weary about how we treat others.
Is the cask of Amontillado an effective horror story?
This tale is effective in communicating terror, yet at the same time it communicates a certain black humor. Poe was also very talented with the written word and as such, “The Cask of Amontillado” is fraught with puns and double meanings.
What is the moral of the story 'The Cask of Amontillado'?
There may be many morals to be drawn from " The Cask of Amontillado ," but the moral which seems to pervade the whole story and to make it seem universally applicable might be expressed as this: We should always be very careful about how we treat others.
What is the plot introduction in the cask of Amontillado?
“ The Cask of Amontillado ” has one of the most straightforward plot lines of all of Poe's tales, though much of the story's detail raises questions left unanswered and mysteries that are unexplained. The tale begins with the narrator, a man named Montresor, telling us he has suffered a “thousand injuries” from his friend Fortunato.
Are there any similes in 'the cask of Amontillado'?
There are multiple examples of similes in Edgar Allan Poe's short story The Cask of Amontillado.To begin, one must understand what a simile is so that they can identify them within a text. A ...
See more
What is the message of The Cask of Amontillado?
The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Poe, he sends a message that revenge may blind the eye towards happiness. In the beginning of the story Montresor shows that he is planning revenge on Fortunato and that is the only thing on Montresor mind.
What lesson did you learn from the story The Cask of Amontillado Brainly?
“The Cask of Amontillado” The most significant moral lesson to be inferred from the story is that one should not harm others lest one should be harmed by them.
What are 3 main ideas for The Cask of Amontillado?
The main themes in “The Cask of Amontillado” are ambivalence, self-delusion, and substance abuse.
What is Cask of Amontillado about short summary?
0:0913:07The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe | Summary & AnalysisYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIn the introduction of Edgar Allan Poe's short story the Cask of Amontillado. The narrator MontresorMoreIn the introduction of Edgar Allan Poe's short story the Cask of Amontillado. The narrator Montresor addresses an unspecified audience who knows his soul well Montresor explains that many ways
What happens at the end of The Cask of Amontillado?
End of the story is horrifying and shocking: Montresor traps and entombs living Fortunato behind the brick wall. The victim cries to the executioner: "For the love of God"(Poe, 214) but the only respond is ironical repeat of his own words.
Why is The Cask of Amontillado important?
In “The Cask of Amontillado”, Edgar Allan Poe uses the setting as a way to set the stage for the events that will come. Poe's settings make his stories interesting, as well as easy to understand because of his descriptiveness and writing techniques.
Who is Montresor telling his story to?
The phantom listener whom Montresor addresses as “you” is an unnamed and mysterious figure whose identity is sketched in a few strokes of the pen: “You, who so well know the nature of my soul. . .” “You,” therefore, is an intimate friend and one acquainted with Montresor for a fairly lengthy period.
Is Montresor guilty?
Montresor tried to commit a crime in order to extract revenge. In the end, he successfully killed Fortunato, but destroyed himself in the process. The guilt of the crime weighed heavy on Montresor for fifty years until he could no longer hide the crime he committed.
What lesson can you learn from the story?
A story's message, or theme, is what the author wants to teach you through his or her writing. Some stories have a specific kind of message called a moral, or a life lesson. You can find the message of a story by looking at the characters' actions and focusing on what is repeated throughout the story.
Who is Fortunato?
Fortunato is a naïve fool in 'The Cask of Amontillado. ' The narrator, Montresor, manipulates Fortunato easily by telling him that he has a rare wine, an Amontillado. Fortunato, a wine connoisseur, in disbelief, claims he needs to see it for himself.
How does Fortunato die?
Fortunato dies after he is chained and then bricked in by a newly constructed part of the wall in Montresor's basement. The reader doesn't know For...
What does the Cask of Amontillado symbolize?
The cask of amontillado symbolizes Fortunato's downfall and ultimate death for two reasons. One, he was drunk, so that made him think less clearly....
What does Montresor symbolize?
Montresor could symbolize a number of things, and what he symbolizes is open to debate as long as it can be backed up by the text of the story. He...
