Category: The Cask of Amontillado

The issue of human relationships has occupied authors for thousands of years. The misfortune that can arise in the soul of one person can be caused by another person. However, it is possible that a person artificially invents the cause of his unhappiness and blames the other for this, although the problem might not exist if he had a different attitude to it. Noticing the problem in oneself and not shifting responsibility to another actualize the necessity of analyzing literary works concerning such topics. The stories “The Birth-Mark” and “The Cask of Amontillado” are connected by a common theme that concerns a person’s destructive misfortune of which another one is unjustly accused.

In regard “The Birth-Mark” by Hawthorne, its main character, whose name is Aylmer, is a scientist and a philosopher, who is unhappy and making his wife miserable because the mark on his wife’s cheek annoys him. Despite the desire to know sensual love for a woman and a warm relationship with his wife, he began to think negatively about her birthmark “very soon after their marriage” (Hawthorne 764). Because of his reaction, his wife Georgiana cried and felt terrible. Aylmer had a dream about removing his wife’s birthmark and getting to her heart. He looks for various ways to fix what he considers a flaw so that Georgiana’s perfection is not tainted, even though such attempts to remove it “may cause cureless deformity” (Hawthorne 768). In the end, his experiments bring his wife to death: she drinks a liquid that aims at eradicating the birthmark, but at the same time, she dies. Thus, the hero’s desire to eliminate a little imperfection in the world leads to his beloved’s death.

The author describes a man who cannot be happy due to the reasons he created inside his mind, and these reasons are not connected with reality. Hawthorne describes a scientist with a brilliant career and a beautiful wife (764). The hero himself ruins his life and the life of Georgiana solely because of his own ideas about a perfect wife in an ideal world. Due to his manic desire to change his wife’s little peculiarity, he cannot enjoy life and destroys her life as well. Aylmer frequently makes mistakes in his experiments, but the only thing he wants to fix is a mole on his wife’s cheek. Thus, the author shows a character who does not realize his own imperfection and who seeks to correct another person. In others’ imperfections, he recognizes the cause of his unhappiness and kills the innocent woman, which does not lead to happiness.

As for my response to the author’s thought, I think Hawthorne clearly expresses the idea of the destructive influence of a person’s desire to correct another in an effort to eradicate his own misfortune. The main character Aylmer does not see the problem in himself. Nevertheless, the only defect of the perfect wife annoys him so much that he spends all his time and energy looking for a way to fix it. It should be mentioned that realizing that she is dying, Georgiana does not blame her husband and is sure that he did “nobly” (Hawthorne 780). The hero is accused by the author, who, through the death of the heroine, reveals the fatal wrong of the hero’s aspirations.

Regarding “The Cask of Amontillado” by Poe, the main hero, Montresor, seems to be an example of a vengeful character that has a lot of inner grudge against another for no apparent reason. He chains another hero, Fortunato, in a wine cellar and builds a wall so that he cannot get out. The author does not explain the reason for the protagonist’s hatred of Fortunato; the reader can only guess about it. For example, he says about “THE thousand injuries” that Fortunato caused, Montresor thinks that this man is as happy, as once he was (Poe 590). The reader can only speculate about the reason for his hatred: Montresor is no longer Masson, while his former friend has risen in society by belonging to that community. It may be the envy of another person’s prosperity that pushes the hero to the crime. Hence, being dissatisfied with his social position due to the exclusion from Masonry, Montresor tries to eradicate his misfortune not by correcting his own situation but by changing the life of another individual.

In addition, the author emphasizes the fundamental wrong of the hero through one detail. It is extremely interesting that the coat of arms of Montresor’s family depicts a human foot that “crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel” (Poe 593). The symbolism of this detail can be interpreted in different ways. Nevertheless, the most likely explanation seems to be related to the eternal restlessness of the hero. In other words, it can be correlated with the foot that crushes the snake, which in Christian culture can be interpreted as a symbol of greed and covenant. However, the snake bites the leg, which shows that the one who tried to get rid of some kind of misfortune got even bigger problems. Hence, this detail helps to understand that Montresor, thinking that he will be happier if he gets rid of the more successful Fortunato, in fact, after committing this crime, will not become cheerful. His soul, like the foot into which the fangs of a snake sank, will constantly ache, and he will not be able to achieve tranquility.

As for my opinion about the author’s idea, I consider that the methods implemented by Poe within this story in order to convey his thoughts can make a huge impression on the reader. In addition to the general theme, these stories are connected through some details. For example, in both stories, the heroes offer the other characters a drink: Aylmer gives his wife his experimental liquid that will kill her, and Montresor proposes Fortunato wine to keep him drunk and vulnerable. Liquid as a symbol of the transience of life’s path can be a metaphor for the fact that the heroes’ problems will not disappear. The liquid motif shows that, despite their attempts, nothing will change since they chose the wrong path: they changed not themselves but others.

To conclude, the idea connecting the two analyzed stories is that one who is not ready to take responsibility for his misery and wants to change it at the expense of another person will remain unhappy. The stories share common motifs, such as death, misery, and the liquid. Both stories end with the death of an innocent character that, not being the true cause of someone else’s misfortune, became a victim of the mental anxiety of another character.

Works Cited

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. Tales and Sketches. The Library of America, 1982.

Poe, Edgar Allan. Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. Doubleday, 1966.

No criminal shall away prosecution, regardless of their status in the society, welfare, gender, or a case’s circumstances. Montresor, being exceptionally intelligent, took great efforts to end Fortunato’s, his old “friend,” life. Despite claiming that it would not be an act of revenge if the performed were caught, the one who betrayed the trust and buried a miserable Fortunato is standing in the courtroom. He has been keeping a secret for more than fifty-two years, clandestinely and annually celebrating his revenge, with a glass of two of notorious Amontillado. Great wine for revealing old wounds and making the most rigorous and emotionless soul suffer.

