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Cast of Amontillado

Cask of Amontillado is a story by the renowned author Allan Poe known for his horrific and thriller novels. In this book, the narrator is Montresor who in the beginning points out that he had been insulted by his aquittance, Fortunato and that he wants to revenge for this. It is not clear who Montresor is making the confession to. The most likely explanation is that Montresor may have been writing a letter and event described may have taken place more than fifty years ago. The auditor who is referred do as “You’” is someone who knows Montresor. Although Montresor wants to exact his revenge on Fortunato, there is lack of evidence on the thousands of injuries that he claims to have been inflicted on him. He uses his experience of the insult to become the judge, jury as well as the executioner. The fact that Montresor was narrating the story fifty years ago makes the story seem even more unreliable.

The main theme in the story is that of revenge. Montresor is a character that has been scorned and although the injuries he was inflicted on are more than 50 years old, he is hell bent on ensuring Fortunato pays. He justifies his desire to take revenge by stating that he is uploading his family motto which “No one assails me with impunity.” Fortunato is chained into the room and Montresor wants him to die a slow death from hunger and dehydration. Poe shows how powerful need for revenge can be and how it may consume one’s soul even years later (Dern, pg. 53-70).

Poe utilizes color imagery as a key concept in questioning of Montresor’s motives. He states that his face had been covered by a silk mask probably to show that Montresor represents biased revenge. Fortunato on the other hand dons “motley-colored costume” and he tragically is fooled by Montresor’s motives. The color scheme used by the author portrays irony of Fortunato death sentence. The fact that Montresor choses carnival is an indication of how this period is characterized by lack of social order Author also employs foreshadowing. In the text, Fortunato states that “I shall not die of a cough, “and Montresor goes ahead to reply “True.” (Poe, pg. 45). This foreshadows the fact that Montresor already knew how Fortunato will die, that is by starvation and dehydration in the crypt.

Just like most of his other stories, Poe’s utilizes gothic elements. He creates a lot of horrific scenes which heighten suspense. A good example is the scene where Montresor and Fortunato are in the empty and dark castle alone. WE know for a fact that Montresor is planning a revenge but we are left wondering if he was going to execute the revenge in the castle. The setting of the story in itself ids gothic as it takes place in the dark catacombs, the catacomb has a grave site. Fortunato and Montresor work their way through narrow dark passageways, with dimly light torches that are underground and as they proceed the rooms keep getting smaller. This creates suspense because as a reader you are not in a position to predict what may take place next.

In conclusion, Allan Poe successfully narrates a story through use of literary devices to build on the plot, themes and characters in the story. Just like his other novels, he utilizes several gothic elements including the setting of the story to create fear and suspense among the readers. From the action of Montresor, we learn that dwelling on the past and seeking revenge on people who wrong us may lead us into committing crimes that may haunt us for the rest of our lives.

Works Cited

Dern, John A. “Poe’s Public Speakers: Rhetorical Strategies in” The Tell-Tale Heart” and” The Cask of Amontillado”.” The Edgar Allan Poe Review (2001): 53-70.

Poe, Edgar A, and Gary Kelley. The Cask of Amontillado. Mankato, Minn: Creative Education, 2008. Print.