Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Cask of Amontillado’: Revenge, Hypocrisy, and Society

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Poe’s realistic convention
Poe’s commentary on society
Individual place in society
Psychology in society
Conclusion
Reference

Introduction

In the story of “the cask of amontillado” by Edgar Poe, we see the premeditated murder by the protagonist in this case Montresor (Richard, 20). Montresor wanted to take revenge on his friend Fortunato -an Italian name meaning the fortunate one- who he claimed had repeatedly insulted him. On the day of the carnival Montresor goes looking for Fortunato and finds him a bit tipsy and it is then that he tells him of how he had acquired a rare kind of amontillado –a French sherry- and he wanted his assistance because he, Fortunato was a connoisseur of fine wine. Fortunato immediately agreed to the offer dismissing the fact that he was busy and Montresor was not to go to Luchesi, his competitor for the task.

On reaching Montresor’s vault, all the workers dismissed for the day, is where Montresor leads Fortunato to his death without suspicion, on the way he offers him wine and appears concerned when he starts coughing. On reaching the place Montresor manages to tie Fortunato to a stone and burry’s him alive, Fortunato calls out to his murderer and when Montresor is through he calls out his friend’s name and when there is no reply. He lights a torch and suddenly feels sick in his heart. He recounts half a century now without being discovered.

Poe’s realistic convention

Poe can bring a realistic convention in his story by use of dialogue and how in the first part Montresor talks of vengeance and we see how he approaches Fortunato and convinces him. There is also the feeling of reality when he shows a feeling of concern toward Fortunato as they proceed to the vault when he starts coughing and he keeps telling Fortunato that maybe they should go back.

When Montresor burry’s Fortunato alive and he starts to call out to him to stop joking then calls out to him again, here the feeling of fear is well brought out towards demise and lastly is when Montresor is finished replacing the stone that he suddenly feels sick, that captures the guilt he feels for murdering Fortunato, even though he puts it on the dumbness of the catacombs, he knows exactly what is the reason for the sudden feeling.

Poe’s commentary on society

Writing the tale “cask of amontillado” is a way of Poe trying to comment about the society at large, without having to point at fingers. The actions and words used are a symbol of what characterizes society and what it is made of. In the first section where Montresor thinks of the “a thousand insults” he had taken from his Italian friend Fortunato, he can only think of nothing but revenge and starts premeditating on it. This shows how society today seeks revenge on wrong deeds upon them.

In the tale a lot of hypocrisy is also reflected upon where Montresor shakes Fortunato’s hand and says how lucky he has found him, et he was looking for him and when they are inside the volt when Fortunato starts coughing and comments that the cough cannot kill him, Montresor agrees to it because he knows that he is the one to kill him. His concern for his health was also very hypocritical since you cannot care for a man whom you are going to kill. Society is seen as opportunistic in the story because, Montresor takes advantage of the carnival season to accomplish his plan and the fact that he had dismissed his workers. Montresor also fully aware of Fortunato’s dunked status and the love of wine took the opportunity to lure him to go taste the supposed amontillado. This shows with every chance an opportunity presents itself people with a motive will jump and grab it.

There is a lot of deeming in society as brought out by Poe. We see Montresor when describing Fortunato as an Italian who when it came to painting and gemmary was a quack, and Fortunato is also caught undermining Luchesi , his competitor saying that he could not differentiate between sherry and amontillado yet amontillado was indeed a type of sherry. There is also the reflection of judgmental attitude with Montresor judging Fortunato for the countless insults he had inflicted on him, yet he was planning revenge by killing Fortunato and burying him alive in his own vault.

We can see a lot of injustice in society or rather prove of no justice system because the murder Montresor recount fifty years since the murder he committed yet no one had put up an investigation on the case; and yet on the other side of the justice system was there then maybe Montresor would not have had to apply the law of the hills and take it upon himself to revenge.

Betrayal exhibits itself a lot in this story where Montresor tricks his friend into believing that he indeed had acquired amontillado and on their way even offers him wine to take only later to kill Fortunato. It shows how easy it is to trust someone you know and they also know that leads you into a trap and hence they turn on you.

Poe is showing widely the irony in which people live in for example, Fortunato was a connoisseur of fine wine yet he commented dismissing Luchesi that he could not differentiate between amontillado and sherry yet amontillado is indeed a sherry. Later on when he was offered the French wine De Grave he took it in a gulp and without any regard for it and being a fine wine it ought to be taken slowly. All the above characters despite there being two main characters in the story that is Fortunato and Montresor they paint the picture and play as a mirror to place the society and how individuals view themselves and also others. (Philip, 106)

Individual place in society

This could be from either family background or the roots one was coming from or the profession one practices and passed on tradition. The cask of amontillado reflects how individuals know their place in society a first example is the way Montresor defines Fortunato as an Italian who does not practice what the Italians are identified for mostly- gemmary and painting but does quite well as a connoisseur of fine wine. This gives Fortunato his place in society as a fine wine taster, and that is why he even dismisses Luchesi to go and taste on Montresor amontillado, because he wants to keep his identity which he must by having as many people coming to him for the same service.

When they are in the vault Fortunato asks Montresor to remind him of their arm and Montresor doing so shows how he identifies with his family background to show his place in the society that he indeed comes from a particular family lineage and they are bound by that particular motto. A place in society formed trust among the group and that is why even though Montresor knew quite well that he was not a mason he pretended to be one so that Fortunato can trust him even more because it was to make him believe that Montresor was one with Fortunato. An individual has to have status and that is why in the first place, Montresor pre-determines Fortunato’s death for humiliating him in the society this is like an unforgivable act since his ego was crushed and his place stripped.

Psychology in society

Cask of amontillado, one of the grotesque murders, without any bloodshed brings out a psychopath in Montresor. A man who plays reverse psychology on his friend Fortunato in the following ways:

He would smile when talking to Fortunato, giving him an impression that they were friends, while all along he had in his mind an ulterior motive of murder.

To plan his death he had to identify Fortunato’s caught and in this case he used his profession and the love of wine. Then he makes him believe that indeed they have just bumped into each other and he is looking for someone to taste his newly acquired amontillado. He goes on to pick a date when the carnival is in progress and finds reasons to dismiss his workers, knowing too well there will be no eye witness.

When they are inside the vault he fakes his concern for Fortunato’s health and even offers twice they return knowing well Fortunato’s love for wine, he declines and insists that they proceed. So in this case it was Fortunato who was leading himself to his death.

Conclusion

This story hence brings out the many people who have studied human behavior and are very good at manipulating their way using reverse psychology. A story well displayed by Poe leaving the reader to judge for themselves and leave room for questions.

Reference

Booth. Allan “Norton introduction to literature,” Cask of amontillado by Edgar Poe. (1990).

Philip Bergian.Old Boston in early photographs. Boston: Boston society (1990), pg. 106.

Richard, Benton. “Poe the cask of amontillado, its cultural and Historical background.” Poe studies (1999):pg. 19-27.

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