The Cask of Amontillado was a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe, which was first published in November 1846, in the magazine Godey's Lady's Book. Like several of Poe's stories, the story was narrated in first person major, where the murderer had an evil plan. It was a revenge story that included torture, murder, and addiction and was set in a vast underground Italian vault. It was also a journey into the dark and mysterious recesses of the human psyche. The plot was relatively simple. Montresor, the narrator wanted revenge on his friend, Fortunato, because of some unspecified insults. Montresor's plan was to trap his victim into his family vault. The plan that was ultimately going to be used by Montresor to get rid of Fortunato was anything but simple. This essay will focus on the plot of the story.
The story began during the carnival season in an unnamed Italian city and an unspecified year. One evening during the event, Montresor met Fortunato, who was drunk and wearing a jester hat. Montresor used Fortunato's drunkenness to lure him to try out a sample of montillado. Montresor had recently bought this rare cherry wine, because he wanted to know the real nature of it. Fortunato felt privileged and overly excited about this opportunity to taste the Amontillado. Mocking Fortunato, Montresor told him that if he was too busy, there was always Luchesi, who was another wine connoisseur and Fortunato's rival in wine tasting. Then, Fortunato became furious and insulted Luchesi's skill in wine and also eagerly insisted on accompanying Montresor's visit to the vault to taste the Amontillado. Further mocking Fortunato, Montresor offered a token protest, saying that the vault was damp and not optimal for Fortunato's cold, but Fortunato insisted that he really wanted to go. As a result, Montresor put on a mask of black silk and a cloak and invited Fortunato to his home.
Earlier that same day, Montresor told his servants that he would be at the carnival all night and he forbids them to leave the house. He knew that as soon as he left, the servants would also go to the carnival. Unsurprised, when Montresor arrived home, nobody was there. Montresor grabbed two torches and led the way into the family vault, which was lined with nitre. This caused Fortunato to cough. Despite his condition, Fortunato wanted to see the Amontillado, claiming that "he shall not die of a cough", to which Montresor replied "True-True"(The Cask of Amontillado,1846,p216). Montresor showed false sympathy for Fortunato's health and offered him a sip of Medoc to treat his guest. Montresor proposed again to call for Luchesi's services, knowing what Fortunato's reaction. Would be, Fortunato refused the suggestion and toasted his drink to the dead, while Montresor toasted to "Fortunato's long life".
While the two men walked deeper into the vault, Fortunato noticed the size of the vault to which Montresor replied that he had a large family. Moreover, Montresor told the story about his family's arms and his motto:"Nemo me impune lacessit", which meant no one attacks me with impunity, in Latin. Continuing their descent into the depths of the vault, Fortunato asked for and consumed more and more wine, which maintained his drunken state. As a result, Fortunato's gait was more tottering and the bells jingled on his costume.
Then suddenly, Fortuanto threw a bottle of "De Grâve" and made a secret gesture, that Montresor did not understand. Fortunato realized that Montresor was not a Freemason, but Montresor insisted that he was a member of this fraternal organization and showed his trowel from his cloak, as proof.
At the end of the vault, there was a crypt lined with bones. Fortunato tried to look into the recess, but because of the foulness of the air, the light from the torch was dim and he could not see very far in front of him. Montresor claimed that the Amontillado was inside the recess. Therefore, Fortunato walked drunkenly into the recess and that was where Montresor quickly chained him to the granite wall while Fortunato was too shocked to resist. Montresor revealed a pile of stones with mortar and he then began to wall up the niche, with Fortunato inside.
Fortunato screamed confusedly as Montresor built the first layer of the wall. The effects of alcohol soon wore off and Fortunato noticed that he was in an alarming situation. While Fortunato was shaking the chain that he was attached to, Montresor was working on the wall that he was building. Montresor was exalted to see and hear his victim, who was terrified and helpless. At midnight, there was only one stone left to put on the wall to complete it. Fortunato laughed weakly and asked Montresor to end the joke and to release him, by saying a last plea "For the love of God, Montresor!", but Montresor never seized to mock him (The Cask of Amontillado,1846). As a result, Fortunato refused to speak, despite Montresor's calls. The only thing Montresor could hear when he laid the last stone to finish his masonry work was the jingling of Fortunato's bells.
The story ends fifty years after that terrible night. Montresor writes that nobody has disturbed his wall and he concludes his tale by wishing Fortunato a peaceful rest. In my own opinion, among Poe's unreliable narrators, Montresor is the most terrifying, because he is difficult to identify. Moreover, Montresor has similarities with Dr. Hannibal Lecter in "The Silence of the Lambs",
because he is noble, refined and distinguished, however, he was a freak. The mystery of the plot resides in the nature of insults against Montresor. Some people think that Fortunato is not a real expert in wine but rather an alcoholic, because a true wine connoisseur would never sample wine while intoxicated. Also, this same people aren't sad about Fortunato's fate, because he wasted an expensive bottle of French wine.
