Any fan of the medieval and Victorian eras knows that there are many stories centered around the rectification of lost or sullied honor through varying means of revenge. Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” is no exception. The story’s protagonist, Montresor, feels that his friend, Fortunato, has insulted his family’s honor and decides to take revenge during a nighttime carnival by luring Fortunato into the Montresor family crypt and sealing him inside to die a slow death. Through the use of irony and symbolism, Poe reveals to readers an intense theme of revenge.
Throughout the years of human advancement people have suffered and lives have been stolen in the pursuit of personal gain. Although it does make me question if it is always for someone’s personal gain or if there are other factors that are involved. The human mind and soul has been shown to be inherently evil one generation after another. I
He obsesses to revenge with physically and perfectly, and also enjoys it during the process of the plan. He is not lazy to prepare for revenge, he takes advantage of Fortunato’s pride well and lures him to the vaults. He chews well and enjoys the last moment of his death. In this story “The Cask of Amontillado”, Montresor is described a very callous and cruel man. Poe describes the mental state of a man who is going to kill people horribly and admirably. In addition, his the last word “In peace requiescat!” expresses Montresor’s cruel and horrible character that he is indifferent of his friend’s death he despite killed him. This is the mental state of a man who is going to kill
•In Flannery O ' Conner 's “A Good Man is Hard to Find” the roles of chance and fate help to drive the plot to its high point. Chance is present when the grandmother, at the preamble of the story, refuses to be persuaded to travel to Florida in fear of a loose criminal nicknamed The Misfit. Instead, she decides on a whim to visit a friend in Tennessee. She shows this determination when she says she "wouldn 't stay home to be queen for a day" and she "wouldn 't stay home for a million bucks". Fate plays it 's cards when the grandmother finishes telling her story to her grandchildren. She suddenly realizes that there was a route that they
Revenge is a real thing in today’s society. It happens every day. There are different reasons for revenge from as small, as a small child stealing a stick of gum to a drug dealer murdering a nark. Regardless, taking revenge in itself may be for the greater good, or evil. But every action has a cause and effect. Poe focuses mainly on the concept of, is it worth taking revenge for, how far you are willing to go for it, and will you end up regretting your choice. In Montresor’s case, he might’ve ended up with regret in either scenario of him taking or not taking revenge on Fortunato. Either way, I believe Poe’s theme of revenge relates to a much bigger theme in life, choice. The ability to choose is everything we do, decide, and without it, we wouldn’t be anything. The ability to choose which avenue we will take, and weigh the pros and cons of each one, enables us to make a better choice. Ultimately, when it comes to the end, nothing ever matters except all the things you’ve done up to that point. Did you take the risks you wanted to, did you live your life, did you get what you wanted, did you take revenge? Live life to the fullest, go out and do things, but as Poe might say, make sure it isn’t the wrong things you’re
Throughout history, alcohol has been associated with death, although many times through health issues. In this case the words used by Montresor, “You were not to be found and I was fearful of losing a bargain” (6), are what led him into the catacombs led by Montresor. Had Fortunato not had a weakness for wine and had not been drunk when he was trapped he might’ve lived. The narrator greatly illuminates the catacombs as a place of death and torment, mthrough this Poe’s theme of betrayal is illuminated. The words “withered” (17), “terminate” (69), “pass” (79), all add an eerie feeling of death. As well as the statement by the narrator, “It’s walls had been lined with human remains piled to the vault overhead, in the fashion of the great catacombs of Paris” (74). The statement is ironic due to Paris being the city of love, and in this sense it is being compared to the “great catacombs” (74) which are located
Constantly facing the darkness of looming greed and lust, humanity seems to be doomed to trudge in the mires of sin forever. However, while fear and chaos—especially a lack of guidance—can cause cruelty to flourish, it is also where kindness makes its greatest display. In “Why Boys Become Vicious”, William Golding argues that mayhem and terror brings out the evil nature of humans. Without proper order and parental guidance, humans are lead astray and band together only to create more chaos and cruelty. Even so, humans can come together to show kindness and love. Even seemingly barbaric gangs search for order in society and provide security and comfort for the impoverished. People are naturally inclined to help others and act socially, especially
In the “Cask of Amontillado” Poe tells a story about a man, Montresor, getting revenge on the one who tarnished his family name, Fortunato. Poe starts off the story with a monologue from Montresor talking about how he will get revenge on Fortunato for insulting him Montresor said “at length I will be avenged” (83) showing Montresor plans to get his revenge no matter what. When Montresor tricks Fortunato into coming into the vaults with him it gets the reader on the edge of their seat wondering how Montresor will get his revenge. Poe leaves readers wondering what will happen until the climax comes and Montresor traps Fortunato in the wall of the vault for all eternity.
