“The Cask of Amontillado” Story by Edgar Allan Poe

In the story “The Cask of Amontillado” the Author Edgar Allen Poe uses “Montresor” who was once a nobleman, to represent the “monster” of the story as he acts of violence and revenge against his enemy “Fortunato” for the insults and suffering Fortunato has caused upon Montresor.

“The Cask of Amontillado” is a mystery story, with an underlying question as for why did he do it? “The Cask of Amontillado” main goal was Montresor’s urge to get back Fortunato for “The thousand injuries of Fortunato.

” The story begins with Montresor saying, "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge." Montresor doesn’t specify what the insult is but is determined to act on violence against Fortunato. According to Baraban, Elena V. "The Motive for Murder in 'The Cask of Amontillado'’ “depicts a man who has successfully committed a premeditated murder and escapes punishment.” “Not only does Montresor feel no guilt, but he perceives his murder of Fortunato as a successful act of vengeance and punishment rather than crime.” Montresor presents himself as a person who had the right to condemn Fortunato to death; he planned his murder as an act of execution.

"I must not only punish but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong."

According to G. R Thompson Poe's Fiction: “Romantic Irony in the Gothic Tales” states that "Montresor, rather than having successfully taken his revenge 'with impunity' ... has instead suffered a fifty-years' ravage of conscience" (13-14). “it was about dusk, one evening during the madness of carnival season." According to the “Explanation of: The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe” the carnival is to be said a time when peoples dark moral passions are given free reign, and the social structure is turned upside down. Fortunato "wore motley," the garb of a fool. “From this point on, Montresor turns the accepted structure of the world upside down, makes a fool of Fortunato, and inverts the relationship between the symbolic and the literal.” Montresor makes a fool of Fortunato by manipulating him and mentioning the Amontillado.

According to Benton, Richard P. "The Cask of Amontillado: Overview."

“Montresor speaks to the silent listener, whom he addresses simply as "you." He says, "You, who so well know” According to Benton Richard the theme of "The Cask" was a mixture of such sayings as "Revenge is sweet" and "What passes will be sweet." Richard stated, “Montresor's narrating voice displays an inner satisfaction and a pride in reliving in the present the performance of a masterful trick in the past.” Montresor is so pleased with himself that he proudly exhibited every detail every act, word, and gesture of his treatment of Fortunato because of the “insults” that he said and brought them betray it.

To conclude, the monster in the short story of “The Cask of Amontillado” is Montresor. Montresor "forced the last stone into its position" and "plastered it up," covering it with "the old rampart of bones," and then prays that what is buried there should "In pace requiescat" (rest in peace). As the story continues, Montresor heart grew sick on account of “the dampness of the catacombs, “After years of keeping quiet about his murder, Montresor finally reveals his self-madness and vengeance as he thrusts about what had happened, and why he murdered Fortunato with such hate. Montresor responds by echoing and surpassing the cries of his victim.

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