The story began during the carnival season in an unnamed Italian city and an unspecified year. One evening during the event, Montresor met Fortunato, who was drunk and wearing a jester hat. Montresor used Fortunato's drunkenness to lure him to try out a sample of montillado. Montresor had recently bought this rare cherry wine, because he wanted to know the real nature of it. Fortunato felt privileged and overly excited about this opportunity to taste the Amontillado. Mocking Fortunato, Montresor told him that if he was too busy, there was always Luchesi, who was another wine connoisseur and Fortunato's rival in wine tasting. Then, Fortunato became furious and insulted Luchesi's skill in wine and also eagerly insisted on accompanying Montresor's visit to the vault to taste the Amontillado. Further mocking Fortunato, Montresor offered a token protest, saying that the vault was damp and not optimal for Fortunato's cold, but Fortunato insisted that he really wanted to go. As a result, Montresor put on a mask of black silk and a cloak and invited Fortunato to his home.
Earlier that same day, Montresor told his servants that he would be at the carnival all night and he forbids them to leave the house. He knew that as soon as he left, the servants would also go to the carnival. Unsurprised, when Montresor arrived home, nobody was there. Montresor grabbed two torches and led the way into the family vault, which was lined with nitre. This caused Fortunato to cough. Despite his condition, Fortunato wanted to see the Amontillado, claiming that "he shall not die of a cough", to which Montresor replied "True-True"(The Cask of Amontillado,1846,p216). Montresor showed false sympathy for Fortunato's health and offered him a sip of Medoc to treat his guest. Montresor proposed again to call for Luchesi's services, knowing what Fortunato's reaction. Would be, Fortunato refused the suggestion and toasted his drink to the dead, while Montresor toasted to "Fortunato's long life".
While the two men walked deeper into the vault, Fortunato noticed the size of the vault to which Montresor replied that he had a large family. Moreover, Montresor told the story about his family's arms and his motto:"Nemo me impune lacessit", which meant no one attacks me with impunity, in Latin. Continuing their descent into the depths of the vault, Fortunato asked for and consumed more and more wine, which maintained his drunken state. As a result, Fortunato's gait was more tottering and the bells jingled on his costume.
Then suddenly, Fortuanto threw a bottle of "De Grâve" and made a secret gesture, that Montresor did not understand. Fortunato realized that Montresor was not a Freemason, but Montresor insisted that he was a member of this fraternal organization and showed his trowel from his cloak, as proof.
At the end of the vault, there was a crypt lined with bones. Fortunato tried to look into the recess, but because of the foulness of the air, the light from the torch was dim and he could not see very far in front of him. Montresor claimed that the Amontillado was inside the recess. Therefore, Fortunato walked drunkenly into the recess and that was where Montresor quickly chained him to the granite wall while Fortunato was too shocked to resist. Montresor revealed a pile of stones with mortar and he then began to wall up the niche, with Fortunato inside.
Fortunato screamed confusedly as Montresor built the first layer of the wall. The effects of alcohol soon wore off and Fortunato noticed that he was in an alarming situation. While Fortunato was shaking the chain that he was attached to, Montresor was working on the wall that he was building. Montresor was exalted to see and hear his victim, who was terrified and helpless. At midnight, there was only one stone left to put on the wall to complete it. Fortunato laughed weakly and asked Montresor to end the joke and to release him, by saying a last plea "For the love of God, Montresor!", but Montresor never seized to mock him (The Cask of Amontillado,1846). As a result, Fortunato refused to speak, despite Montresor's calls. The only thing Montresor could hear when he laid the last stone to finish his masonry work was the jingling of Fortunato's bells.
The story ends fifty years after that terrible night. Montresor writes that nobody has disturbed his wall and he concludes his tale by wishing Fortunato a peaceful rest. In my own opinion, among Poe's unreliable narrators, Montresor is the most terrifying, because he is difficult to identify. Moreover, Montresor has similarities with Dr. Hannibal Lecter in "The Silence of the Lambs",
because he is noble, refined and distinguished, however, he was a freak. The mystery of the plot resides in the nature of insults against Montresor. Some people think that Fortunato is not a real expert in wine but rather an alcoholic, because a true wine connoisseur would never sample wine while intoxicated. Also, this same people aren't sad about Fortunato's fate, because he wasted an expensive bottle of French wine.