The Cask Of Amontillado And Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Both Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” (1846) and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” (1892) depict a clever man seeking his own form of justice. Poe’s Montresor seeks revenge against Fortunato, a wine expert who has insulted him, by killing him with impunity. Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes also seeks justice, but he is trying to save Helen Stoner from her step-father, Dr. Grimesby Roylott, who desires her inheritance. Holmes and Montresor share the qualities of cleverness and determination in pursuing their goals, but they differ greatly in their motivations.
As Montresor and Holmes seek their specific forms of justice, they both demonstrate cleverness. Montresor’s sharp intellect is apparent when he tells his servants “not to stir from the house” but then tells them that he will not return until the morning as he wants to “insure their immediate disappearance” (Poe 2) and eliminate witnesses. Similarly, Holmes reveals his cleverness when he sees the bell ropes and figures out that they are “Dummy bell ropes” (Doyle 5) which go through “ventilators which do not ventilate” (Doyle 9) into Dr. Grimesby Roylott’s room, thus an obvious clue. Both Montresor and Holmes use their cleverness to gain advantages. Montresor demonstrates his cunning when he suggests going “‘to Luchesi,”’ (Poe 2) a rival wine expert, as a way to make Fortunato jealous so that Fortunato will go down to the catacombs with him. Holmes’ partner Watson expresses his admiration