At the front door of death, old Montresor had negligence to say to one of his drinking companions that he was the last ever to see Fortunato before he suddenly lost. Several detractors pulled the necessary strings to dig out old rumors and even found a couple of witnesses. All the pieces of the puzzle are placed in their proper places, and the old man is waiting for the final stage of the trial. Prosecuting attorney is saying his closing argument, summarizing all evidence that proves Montresor’s guilt:

“Both witnesses confirmed that they saw Fortunato escaping the event in the evening he was last seen, with Montresor. It was also found that no servant was allowed to stay at the house where the murder was committed. Presumably, this order was given by Montresor to cover the potential evidence of the crime, as none had a chance to see both the victim and the criminal entering the vault. However, it was found that one of the walls in the dungeon has a space behind it. The wall was broken, and the bones of a man were found there. It was proved that the dead man is Fortunato, as the victim used to wear a family treasure, a necklace with the crest of the House Fortunato belonged to.

Finally, there is a concrete motive for Montresor to commit a crime. It was discovered that the victim used to bull the criminal in his childhood. Presumably, Montresor had been seeking revenge before the convenient time had come. Then, he invited the victim to his house’s dungeon and murdered him by burying him behind the wall with cold blood. It is that the murder is a reason for the fifty-two years-old disappearance of the respected Fortunato, and the Montresor’s guild is undeniable.”

This long speech did not strike a chord with the old man’s soul, as his conscience had forced him to experience a countless number of similar scenes in his mind. It made Montresor accept his fate a long time ago. To be honest, he would merely accept any punishment, but his defense attorney’s still is trying to save him from his worst sin, or at least to let Montresor live a couple more years in this world.

“Even though the victim’s bones and the family necklace were found in the dungeon of the Montresor’s house, there is no evidence that would prove that the murder was committed by the defendant as well. The servants were told to have fun at the celebration, while Montresor and Fortunato left the vault after tasting wine. The murder could be committed by anyone else, without the defendant’s knowing….”

The rest of his defender’s speech drowned in Montresor’s ears. All that he heard after was the jury’s final verdict: “…responsible for the murder. Shall be buried at the prison alive to atone for his crime.” The complete darkness is the last that Montresor has ever seen. Just like the miserable Fortunato, who has left this world fifty-two years, three months, and four days ago.

Introduction

In American literary history, one greatest but unhappiest names is that of Edgar Allen Poe (1809-1849), who is a master of Gothic stories and a celebrated poet of natural human instincts. His whole life is noted for the fits of madness and depression which made him attempt suicide in 1848. This had a great influence on his writings and evidence of such fits can be traced in his short stories and poems. In this discourse two of his famous short stories, ‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart’’ and “The Cask of Amontillado” are studied in an attempt to better understand the use of symbolism, the literary tool of irony, and the theme of terror as a Gothic element in the stories. One of Poe’s most famous short stories, ‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart,’’ (1843) can be best understood as a psychological portrait of a mad narrator who kills a man and afterward hears his victim’s relentless heartbeat. It is simultaneously a horror story and psychological thriller told from a first-person perspective. In his best-known Tales of horror, “The Cask of Amontillado,” (1846) Poe suggests that pride can be a very dangerous thing. He “presents the compelling drama of two men, one who will stop at nothing to get the revenge that he deems himself and his family worthy of, and another whose pride will ultimately be the catalyst for his death.” In this analysis, we find the best study on the symbols, irony, and theme of the two masterly short stories.

In the story ‘Tell-tale heart’ the protagonist kills an old man not because the old man did anything wrong to him or he did not like the person but the idea to kill comes to him naturally. He blames it on the old man’s ‘pale blue eye with a film over it’ being the reason for the murder but how much of it could be true depends on the sanity of the narrator. The narrator is not in a position to explain how the idea to kill the old man came to his mind but it started haunting him once it is conceived. With the plan hatched, he executes the murder and makes sure the old man is stone dead, and then conceals his body leaving no evidence of the crime at the scene. When the police arrive the narrator takes them to the place where he committed the crime. His faith in his ability to hide the murder is so strong that nothing seemed to bother him. However, all of a sudden, his conscience haunts him and he is made to confess the truth by the inner self. The murder, how horrifying it might be, did not haunt him as powerfully as the insanity that the narrator felt forcing to confess the crime without any external pressure.

In the story “The Cask of Amontillado”, the author presents the convincing drama of two men, Fortunato and Montresor. The story tells how the latter plans to revenge the other, and the latter falls prey to the revenge of the other just because of his pride. It may be concluded that it is for the sake of his pride that Montresor takes revenge on Fortunato.

Point One

Symbolism denotes the use of symbols that give a meaning that is beyond the apparent or denotative meaning of the work. Symbolism, which can be understood as the practice of attributing symbolic meanings to objects, events, or relationships is often a very important aspect of literature. They are powerful communicators of the main themes of a story. An author quite often uses symbols to represent a major theme in his work and Poe is such a writer who used powerful symbols for his themes. In the stories ‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart’’ and “The Cask of Amontillado” we find several symbols all of which give particular meaning to the works. In the story “The Tell-Tale Heart” the author puts forward many symbols indicating his intention. Symbols such as ‘pale blue eye,’ ‘pale,’ ‘dark,’ ‘ringing in my ear’ and many such symbols signify the horrifying mood and tense situation. These symbols all refer to the mental capacity of the narrator as well. Poe’s stories are known for their horror and intense situation. The primal instincts in human being and their mental faculty are clarified by such symbols. Edgar Allen Poe’s best-known tale of horror, “The Cask of Amontillado,” suggests that pride can be a very dangerous thing. Through the use of symbolism, Poe presents the drama of two men. Pride and revenge are symbols of one’s destiny and the symbolism in the story is a constant reminder of the inevitability of death. Such symbols like ‘pipe,’ ‘wine’ ‘catacombs,’ ‘jingling of the bells,’ the coat of arms, and the like have a prominent place in the development of the theme.