What is the main point of the cask of Amontillado?
The main point of "The Cask of Amontillado" will be different for different readers. For some, the main point may be the horror associated with the...
What is the meaning of the Cask of Amontillado?
In The Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allan Poe uses several examples of symbolism, the use of symbols to represent an idea, event or character and imagery, the use of language to create images or pictures in the mind of the reader. These examples make his work stand out, be memorable, and elicit a desired effect.
What is the symbolism of Fortunato in The Cask of Amontillado?
Another major symbol in The Cask of Amontillado is Fortunato's jester outfit . This outfit, which includes a ''conical cap and bells,'' symbolizes Fortunato's foolishness.
What does the golden foot represent in the Catacombs?
While Montresor and Fortunato are wandering along through the catacombs, Montresor describes his family's arms, which contain an image of a golden foot crushing a serpent. The golden foot represents Montresor and his plans to murder Fortunato, the snake.
Why is imagery important in Poe's Cask of Amontillado?
Imagery is incredibly important because it helps readers visualize the events or setting of a story.
What does Fortunato mean?
Fortunato's name can also be seen as an ironic symbol, and it represents the misfortune that Fortunato endured at the hands of Montresor. In Italian, fortunato means fortunate, or lucky.
What does Poe want his readers to see in the catacombs?
He wants his readers to be able to picture the crypts so that they can better understand Fortunato's grave situation. Through his chilling descriptions, Poe is also able to evoke strong feelings of apprehension and unease.
What does the cap and bells represent in Fortunato?
This outfit, which includes a ''conical cap and bells,'' symbolizes Fortunato's foolishness. Fortunato has, according to Montresor, insulted his friend many times. It's interesting to notice that despite the insults, Fortunato is still willing to follow Montresor through an underground cemetery.
What is the Cask of Amontillado about?
The plot summary of ''The Cask of Amontillado'' is about revenge, deceit, and murder, as Montresor tricks a drunk Fortunato by trapping him inside an ancient catacomb. Poe's story uses irony incredibly well in the elements of his characters and setting. ''The Cask of Amontillado'' is a great example of the Dark Romantic genre, which features stories of the grotesque or situations of judgment and punishment.
Where does the Cask of Amontillado take place?
The Cask of Amontillado primarily takes place in a set of catacombs. The plot summary of ''The Cask of Amontillado'' begins with the narrator Montresor explaining that a man called Fortunato has wronged him a thousand times over, but his insult is the final blow that has provoked his vow to revenge.
What does Montresor say to Fortunato?
Montresor describes the sounds he hears as he builds, the jingling of Fortunato's bells and the clanking of the chains. Once the wall is about halfway up, Fortunato begins screaming, and Montresor mocks him. Fortunato calms, and says, 'A very good joke indeed,' probably with his last bit of hope.
What is Fortunato's outfit?
He explains that Fortunato is dressed as a jester, in a striped outfit and a jester hat with bells. Fortunato is also very drunk, and he greets Montresor 'with great warmth.'
What is Poe's short story about?
So, aside from being a story about a barrel of wine, Poe's short story is one of revenge and secret murder. It's a tale of terror starring two main characters: Montresor and Fortunato. Montresor is the narrator and the murderer. Fortunato is a wine connoisseur and the victim.
What does Montresor tell us about his servants?
Keep in mind; this is quite a large amount of Amontillado. Montresor tells us that his servants are away from the house for the night, so they have the house to themselves. Montresor's home is large, and according to the details, we can assume it's been in the family for quite some time.
What is the exposition in Poe's story?
The exposition is the introduction to the story. Usually, this is where we learn about characters and setting. Poe sets the story as Montresor's memory. We discover the main characters and, more importantly, that Montresor has vowed to seek revenge for Fortunato's insult. The conflict is what makes the story a story.
Why does Montresor think that his victim is being punished?
Fortunato seems to be thinking about his sins for possibly the first time in his life, and Montresor seems to be implying that his victim is being punished because he did not think about his sins until this moment of truth.
How long is the free trial for eNotes?
Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this answer and thousands more. Enjoy eNotes ad-free and cancel anytime.
What is Fortunato's character?
Fortunato is obviously a boorish person who tramples on other people's feelings. He doesn't realize what he is doing. He thinks he is a funny fellow, a jester. But there are overtones of malice and cruelty in his words which reveal his character.
Does Fortunato's murder lead to goodness?
This quest for revenge leads him to plot, to plan, Fortunato's murder. Revenge can never lead to goodness. However, more significantly, Fortunato's fondness for wine--which can be interepreted as the deadly sin gluttony--leads him to his death. He willingly drinks the wine that kills him.
Does Montresor say "for the love of God"?
and has Montresor echo his cry: “Yes,” I said, “for the love of God!”. Fortunato seems to be thinking about his sins for possibly the first time in his life, and Montresor seems to be implying that his victim is being punished because he did not think about his sins until this moment of truth.
What is the mystery in the Cask of Amontillado?
The mystery in "The Cask of Amontillado" is in Montresor's motive for murder. Without a detective in the story, it is up to the reader to solve the mystery. From the beginning of the story, it is made clear that Montresor has exaggerated his grievances towards Fortunato.
Where did the Cask of Amontillado come from?
An apocryphal legend holds that the inspiration for "The Cask of Amontillado" came from a story Poe had heard at Castle Island ( South Boston ), Massachusetts, when he was a private stationed at Fort Independence in 1827. According to this legend, he saw a monument to Lieutenant Robert Massie. Historically, Massie had been killed in a sword duel on Christmas Day 1817 by Lieutenant Gustavus Drane, following a dispute during a card game. The legend states other soldiers then took revenge on Drane by getting him drunk, luring him into the dungeon, chaining him to a wall, and sealing him in a vault. This version of Drane's demise is false; Drane was courtmartialled for the killing and acquitted, and lived until 1846. A report of a skeleton discovered on the island may be a confused remembering of Poe's major source, Joel Headley's "A Man Built in a Wall", which recounts the author's seeing an immured skeleton in the wall of a church in Italy. Headley's story includes details very similar to "The Cask of Amontillado"; in addition to walling an enemy into a hidden niche, the story details the careful placement of the bricks, the motive of revenge, and the victim's agonized moaning. Poe may have also seen similar themes in Honoré de Balzac 's La Grande Bretèche ( Democratic Review, November 1843) or his friend George Lippard 's The Quaker City, or The Monks of Monk Hall (1845). Poe may have borrowed Montresor's family motto Nemo me impune lacessit from James Fenimore Cooper, who used the line in The Last of the Mohicans (1826).
What gesture does Fortunato make?
At one point, Fortunato makes an elaborate, grotesque gesture with an upraised wine bottle. When Montresor appears not to recognize the gesture, Fortunato asks, "You are not of the masons?" Montresor says he is, and when Fortunato, disbelieving, requests a sign, Montresor displays a trowel he had been hiding. When they come to a niche, Montresor tells his victim that the Amontillado is within. Fortunato enters drunk and unsuspecting and therefore, does not resist as Montresor quickly chains him to the wall. Montresor then declares that, since Fortunato won't go back, Montresor must "positively leave" him there.
What does Montresor invite Fortunato to?
Montresor invites Fortunato to sample amontillado that he has just purchased without proving its authenticity. Fortunato follows him into the Montresor family vaults, which also serve as catacombs. For unknown reasons, Montresor seeks revenge upon Fortunato and is actually luring him into a trap. At the end of the story, the narrator reveals that 50 years have passed since he took revenge and Fortunato's body has not been disturbed.
What is the similarity between Headley and Amontillado?
Headley's story includes details very similar to "The Cask of Amontillado "; in addition to walling an enemy into a hidden niche, the story details the careful placement of the bricks, the motive of revenge, and the victim's agonized moaning.
Why did Poe write Montresor?
Further, Fortunato is depicted as an expert on wine, which Montresor exploits in his plot, but he does not display the type of respect towards alcohol expected of such experts. Poe may have been inspired to write the story by his own real-life desire for revenge against contemporary literary rivals. The story has been frequently adapted in multiple forms since its original publication.
