John Lloyd Serato

BSEd English 3SE

The Cask of Amontillado:

Scrutinizing a horror story with the notion of retribution at its core

An enigmatic short story, this masterpiece was written in 1846. Edgar Allan Poe
is regarded by critics as a detective thriller virtuoso and a forerunner of the short story
literature in the Western. In the field of literary writing, this is regarded as a victory,
knowing that pundits take a meticulous probe in every literature written.

Behind the masterpiece: The tragic life of Edgar Allan Poe

But despite his creative brilliance, Edgar Allan Poe experienced sorrow
throughout his life. Poe’s parents died in 1809, and was raised by John and Frances
Allan, who were not even his biological relatives. Poe and Frances Allan frequently
quarreled, generally over money, and throughout his life Poe would play with poverty.
Because he can’t afford college, Poe wasn’t able to finish a degree. Luckily, it was a
silver lining under the dark clouds because it became a start of his writing journey. He
started a career in writing at Baltimore, which was spurred on by the enthusiasm and
the tragic death of his older brother. There, he secretly wed Virginia Clemm, his cousin,
who was only 13 at the time. First cousins could legally marry at the time, so the 26 year
old Poe married Virginia precisely as she was. It was a happy marriage not until his wife
died due to Tuberculosis. He died two years after Virginia died, not long after turning 40,
and never really recovered from her loss.
Although Poe's life was brief, his writing has endured. His gory tales of terror and
the macabre are what have made him most famous today, and made him an expert of
Gothic horror throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, when the genre was at its height
of popularity.

The grimly yet refined work of Poe

Two eras are actually represented in Poe's brief novella. The majority of the
activities take place on Carnival, a Western Christian holiday that precedes Lent.
Carnival is a festival abundancy. However, fifty years after the incident, the narrator,
Montresor, tells the tale in hindsight to an unidentified listener who is simply addressed
as "you" throughout the narrative. That implies that "The Cask of Amontillado" is actually
taking place in two different historical periods.
We discover that Montresor has plans to exact revenge on Fortunato, a former
buddy. Only that Montresor believes that he because of that insult, bled through a
thousand cuts, is revealed to the reader; Fortunato's exact actions that drove Montresor
to the brink are never revealed. Additionally, readers discover that Montresor
suppressed his wrath in an effort to make Fortunato believe they were still friends,
which was all part of his scheme. Montresor was keen to go with the plans. Since he is
aware of Fortunato's reputation as a wine expert, he is not surprised to see Fortunato
intoxicated when he is discovered in the midst of the Carnival festivities.
He is told by Montresor about a wine he purchased. Amontillado is an extremely
classy and polished wine, in case you didn't know. However, Montresor fears he was
tricked now that he has the wine. He explains to him that he was already after another
wine virtuoso called Luchresi, for assistance.
Fortunato is persuaded by Montresor that entering the mausoleum, which is a
symbol of excellence for the family of Montresor, will make his cold worse. He
convinces him to try the Amontillado himself as a result. Fortunato is so inebriated that
he fails to notice that the bottle of wine he believes to be storing wine is empty. Even as
his abductor binds him to the wall, he offers no resistance.
Fortunato's laments and attempts to break free of his bonds are first described by
Montresor. Montresor doesn't flinch after trapping him inside alive and leaving him to
perish. After narrating his tale for fifty years, Montresor informs the audience that
Fortunato's remains are still located there.

The characters: An in-depth view

Anticipating events you cannot hinder makes "The Cask of Amontillado" its
thrilling quality. The Italian name Fortunato means "fortunate" is evoked as ironic,
taking account what his future got when he was abandoned to die in the Montresor’s
crypt. We are aware of Fortunato's egotism and self-indulgence, as well as the fact that
he freely criticizes others (such as Luchresi) and believes himself to be the world's
foremost expert on wine. However, we also know that he is, at the very least, "wealthy,
respected, revered, and happy."
Montresor, the protagonist in Edgar Allan Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" is
motivated by retribution and lacks regret. It is unclear at the conclusion of the narrative
whether he is the protagonist or antagonist. "Rest in peace," is his parting message to
Fortunato, although it sounds mocking rather than heartfelt..
The narrative in "The Cask of Amontillado" is revealed in hindsight. But the
listener is significant from an analytical perspective. It serves as a reminder that
Montresor is narrating this incident to a different person while attempting to convey his
unique viewpoint. For instance, was Fortunato truly as awful as Montresor claims?
The symbolism employed in this masterpiece
The characters have connotations that signifies circumstances in the story.
Although the motivations behind Montresor's drive for vengeance are not explicitly
stated by the author, the name of his victim (Fortunato) alludes to the character's good
fortune. The idea that a person's love of money is the "source of all evils" emerges as a
recurring theme in Montresor's scheme to seek revenge on Fortunato, whom luck
seems to have unsettled. Because what occurs to this guy does not represent any facet
of good fortune, the term "Fortunato" carries an ironic undertone.
 The terms montrer (to show) and sort (fate) are combined to form the French
name Montresor. This circumstance suggests that Fortunato's fate is related to acts of
retribution. However, the perpetrator and his victim are both executing their destiny.

The bell crown serves as a visual allusion to Jesus' crown of thorns from his
crucifixion. Fortunato's clothing is employed as a further allegory in "The Cask of
Amontillado" to represent his unknowable status as a sacrifice victim. The clothing also
represents the sacrificial aspect of Montresor's retaliation. Montresor wants to bury
Fortunato alive in a manner akin to a funeral. One of the motivations behind Montresor's
revenge strategy is that the carnival represents a time of carefree attitude. The
opportunity to exact revenge did not just happen to fall into Montrer's lap. However,
Fortunato is trained in the ritual of vengeance.
Symbolism is a powerful element used to portray the main character’s retribution
aspect. The symbols have a strong ironic undertone since they help the story's idea of
retribution to grow. Worse luck is that, Fortunato’s symbolism of serendipity is blinded
by that circumstance of him, being buried alive.

What can we learn from this gothic-themed literature?

From Montresor's perspective, the assassin of Fortunato, "The Cask of
Amontillado" is written. Poe demonstrates to readers the strength of the desire for
vengeance and how it can cloud one's judgment. He also demonstrates how people's
perceptions and motivations frequently mask the reality.
The protagonist of the story, Montresor, is the one who killed Fortunato, but he
also contributed to his own demise. The mention of Luchresi's name sets off an ego trip,
causing him to follow his companion into the tombs despite the fact that he is
intoxicated and ill. In the end, rather than his incompetence killing him, it is his pride that
causes him to lose.

The inspiration that made Poe write an excellent piece of horror and
tragedy
In response to Thomas Dunn English's harsh criticism of one of Edgar Allen
Poe's books, Poe wrote "The Cask of Amontillado." The book parodies parts from Poe’s
novel, that catacombs and private elite people are not an amusing use of character,
hence he should not be acclaimed for his woks. On the other hand, others contend that
it was motivated by the common fear of being buried alive rather than by a specific
individual. To save those who were buried too soon, easy-open caskets and windowed
burial vaults were developed.
In essence, the society of the late 1840s is only partially represented in "The
Cask of Amontillado." Fear is present throughout it in various forms, most especially
demise. It is a societal belief that some individuals behave without thinking. The reader
is also given the opportunity to see inside the mind of a murderer, both to read and to
comprehend his thoughts. People will always remember "The Cast of Amontillado" by
Edgar Allan Poe as a gory tale of death, murder, and retribution.