Literary work one

In the story ‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart’’ the narrator, in the very opening, expresses his reason to kill the old man was nothing other than his eyes which is a strong symbol of the conscience of a person or the window that connects the inner personality with the world outside. The narrator says, “I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture –a pale blue eye… Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold… rid myself of the eye forever.” (‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart’’ Edgar Allen Poe) Here the eye is the symbol of everything that makes a person and the narrator escapes the conscience. When, towards the close of the story, the narrator mentions “a ringing in my ears” it becomes a symbol of the haunting conscience of a guilty person.

Literary work two

“The Cask of Amontillado” is a powerful story using several symbols that make the intention of the author very clear. When Montresor, the narrator, introduces Fortunato at the beginning of the story he also introduces the symbol of pride which stands for the self-destructive force of a human being. He introduces Fortunato as “a man to be respected and even feared… prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine.” (“The Cask of Amontillado,” Edgar Allen Poe) This is the same pride that brings his ultimate destiny. In the final session of the story, Montresor uses the symbol of bells that reminds him of the act he committed. “There came forth in return only a jingling of bells.” (“The Cask of Amontillado,” Edgar Allen Poe)

Outside Source

In an essay on Poe, the characteristics of his symbolism are explained. “Like many of Edgar Allen Poe’s works, ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ is full of death and darkness. Poe used many of the real-life tragedies he experienced as inspiration for his gothic style of writing. Poe dealt with many aspects of death and madness in his stories, madness again is playing a key role in the plot. In this short story, Poe used literary devices such as point of view and symbolism to give it a more dramatic effect and add to the madness the narrator portrays.” Another essay gives the peculiarities of Poe’s symbolism exemplifying the coat of arms in “The Cask of Amontillado” “The short story, “The Cask of Amontillado,” contains many accounts of symbolism. The coat of arms of Montressor’s family is perhaps the best example of symbolism in the whole story.” Thus, we can see the great role of symbols in the development of the story’s theme.

Point two

The irony is a strong literary tool that affirms the author’s points and interests. Through the use of irony, an author puts forward the contrasting elements in a character, the contradiction in a dialogue, and other such ambiguities all of which aim at clarifying the important theme of the writing. By using irony an author views and stresses the main theme in different but self-explaining concepts. Among the prominent writers of the use of irony, Poe stands out with his unique way of stressing the main content. Accordingly, the stories ‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart’’ and “The Cask of Amontillado” are particularly noted for their use of irony. In the first story, the irony is evident in the character of the narrator who is confident about his ability to hide the crime at the same time finds it difficult to get it done. The many dialogues of the character also suggest the irony in the story. The second story “The Cask of Amontillado” also provides many examples of the use of irony.

Literary work one

We can find evidence of the use of irony in many parts of ‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart’’ and the most obvious one would be in the following remark of the narrator. At the beginning of the story, the narrator gives the reason why he would kill the old man. He remarks, “I never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him.” (‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart’’ Edgar Allen Poe) This is irony in its maximum. We may also find the same irony working in the statement by the same character in the second half of the story when the narrator states, “I smiled, –for what I had to fear?” He feels that he does not need to be afraid of anyone as he can hide the crime, but it is proven wrong at the end when his inner struggle compels him to confess the truth. Thus, an irony in its full strength runs through the story making it a literary masterpiece.

Literary work two

As in the above case, “The Cask of Amontillado” as well suggests the power of irony in a short story. The irony in the story makes it more interesting. One of the examples of irony in the story is found when Montresor seals Fortunato in his tomb. The irony is clear in the remark of Fortunato, who, even after the continual insistences of the other to go back, remarks, “the cough’s a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough.” (“The Cask of Amontillado,” Edgar Allen Poe) Here, the irony is in work and it is his adamancy that kills him. There are many such instances of irony in the work. Another example is in the final part of the story when Montresor says, “In pace requiescat” which may be translated as “rest in peace.” (“The Cask of Amontillado,” Edgar Allen Poe)

Outside Source

As an analysis of “The Cask of Amontillado” suggests, in the story “Edgar Allan Poe utilizes irony to make his tale more interesting and entertaining for the audience. Throughout the story there are several different examples of this… irony is indeed a very important part of this story, and it would have much less impact on the reader if it did not contain this literary device. The irony seems to pull the reader into the story and make them active in the story because as they notice it they feel as if they’re interacting with the text.”

Point three

There is a very important aspect of any short story. It is one of the most important parts of the story’s layout. The theme is the controlling idea that the author is trying to convey to the reader in his work. The theme of the writing decides, mainly the merit of the work. Edgar Allen Poe was a writer who used a dark and negative theme in his works. ‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart’’ and “The Cask of Amontillado” are the best examples of the theme of terror in Poe’s stories. This is a theme that places the works of Poe in the Gothic tradition of literature. The stories of Poe are especially noted for their actions of murder and violence, which are instincts of man. The stories likewise tell the relation between the dead and the living and the ceremonies related to death. These give the Gothic effect of terror as well.

Literary work one

In the first story, the loud beating of the concealed victim’s heart, rising in a crescendo gives the relation between the supernatural and the normal world which results in the Gothic situation of terror. The final cry of the narrator in the story proves the worth of the theme of terror. “Villains!’ I shrieked, ‘dissemble no more! I admit the deed!—tear up the planks! here, here! it is the beating of his hideous heart!’” (‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart’’ Edgar Allen Poe) The theme of terror is evident here as in the instance where his conscience haunts him to confess the crime.

Literary work two

In the second story under consideration, the story is directed, from the start, toward a conclusion in a murder that results in terror. “There came forth only a jingling of the bells. My heart grew sick… I hastened to make an end to my labor. I forced the last stone into its position; I plastered it up… In pace requiescat!” This situation creates a Gothic environment that results in terror. The tale ends with the admission that this occurred fifty years ago and that the place has not been disturbed. (“The Cask of Amontillado,” Edgar Allen Poe) The power of this theme of terror is clear in this passage.