When was the Cask of Amontillado published?
Library of Virginia. "The Cask of Amontillado" was first published in the November 1846 issue of Godey's Lady's Book, which was, at the time, the most popular periodical in America. The story was only published one additional time during Poe's life, in the November 14, 1846 New England Weekly Review.
What is the narrator's dress in Amontillado?
And suitably, it was in a drunken state that Fortunato appeared to the narrator, dressed in a fancy costume of a striped dress and bells, during the carnival season. Like many of Poe’s pairs of rivals, behind the hatred is a level of respect and kinship.
What does the narrator tell Fortunato about the wine?
The narrator of "Amontillado" is very excited to see him and tells him about a predicament he has with some Amontillado wine, for which he has paid the price of a special vintage and is now unsure of its authenticity. He compliments Fortunato on his knowledge and says he was silly to buy the wine without his advice. Fortunato doesn’t believe that such a wine can be found during the carnival season. He seems to be in a frenzy anyway, and now repeats the name ‘Amontillado!’ over and over.
How does the narrator manipulate Fortunato?
The narrator tricks and manipulates his rival Fortunato by mentioning Fortunato’s own rival in wine-tasting, Luchesi. The narrator feigns caring and innocence by insisting that the vaults are dangerous, but he is really appealing to Fortunato’s sense of competition.
Why does Fortunato drink Medoc?
The narrator of "Amontillado" suggests they drink some Medoc to protect them from the elements. Fortunato proposes a toast to the buried remains that surround them in the vaults, and the narrator proposes one to Fortunato’s long life. They journey further and further into the catacombs.
Why did Fortunato have no idea of this plot?
The narrator assures us that Fortunato had no idea of this plot, because he continued to be friendly to his face. The pattern in which an unknown injury is sustained and becomes the basis for a revenge plot is common in Poe’s stories.
Why does the narrator pull his sword to check the strength of the wall?
When the narrator pulls his sword to check the strength of the wall it is a reminder that he has been carrying a lethal weapon this whole time. He could have killed Fortunato in seconds. That he did not, that he chose to bury Fortunato alive, shows how important the game of torture is to this narrator’s revenge.
What is the name of the app that assigns a color and icon to each theme in Poe's Stories?
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Poe's Stories, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
What is the Cask of Amontillado about?
A classic tale of deception and revenge, “The Cask of Amontillado” concerns a diabolical murder in the catacombs beneath an Italian palazzo. With the dramatic first sentence, readers enter the disturbed mind of Montresor, the main character who narrates the story. In recounting the events, Montresor reveals the depth of his depravity in avenging a personal insult. The object of Montresor’s intense hatred and obsession with revenge is Fortunato, a wealthy wine merchant whose transgressions against Montresor are never specifically identified. Fortunato’s arrogance and foolish nature make it possible for Montresor to succeed in carrying out a carefully crafted scheme—to murder Fortunato by burying him alive in the catacombs.
What is Poe's lesson plan for Montresor and Fortunato?
This lesson plan focuses on Poe’s use of irony in developing the main characters in the story, Montresor and Fortunato. Students will identify different types of irony throughout the narrative, examine how they relate to character development, and analyze what they reveal about Montresor and Fortunato. In studying the irony in “The Cask of Amontillado,” students will be better able to describe Montresor and Fortunato’s relationship and to explain what drives their behavior in the story.
What is the irony in Montresor?
As Montresor relates how he planned and executed his revenge, his descriptions and interpretations of what occurred are infused with irony, the predominant literary technique employed by Poe in the narrative. Dramatic irony is created as readers are drawn into Montresor’s mind to view events from his perspective as well as their own. Also evident in the story are situational and verbal irony. Through the irony that permeates “The Cask of Amontillado,” the characters of Montresor and Fortunato are revealed indirectly and the horror of Montresor’s revenge is intensified. Poe’s use of irony also underscores the mood of the story in its examination of human nature and the darkness to be found in the human psyche.
