Cask Of Amontillado Essay Research Paper Stephen
Cask Of Amontillado Essay, Research Paper
Stephen Ryan
The Cask of Amontillado
In & # 8220 ; The Cask of Amontillado & # 8221 ; Edgar Allan Poe takes us on a trip into the head of a huffy adult male. The narrative relates a atrocious retaliation made even more atrocious by the fact that the retribution is being taken when no existent discourtesy had been given. This construct sets the temper for true immorality.
The secret plan of the narrative is simple. Montresor takes retaliation on his friend Fortunato by enticing him into the vino basement under the household estate. There he leads Fortunato into the deepnesss of the catacombs where he buries him alive by palisading him into a deferral in the wall.
This narrative is told in first individual, from the point of position of Montresor. The expounding of the narrative occurs when Montresor tells us that he wants to take retaliation on Fortunato because & # 8220 ; he ventured upon insult. & # 8221 ; What this abuse was we do non cognize. We do cognize that he intends to travel unpunished for this act of reprisal. Montresor so informs us that he is traveling to go on to smile in Fortunato & # 8217 ; s face, while utilizing Fortunato & # 8217 ; s pride in his cognition vino to entice him into the catacombs to savor some of his fanciful Amontillado.
At this point, the reader knows the struggle will be one of adult male versus adult male. It is an external battle because Fortunato and Montresor are in a life and decease battle. However, the struggle is mostly internal, because Montresor has a ferocious hate that Fortunato is incognizant of.
The flood tide of the narrative is when Montresor chains Fortunato to the wall and begins to layer the bricks. It is the high point of emotional engagement. It is at this point that the reader may inquire themselves if this is truly about to go on.
The decision lets us cognize that Montresor was ne’er punished for this offense. Fifty old ages has passed and he is an old adult male stating the narrative on his deathbed. The true horror is that Fortunato died a awful decease, absolutely entirely, and his slayer was ne’er brought to justness.
The subject in the narrative is possibly the least of import characteristic. After all, it is about a senseless offense. Possibly the thought behind the narrative is that no 1 can happen safety from a deranged head, or that awful offenses can be committed when an fanciful discourtesy can maturate into world.
In this narrative the character of Montresor is revealed through his ain words. When he reveals he is traveling to penalize Fortunato for simply dissing him, that he has planned the whole act of retribution, and that
he has been playing as being Fortunato’s friend, we know we are covering with a brainsick personality. His character is besides revealed with mentions to his household. It is about as if Poe has Montresor’s ascendants tell the reader how nicely he fits into the household tree. His household slogan is “No one attacks me with impunity” and a coat of weaponries that depicts a serpent whose last replete before decease is to poison the pes that crushed it. Montresor is every bit evil as his forbears were. He shows no compunction about what he has done, even in old age. Montresor’s maliciousness toward Fortunato is highlighted when he says, “In gait requiescat! ”* This sarcastic remark at the terminal of the narrative truly shows Montresor’s hatred and entire neglect for Fortuato’s life.
The scene Poe chose for the narrative adds to the horror. He sets most of the narrative in a dark, moist series of weaving tunnels piled with the castanetss of dead household members. By taking Fortunato into the vaults, he cuts him off from aid. The two characters are belowground and stray. Using the carnival as a background is besides adept because it is a clip when everything is in pandemonium and people have lost their self-denial. There is noise in the street, the retainers are gone, and Fortunato might hold sensed something evil about Montresor & # 8217 ; s purposes and left the vaults before it was excessively late.
Poe uses sarcasm throughout the narrative. There is situational sarcasm in the fact that the offense takes topographic point during a jubilation, that Fortunato & # 8217 ; s name means good fortune, and that Fortunato is dressed like a fool. What is approximately to go on is merely the antonym of what you would anticipate. Just about everything Montresor says is dry. He says merely the antonym of what he means. He keeps asking about Fortunato & # 8217 ; s wellness and says he will non decease of a cold. The greatest usage of sarcasm is when Montresor says he is a member of the Masons. Fortunato thinks he means he is of a fellow member of a society when what he truly means is that he is a bricklayer about to brick him in for all infinity. This conversation besides provides prefiguration in the narrative. This is the first hint the reader gets about how Montresor will kill Fortunato.
The overall temper of the narrative is one of impending immorality. The stoping of the narrative is filled with suspense. You see Montresor carefully construct each row of rock. At this point Montresor is to the full committed to completing his horrific deed even at the despairing supplications from Fortunato. When the last brick is set in topographic point, we know Fortunato & # 8217 ; s destiny has been sealed.