Outside source

One of the commentaries of ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ proves that terror is a great theme worked out by the author. “In ‘The Tell-Tale Heart, it is the loud beating of the concealed victim’s heart, rising in a crescendo, which, like a sign from the other world, betrays the guilt of the murderer: No doubt I now grew very pale; — But Talked more fluently and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased—and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound—much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath… but the noise steadily increased…. O God! What could I do?… I felt that I must scream or die—and now—again—hark! louder! louder! louder!” The theme of terror makes Poe a great writer in the Gothic tradition.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we may note that the two famous stories of Edgar Allen Poe, “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Cask of Amontillado” mainly deal with the theme of horror. Murder is horrifying, but not as horrifying as insanity itself. The symbols of the stories are directed towards a better explication of the themes. Both the stories share many qualities in common and the themes and symbols of both the works occur as interchangeable. The use of irony is a great effort from the author. It is an effective literary tool in the hands of the master craftsman and the stories prove the same. There is a great relationship among the various stories of Poe and this discussion proves the fact. Thus, the relation between the two stories in symbolism, irony, and theme proves that the author is successful in their use throughout his works.

References

‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart’’ Edgar Allen Poe, 1843. Web.

“The Cask of Amontillado,” Edgar Allen Poe. Web.

Critical Analysis of Poe’s The Tell Tale Heart.

The Cask of Amontillado.Web.

Introduction

“The Cask of Amontillado” was written in 1847, and different scholars across the globe have since analyzed it. It is a story that leaves the audience in suspense, and the readers are unable to know what happened with the cask of amontillado. The main characters are Montresor and Fortunato, and the two have different personalities. The former is full of vengeance, and he wants to revenge on his friend Fortunato who is unaware of the offense. Based on the story, different narratives can be drawn from it as lawyers and juries.

The Prosecuting Attorney’s Closing Argument

Montresor is guilty as charged because of his actions both before and during the act. He had the choice to let Fortunato live, but, instead, he chose to take the law by himself and killed an innocent soul. Fortunato was already drunk and unable to make a rational decision, yet he intentionally lured him into a death trap that was well organized. Because of this, no amount of punishment can warranty his action, and he deserves to face the law. Justice must be served, and it must prevail through appropriate punishment. There were legal mechanisms he could have pursued in case he felt he was wronged. However, he decided to kill an innocent man who regarded him as a friend.

The Defense Attorney’s Closing Argument

Regrettably, Fortunato had to die in the manner he did. Consequently, his family was going through the pain and loss of their loved ones. However, no evidence shows that Montresor was linked to his death. Fortunato was already drunk by the time he was led to the cask of amontillado (Poe, 1847). Moreover, he tried to warn him of proceeding with the journey to where the wine was placed. Fortunato insisted, and there was nothing else Montressor would do than to guide him through the catacombs. Moreover, he never forced him to enter the dangerous place where the fine amontillado was kept. Fortunato himself made this decision, and no amount of pleading would stop him. Therefore, Montresor is innocent, and Fortunato’s actions led to his untimely death.

The Jury’s Final Verdict

Having considered all the facts presented, Fortunato took himself to the place where he was killed. It seems he was obsessed with tasting amontillado without considering the dangerous warnings Montresor had given him. He continued to drink the wine he was given along the way by Montresor, which impaired his reasoning. However, Montresor had been planning to revenge on Fortunato for an extended period. He deceived his friend that he had amontillado wine, and he could lead him to where it was stored. He had visited the place before and even arranged the stones that he would use to kill Fortunato if he managed to lure him. Therefore, he intentionally committed the crime, and he had to be sentenced.

Succinctly, the jury agrees with the attorney’s arguments because of the evidence available. The party involved in the death of Fortunato was sober and had been planning his actions for a long time. He perfectly lured his victim to the execution place and killed him. The stones used to build a wall that trapped the victim were taken to the scene with a purpose. Therefore, the suspect was found guilty of the murder and was sentenced to serve his full term behind bars.

Reference

Poe, E. A. (1847). The cask of amontillado. The Poe Museum. Web.

The Cask of Amontillado is one of the best known works of Edgar Allan Poe. This is a tale woven together through the use of lies and smooth words coming out from its main character and narrator.

The short story is interesting in the sense that all the information about the characters and the events that transpired that day came only from one source (Poe, p.1). Without remorse Montressor recounted how he deceived his friend Fortunato and led him to a trap that would kill him. It is therefore fitting to use characterization as an element to support the theme of betrayal.

The theme of the story is betrayal. Montressor said that he was a friend of Fortunato and yet he plotted his murder. The elaborate scheme was revealed by the murderer himself when he gave away clues as to how he has planned the event beforehand and that it was not spontaneous act.

Betrayal is the theme most evident in the story because Montressor was able to deceive his friend Fortunato. He played on his weakness. The pride of Fortunato was his downfall but it could never have been exploited until Montressor played the part of a good friend. Fortunato was an unsuspecting prey led to a deadly trap.

The betrayal was perfectly set-up because of the personal qualities of Montressor. This is why Edgar Allan Poe’s characterization is the most important element of this short story. Without the brilliant characterization of Montressor the story cannot stand on its own and the readers would not be convinced that a betrayal of such magnitude is possible.

The author was able to paint the picture of a cold-blooded killer capable of deceiving a friend. He was able to do this by allowing Montressor to be the narrator and the only source of information regarding the other elements of the story. Although the revelation of the character of Montressor was done indirectly, the fact that he was also the narrator of the story enabled readers to have access to his thoughts and feelings.

By doing so the author was able to reveal a great deal of information regarding the foul mind of Montressor. At the same time wary readers can see how the plot to kill Fortunato evolved from an insult, to a grudge and then finally to premeditated murder. The characterization of Montressor also made it clear why the murderer succeeded and why he was able to commit the perfect crime in the sense that no one would know that he was the culprit.