Everybody will eventually want revenge on an old friend or just someone they know. Montressor, similar to many people in the world, wants revenge on one of his old friends, Fortunato. The story opens with, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge” (Poe 212). In this statement, Montressor tells the reader what the cause of his revenge against Fortunato is. “The Cask of Amontillado”, written by Edgar Allen Poe, tells the story of how Montressor brings Fortunato into the catacombs to bury him alive. Montressor, from the story “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe, is insane because he lies about wine to get Fortunato into the catacombs, he plays off of Fortunato’s ego, and he buries Fortunato alive.
Lastly Montressor is very well cultured man having grew up in a family that had some upperclassmen and his use of his words. In his time with his enemy Fortunato Montresor had used many of his words against him for what he had said to him before. Montressor greeted Fortunato in a classic matter stating "My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. How remarkably well you are looking to-day!”. The saying represents how cultivated the 1700s character is by showing a formal greeting. Montresor also lives by his family morals and is also apparently well taught by them, trying to pass the family
Human Nature can be both good and evil, we can love people or pray for their failure. In A Separate Peace by John Knowles there is a lot of examples of that throughout the book. The main character, Gene certainly shows many different sides of the good and evil in humans. Gene repents human nature.
When it comes to writting performance, Poe is so graceful with his purpose from sentence to sentence. Poe starts his story in a strange way because readers do not know exactly about Fortunato’s personaily, he insults Montresor whether seriously or not which enables him to receive severe revenge and the result of Fortunato is seemingly predicted : “ A wrong is unredressed....who has done the wrong” (1). In addition, every single detail contains many implications of irony. The name of the victim, Fortunato, means “ the fortunate one”. The most terrible actions are executed in a carnival atmosphere of happiness. The motto “Nemo me impune lacessit” (No one attacks me with impunity) indicates that the entire Montresor Family history is filled with acts of revenge; the jinging of the bells announcing Fortunato’s death.
Good vs. evil. Reason vs. instinct. Civilization vs. savagery. These are all examples of internal battles that occur within oneself and which can lead to horrifying consequences. In William Golding’s, Lord of the Flies, a group of young boys find themselves stranded on an island, after a plane crash. Without any adult supervision or guidance, the boys are forced to systematically establish a firm set of rules and duties, in order to coexist on the island. At first everyone, is glad to be assigned their tasks and fulfill the needed requirements to survive. However, things soon turn for the worst, when one by one the boys begin to succumb to the evil within them. With the quick deterioration of societal rules, the boys turn on one another and participate in
Revenge, a thought that has crept into the minds of almost everyone yet, most would not kill to attain it. Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” depicts the murder of a man named Fortunato at the hands of Montresor. “Revenge” being the justification for this cruel act makes the morals of Montresor questionable and gradually builds to form a terrifying story. The dialogue between the two characters and the imagery used to create the catacombs and the twisted carnival atmosphere ultimately makes up this dark story.
In the short story, The Cask of Amontillado, by Edgar Allan Poe, we see a man who is dead set on revenge. Has anyone ever done something to you, and you thought to yourself, “you just wait, your time will come?” If we were being honest, the answer to that question would be yes. The opening line to the story suggests that the narrator has had dealings with Fortunato before, but had never been insulted. “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge” (as cited by Kirszner & Mandell, 2012, pg. 190). In other words, I have put up with a lot from this person but now that he has insulted me, I will make him regret it. The symbolisms within this story are numerous and uncanny, and can be seen throughout, the entire piece, by analyzing the elements of fiction contained within.