Symbolism In Beowulf

A man by the name of Montresor killed his best friend, Fortunato, by suffocation. He killed Fortunato because he insulted him. Another man named General Zaroff was a Cossack general until the army fell. He began hunting and quickly became bored of it because the animals weren’t cunning enough. He lured whole ships of people onto his island merely for the purpose of hunting them for his own enjoyment. General Zaroff may sound more dangerous than Montresor, but when it comes to manipulating, he will become a psychopathic, but careful killer.

The general didn’t really try to hide the fact that he committed such a serious crime. He bluntly said that he hunts humans and he wasn’t joking. This shows that the general isn’t really dangerous if you are a better hunter than him. “...why should I not be serious about hunting” The general may strike fear into his opponents, but

Montresor never actually told the reader what the insult was, but we as the reader can tell that it wasn’t a big insult, because Fortunato doesn’t act aggressively towards Montresor, so this shows that this wasn’t a big, or and intentional insult. “It must be understood, that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will.” This shows just how careful Montresor and how he can manipulate a person into thinking that he is still Fortunato’s friend and that he isn’t planning to murder him. Another example of Montresor being dangerous is when he is making the wall, Montresor waits until Fortunato stops struggling so he can listen to him in agony. “The noise lasted for several minutes, during which, that I might hearken to it with the more satisfaction, I ceased my labours and sat down upon the bones.” This shows that he is very sadistic and that he enjoys others being tormented. This proves that Montresor is more dangerous and manipulative than General