The characterization also revealed how Montressor’s mind work because he was able to foresee different factors that would work in his favor. He had foresight to kill his friend at the height of the carnival because he knew that Fortunato would be drunk. He also knew that it is the only time of the year that he could wear a mask without drawing suspicion. He could also then cover his face to prevent witnesses from identifying the man who was with Fortunato the last time he was seen alive.

Conclusion

The most dominant theme of the story is betrayal. The challenge for the author was to convince the readers that a powerful and influential man like Fortunato can be easily led to a trap. In this regard the author had to expertly use characterization to explain the motives of the killer and why he had the capability to commit a terrible crime. The characterization of Montressor also gave readers access to his thoughts and feelings therefore clarifying that he was intent to murder and betray his friend.

Work Cited

Poe, Edgar Allan. The Cask of Amontillado. PoeStories.com, 2005. https://poestories.com/read/amontillado. 27 July 2011.

Exploring the meaning of “The Cask of Amontillado”

Why is the insult that Montressor feels he has suffered at the hands of Fortunato?

The insult set upon Montresor by Fortunato is never clearly revealed in The Cask of Amontillado. It seems to have been a personal affront that was delivered and at the time it was done, Montresor could not defend himself. But that was not to say that he did not want to avenge himself. Suffice to the personal insult by Fortunato could only be avenged by his death.

Why does Montressor use the cask of wine to lure Fortunato into the crypt?

Montresor uses the cask of wine to lure Fortunato to the crypt because Fortunato fancies himself a wine connoisseur. As such, he will take any opportunities to taste all wine vintages, wherever it may be located. The crypt where Fortunato was killed indicates the descent of Montresor into the madness of hell where he does not feel any remorse at all. His method of murder signifies what he knows of stone masonry, of which he is a member, instead of the Masons, which is a secret organization that Fortunato is a member of.

Exploring the meaning of “Ligeia”

The relationship between the narrator and Ligeia

Ligeia’s relation to the narrator is the embodiment of Germanic Romanticism. Her existence is dark, heavy, shrouded in secrecy and mystery. He is attracted by her rare intellect, unusual beauty, and love of languages. The author has an opium addiction. As such, he is prone to delusions and hallucinations, It is quite possible that Ligea was simply that, a creation of his mind, since he could not present any solid evidence of her actual existence.

The explanation of the story’s conclusion

Lady Rowena is a woman born out of logic and nature. She thrives on learning as Ligea did, however, Rowena has a more lighthearted approach to life, which is the opposite of Ligea. Due to the darkness of her marriage, Lady Rowena’s spirit is killed. her husband has no interest in her and her surroundings are dark and sullen, the exact opposite of her personality. This drives her to her kind of madness and eventual physical death. Ligea does not truly come back from death. It is a mind trick played on the narrator by a combination of his opium use and slow descent into madness.

Introduction

The reason why I chose the works of both Poe Edgar Allan and Dickson Emily is that they have very interesting plots that keep the reader intrigued by the unfolding events of their narration. The key theme in these stories is madness, which is a topic of great interest to me as a reader.

A writer like Allan Poe Edgar has been termed as one of the very famous Gothic fiction writers of the 19^th century. All of his stories are identified with dark settings as well as characters who have deluded or diseased minds. In addition to this aspect, the fiction he writes revolves around illusion where reality and madness remain unsolved. This type of stories appeals to young people and particularly college students.

In addition, the target audience is especially people who have a keen interest in the topic of madness or people who deal with madness cases. However, I dedicate this anthology to my friend Allan simply because he is a great encouragement to me when it comes to studying and developing myself. What makes my anthology interesting is that it revolves around a very captivating yet serious topic, which is madness that many people may not speak of, but is very much in our society.

Poe Allen has written “The tell-tale heart” where his artistic and imaginative capabilities emerge with the strong original story line he has come up with. The story is a first person narrative whereby a murderer confesses having committed a gruesome crime without any motive.

Right from the start of the story, there is a revelation of the protagonist’s madness; however, the reader wonders whether what he is saying is true or he is just hallucinating (Poe The tell-tale heart 34). There is no certain date of when the author wrote the Tell-Tale Heart narrative, but evidence shows that it happened most likely in mid 1842 right after Poe had his third heart attack.

The other story that Poe Allen has written is “The fall of the House of Usher” whereby the main theme is about the haunted house, which is crumbling and this aspects brings out a Gothic effect. This story brings out Poe’s capability of coming up with works that have emotional tones and particularly feelings such as guilt, doom, and fear. The main character Roderick Usher is suffering from mental illness as narrated by an unknown narrator.

Third story written by Poe Allan is “the Cask of Amontillado” published in the month of November 1846. The setting of the story is an Italian city that remains nameless and is about revenge by the narrator on his friend allegedly for insulting him. The plot covers a story of a person who is attacked and the killer buries him alive.

The main theme in this story is murder; however, there is no investigation done in regards to the Montresor’s crime; instead, it is the murderer himself who reveals how he killed his friend (Poe The Cask of Amontillado 16). This story leaves the reader with the task of determining who committed the murder.

The fourth works that I chose is “Much madness is Divinest Sense,” by Dickinson Emily, which dates back to 1862; however, the poem was published 30 years later. In a world that was heavily male dominated, the poem brings out Emily Dickinson as a person who brought out a sense of rebellion and humor in the poem. The poem also brings out a feeling of anger. The central theme of “Much madness is Divinest Sense” is madness, which is a key factor in all the other stories that I chose.

Critical Analysis

As aforementioned, this paper is an analysis of the aforementioned stories based on the theme of madness. “The Tell-Tale-Heart” by Allan Poe is a murderer’s confession explaining the ghastly murder that he committed. The narrator’s high degree of madness stands out clearly even as the story opens up; however, one might confuse this madness with delusions, which leaves the reader torn between the two elements, viz. madness and delusions.

