The Theme of “Revenge” in The Cask of Amontillado

Revenge is a very powerful weapon one can have to satisfy his evil, inappropriate or
sometimes unethical desires. It might be a means of internal happiness for one as it is for
Montresor in “The Cask of Amontillado”. The short story is full of different themes like that of
betrayal, foolishness, revenge, etc. but the most significantly found to be following is the theme
of “Revenge” till the end that is ominously explaining the relationship between Montresor and
Fortunato. Revenge serves to be a force that drives the whole story making it interesting and
worth reading. The two seem to be very good friends until Montresor utters the following words
in the initiation of the story;

“The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured
upon insult I vowed revenge (Poe 1612).

The quote is significantly being expressed as evidence that Montresor has been hurt or by
being insulted by Fortunato in the past for what he seems to be looking for a chance to take
revenge upon the insult. It serves to act as one factor for revenge but there may exist some
underlying factors as well. For that he plans to bury him alive in the catacombs of his home
where he tricks Fortunato to go to find a best quality of Amontialldo that catches the attention
and interest of Fortunato who is drunk in some event and realizes no other thing than to see that
Amontillado, and goes down the catacombs. In the way, Montresor manages to make him more
and more drunk so that he hardly realizes to fight back if needed. Therefore, Montresor succeeds
in bringing him into a hollow area that he covers with bricks and makes him realize his insult and
keeps on filling the hole with bricks until one last brick that makes Fortunato to feel helpless and
depressed and he fills that gap as well and leaves without saying a single word.

Montresor had been agonized by his insult and did not realize it might be just a friendly
statement or something of no consideration at all. However, he could have just made the things
to be let go and face it all as a true gentleman, rather he decided to play smart and teach the other
a lesson who had not been good to him. He decided to vow revenge against Fortunato and
believed that it might bring him internal peace and happiness; or might believe that there would
no other guy left to do the same. Instead, Montresor became the driving force behind the
revengeful act to take place and make the story proceed. His anger or disliking about his insult
would have been hard for him to cure so he decided not to sit back. In his following lines;

“I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is undressed when
retribution overtakes its redresser.” (Poe, 238).

He seems to be directly talking about some sort of a revenge that he could not resist to.
This is again an evidence of Montresor planning to make his revenge quite harmful that brings
him utter satisfaction of teaching someone who has hurt him by being unethical to him.