As the story starts, the narrator maintains that he does not have any mental illness by stating that he is telling his story in a calm manner and this somehow aspect proves he is sane (Poe The Tell-Tale-Heart 65). He goes on to give details of how he killed an old man who he claims that he loved and actually, they shared a house.

What stands out is the reason as to why he killed him; he says that he killed him all because the poor old man had some physical characteristics (pale eyes), which were a threat to the narrator and thus he decided to do away with them altogether and thus eliminate the threat and torment eventually. Contrastingly, at one point, the narrator states that he is sane and he goes ahead to give an account of the crime.

He chronicles the happenings of the crime with such precision that anyone would doubt his madness given the degree of remembrance that he portrays in the process of recounting the story. However, the pressing question remains, why a sane person would kill another simply because the victim has ‘unpleasant” features like pale eyes and confess the crime.

The sanity that underscores the aspect of clear remembrance and recounting of the events leading to the death of the old man is overshadowed by the insanity of committing such an act and thus the narrator is clearly mad. The narrator is obsessed by the element of time throughout the story. The readers can point to clear madness for how can a sane person kill a person just because the color of his eyes freaks him out; only a mad person can do such a thing.

“The Fall of the House of Usher” based on the theme of madness shows that Poe’s story is of Gothic genre. Feelings associated with madness such as trouble, fear, and guilt emerge in this story particularly by the main character, Roderick Usher, as explained by the narrator. Roderick is mad not only because he buries his sister while still alive, but also because of his family history of mental illness.

There is symbolism of the end of madness in the Roderick’s family especially with the crumbling down of the house and the end of the two Usher’s siblings (Poe The Fall of the House of Usher 93). Madness also emerges through other themes such as vampirism, melancholy, and even possible incest. Between Madeline and Roderick, an incestuous relationship emerges despite the fact that the author does not go so much into detail, but it is evident from the way the two have a bizarre attachment.

Madness is evident for Roderick buries his sister alive, which is not something that sane people do. In addition, the fact that he comes from a family that has a history of mentally ill people shows that he has a high chance of being mad, which comes out clearly by the way he acts.

Sane people also do not have intimate relationships with their siblings as Roderick has with his sister Madeline (Poe The Fall of the House of Usher 1o6). In many societies, it is a taboo for a brother and sister to have intimate relationships and there are even grave repercussions that follow such actions. Roderick even goes ahead to write a poem titled “The Haunted Palace”, which is a reference to crumbling house that spells tragedy and doom.

Poe’s other story, “The Cask of Amontillado”, tells a tale from the perspective of the murderer. Unlike other crimes, there are no investigations carried out and in its place, the criminal is the one giving the details of the crime (Poe The Cask of Amontillado 16). This aspect shows a form of madness for most criminals, if not all, never confess to being the ones responsible for a murder. Montresor must thus be insane; however, he gives even the smallest details of what happened making the reader to question whether indeed, he is mad.

The manner in which Montresor kills Fortunato shows that he does not have any sane feelings left in him. Fortunato is drunk and does not suspect a thing when Montresor chains him quickly against the wall after which he stones him to death. In addition, as Fortunato cries in pain and screaming for help, Montresor only mocks him, as he knows very well that no one can hear him (Poe The Cask of Amontillado 18). In my view, only a mentally sick person can stand the wails and cries of someone in pain and continue to make fun of the same.

The poem I chose “Much madness is Divinest Sense” can also be looked at critically particularly based on the issue of madness. The poem shows that people see madness as the most profound type of insanity particularly if a person with a discerning eye views it. It is not just a sense of madness, but profound madness, “the starkest madness” (Dickinson Line 3). However, the poem can be challenging to read, but once one gets the message, it becomes easy to understand the write up.

Madness, according to the poem, is in reality the truest sanity, but since majority of people view it as being wrong, they refer to it as madness. Dickinson was herself called mad during her time and even after she died. This poem is not only related to the judgments of “sense” or “madness”, but also talks about judgments that are made and have significant ramifications and the person who has authority to make them.

After reading the poem, the reader can see that people make judgments regarding person’s insanity “straightaway” according to the author for such an individual has made a choice to “Demur” from the majority. However, I do not agree with the poet when she says, “Much madness is Divinest sense” especially judging from the short stories by Allan Poe where the insane characters engage in the most horrid murders, which according to me is not “Divine Sense”.

All the three stories and poem have one common element in them, viz. madness. The characters in the stories as explained by the narrators are mad and that is why they end up killing other innocent people. In addition, the manner in which they kill their victims is very frightening from entombing to dismembering the bodies.

Madness by definition is a continuum of behaviors that have characteristics of abnormal behavioral or mental patterns. The person becomes a danger to not only other people, but also to himself or herself. In this case, the characters have posed danger to the people around them.

Reflection

From my findings after reading the three narratives and the poem, one cannot identify a mad person simply by looking at him or her; however, one’s actions determine if s/he is mad or not.

For instance, in all the aforementioned stories and poem, the characters showing signs of madness cannot be said to be mad at a glance; however, it is only after reading the criminal actions that they have committed that one can tell of their madness. Some of the insane characters even give intricate details of the events of what they did. Gothic stories bring out what happens in society and so these are not fake stories for they help the audience to relate to the different kind of people in the society.

There are insane people living among us and some of them end up committing heinous acts like murder, and so we should all be careful. Therefore, madness is both an interpretation and exemplification of insanity. Also from the poem, I have learnt that people have different opinions on the topic of madness. While some believe that madness is a problem, others think that it is a divine sense.

Works Cited

Dickinson, Emily. Much Madness Is Divinest Sense, 2012. Web.

Poe, Allan. The Cask of Amontillado, Charleston: BookSurge LLC, 2004. Print.

Poe, Allan. The Fall of the House of Usher and other writings, Poems, Tales, Essays and Reviews, London: Penguin Group, 1986. Print.

Poe, Allan. The Tell-Tale Heart and other writings, New York: Bantam Books, 1982. Print.

Introduction

Writers rely on numerous devices to convey ideas to the audience. Some of them are easy to spot, while others require certain reading skills to be deciphered. The stories under focus are “Razor” by Vladimir Nabokov and “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe. Both readings are short stories with extensive use of literary devices to help the reader understand the message of the stories and the intention of its writers. Particularly, three literary elements are present in “Razor” and “The Cask of Amontillado”. They are the protagonist, the theme, and the symbol. Although on the surface, it may appear that it is evident how they are utilized, it is necessary to delve into the actual stories to see and appreciate their full complexity.

Understanding what constitutes the protagonist, the theme, and the symbol is essential in ascertaining how Poe and Nabokov use these literary elements in their “The Cask of Amantilado” and “Razor”, respectively.

Body

Both stories have protagonists, which are similar and different at the same time. Initially, the protagonist is the main character of the story. They represent the vessel through which the reader gets acquainted with the conflict, becomes engaged and emotionally interested. Usually, the protagonist changes over the course of the story. However, this is not a prerequisite as the main character can be static without any actual development. Still, it has to be the character around whom the story revolves.

“The Cask of Amontillado” makes use of a static protagonist who does not experience any growth. Poe introduces Montresor in the very first sentences of the story, which also sets up the main conflict: “the thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge” (1). This quote is used because it showcases Montresor as bitter, cold, and revengeful. Montresor develops and fulfills an elaborate plan to take revenge on his insulter. If there is remorse in him, it is hidden so deep that he is not able to acknowledge it – the same way he was not capable of stating his thoughts to Fortunato at the beginning, thus, showing the lack of change.

Nabokov’s protagonist, Ivanov, is also a calculating and resentful man, who unlike Montresor, manages to grow. His emotional state at the beginning is similar to Montresor’s: “like a tightly coiled spring, vengeance lurked, biding its time, within his soul” (Nabokov 1). He also gets a chance at taking revenge on his torturer. However, unlike Montresor, he does not kill his victim but rather releases his long-contained hatred by recounting the details of his torture to his former tormenter. Then he says: “that will do for you, I’m satisfied. You may leave” (3). This way, Ivanov overcame and rose above his dark temptation, whereas Montresor succumbed.

Both stories have the same theme – actions have consequences. Essentially, the theme is what the story is about. It is the central idea of the story that the writer wanted to convey. It does not have to be singular – themes can intertwine and combine together to form a deeper meaning. Although the overall theme of “The Cask of Amontillado” and “Razor” is the same, the stories also endorse other messages.

The reason why the plot of “The Cask of Amontillado” happened lies in Fortunato’s ignorance towards Montresor’s feelings. Fortunato did not know how much his words hurt Montresor, which was a mistake, eventually resulting in his death. He realizes it when he produces his famous outcry: “FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, MONTRESOR” (Poe 4). This line signifies the moment of clarity for Fortunato. He understands what has caused Montresor to do this and appeals to God. In a similar way, now, Montresor has to live with his crime for the next fifty years.

Similar dynamics can be observed in Nabokov’s “Razor”. At some point in the past, Ivanov was subjected to torture by a Soviet. Ivanov survived but memorized the tormenter, who did not expect to ever see him again. Naturally, for the narrative to work, this is exactly what happens, as the torturer unknowingly goes to his victim to get a haircut, thus reversing roles. When the tormentor realized it, his “eyes darted about, then suddenly shut tight, eyelids compressed like those of the savage who thought closing his eyes made him invisible” (Nabokov 2). He did not say anything, being frozen in terror and knowing that his own actions led to this situation. However, Nabokov does not have his protagonist kill the tormentor, thus teaching the audience not to fall to the abuser’s level.

Nabokov and Poe differ in their use of the symbol. Generally, the symbol refers to an object, which represents a certain idea. The author can highlight it with a detailed description or let the reader interpret it for themselves. In any way, symbols are important for creating depth and preparing the audience for later revelations and new found meanings.

“The Cask of Amontillado” has bones and the coat of arms, which signify death. When Montresor leads Fortunato to the part of the crypt where the poison is stored, the description of the surroundings starts to mention bones, which are an ancient symbol of death. However, an ever more important episode has Montresor explaining Fortunato the familial coat of arms: “A huge human foot d’or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel” (Poe 3). This line symbolizes the relationship between the characters and its ultimate demise.

Once again, Nabokov differs from Poe by stating directly what the symbol in his story represents. He writes: “without doubt scissors and razors are weapons, and there was something about this metallic chirr that gratified Ivanov’s warlike soul” (Nabokov 1). However, they are not necessarily used for killing, as Ivanov intimidates his torturer with them. The description that the chirr gratifies Ivanov’s soul symbolizes his intention of inspiring fear in his torturer.

Conclusion

Altogether, Nabokov and Poe use literary devices to create meaning, connect with the audience and deliver their message. The protagonists are different, with one of them being static, while another one changes. Various symbols highlight the important parts of the stories – death in “The Cask of Amontillado” and razors and scissors as weapons in “Razor”. The overlying theme is similar in both cases, which can be summarized as actions have consequences. However, even though the short stories are set in different time periods and have unique conclusions, both authors tell essentially the same story about a man seeking revenge and getting satisfaction. It is the use of literary devices that distinguishes the true meaning and value of the readings.

Works Cited

Nabokov, Vladimir. Razor. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2011.

Poe, Edgar Allan. The Cask of Amontillado. Alex Catalogue, 2011.

My Last Duchess

The speaker is a lover of arts. He appreciates the appearance of the picture calling it a wonder. He, however, is skeptical of its appearance suggesting that the picture looks as though the Duchess is still alive. This tends to suggest that he does not regret the death of the Duchess. Moreover, it exposes his hatred for the Duchess who is dead. He is possessive having drawn a curtain to the picture so that only he can see it. While the beauty of the picture is so nice he would want to show off, his selfishness prompts him to draw a curtain over the picture.

The speaker tends to hate the Duchess; he says his presence never made her happy. She was delighted by other things. The speaker is angry with the Duchess’s easily impressed demeanor. He says her heart was made glad too soon. The speaker is jealous saying her looks went everywhere. The speaker feels unappreciated and unattended to by the Duchess. He says she concentrated on other things like the mule she rode and the bough of cherries. He has a proud demeanor saying he would not stoop as low as the Duchess did.

The speaker is dictatorial because he did give commands which were unappreciated by the Duchess as the commands stopped her smiles. He, however, never stops commanding often wanting to exercise control over the Duchess. He is regretful of the dowry he did pay and thinks the Duchess was just pretentious. These revelations evoke feelings of hatred for the speaker. It creates a feeling that the death of the Duchess was a relief to her person. The speaker must have imprisoned her in some way. Her freedom was curtailed, and she had to impress. The pride and non-remorseful demeanor of the speaker evoke the feeling of disgust. This is further exacerbated by the speaker’s selfishness always wanting attention.

The Cask of Amontillado

Montresor is one vengeful man from the onset. He narrates his singular mission to avenge an insult on his person. He is a proud man who will never allow insults to pass by. He even completes his narrative by asserting that, for over half a century, nobody has insulted him. It is this fact that makes him feel vindicated by his action of burying Fortunato alive.

Montresor is a bright schemer. He is disappointed by his friend having insulted him. He thinks carefully about how he can have his revenge. By taking advantage of Fortunato’s weakness for the amontillado he not only comes out as bright but is opportunistic. He would not tackle the issue head-on but would hit from below the belt. He is pretentious. As they travel to get the supposed amontillado he pretends to care for Fortunato. At first, he expresses concern over wasting his friend’s time yet he can as well use the services of Luchresi. He afterward opines that the cold Fortunato is suffering from could be fatal. Fortunato, however, soldiers on very unsuspectingly. Further, Montresor pretends to be appreciative of Fortunato’s position in society. He insists that he is important to society and seizes to be responsible for the former’s demise. Fortunato is determined, and despite the sorry state of his friend, he tags him along to his demise.

However, Fortunato is presented as being merciless. How he incessantly buries his friend alive is inhumane. He soldiers on with the process of filling the masonry with his stuff up to the eleventh tier and leaves only after satisfied that indeed his friend is history.

These revelations of the person of Montresor evoke feelings of hatred and disgust for him. The feeling generally is that Montresor overstretched his revenge. He went overboard in his mission. His highly pretentious nature evokes a lot of mistrust, which contributes to the feeling of hatred and disgust in his person.

The use of horror and humor in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe is one of the literary features that the author uses to constructs the story. Poe is a manipulative author who uses linguistic techniques with so much ease and combines them with other literary devices such as the point of view, the setting and choice of words to add to the literary quality of his work.

Poe can maintain a sense of pervasive humour throughout this short story as he combines horror and humour with so much ease. Pervasive humour is also known as grotesque humour, a style of writing in which the author mixes horror and humour for comic effect.

Is “The Cask of Amontillado” a horror story? Poe presents death as grotesque phenomena, yet in a humorous way to achieve comic relief. Through Montresor, the antagonistic, Poe presents death as a joke. He makes death seem like a funny occurrence from the beginning of the story to the end, which adds irony to the situation. Fortunato tells Montressor that he has a cog, but he wouldn’t die of it, to which Montresor agrees joyously in the affirmative and goes on to encourage Fortunato to ‘drink form draught of this Medoc’ to cure his cough (Poe para 37).

Montressor joyous affirmation is humorous, but the use of the term Medoc is horrific as the reader knows that Medoc, the wine already contains poison. Critics argue that Montresor, an unreliable narrator, uses these words not in any attempt to kill Fortunato but for his self-gratification. This means that Montresor finds joy and amusement in death.

The title of the short story is also humorously horrific. The author uses the word cask to mean wine container or barrel. This term, cask, is obtained from the same root name as the casket, which means coffin. Montresor wants to avenge Fortunato’s insult and thus devices a way to kill him.

Therefore, he invites Fortunato to taste from the cask of Amontillado, Amontillado being the new wine. In the short story “The Cask of Amontillado,” Poe’s use of the term cask infers to the casket, the humorous way of referring to Fortunato’s casket (coffin). Thus, the analysis shows that Fortunato is represented as a fool who falls for this joke, not knowing that it signifies his death.

Poe combines this piece of humour with horror by using the term mason. Fortunato’s questions Montresor whether he is a mason, meaning a member of the freemasons, to which Montresor agrees. In grotesque reference to death, Poe uses the term mason to mean a person who constructs using bricks to insinuate that Montresor will create Fortunato’s grave with stone and mortar (Poe paras 60, 76, 89).

The author also uses the name Fortunato to refer to the folly of this particular character humorously and to conceal the grotesque death that awaits him. As is clear from the summary, the name Fortunato is connected to the word fortunate, which means lucky or good fortune. The reader knows that Fortunato is not lucky as there is grotesque death that awaits him.

As such, Poe uses this name to bring comic relief in a tense and gross situation. Fortunato’s dressing apparel is also humorous and is used for the same purpose as his name Fortunato: to conceal the fate that awaits him (Poe para 4). He is dressed in a jolly outfit as a court jester who is a humorous and comic figure. This is in contrast to the unnatural death that waylays him ahead.

The use of humor in “The Cask of Amontillado,” is mostly achieved through the use of Poe’s linguistic prowess. Humour, other than concealing the grotesqueness of the death that awaits Fortunato, also reveals his folly. Fortunato takes a lot of time to realize the joke in the whole affair among foreshadowing techniques. This brings in comic relief and humour, which lifts the gloom from the story.

Works Cited

Poe, Edgar. ‘The Cask of Amontillado.’ n.d.