The fictional short story “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe takes place in the catacombs of Montresor’s palace, during the carnival’s climax. The story begins when Montresor, the villain of the story, vows revenge on Fortunato. Throughout the story, the author doesn't tell us what the revenge will be, but his choice of words in the details creates a mood in the reader. The author’s detailed description in the short story creates different moods in the reader like anger, satisfaction, curiosity, and victory because the chosen words connect with the audience. In the beginning of the story the author's choice of words in the descriptions makes the reader feel angry. Montresor tried to ignore Fortunato and his insults, but they were …show more content…
Fortunato was drunk and didn’t know what was going on, so Montresor took advantage of Fortunato’s state of well-being and tied him in a niche. “Throwing the links about his waist, it was but the work of a few seconds to secure it. He was too much astounded to resist. Withdrawing the key I step back from the recess.” (pg 6) The quote shows the author's details create a shocking mood in the readers because he describes a detailed image the helps the reader envision what is going on. This action takes the audience by surprise because they know Montresor is getting revenge, but they aren’t told what it will be so they are as clueless as Fortunato. Montresor threw a torch in the niche where he tied Fortunato up and he finished closing up the wall, killing a man who considered him a friend. “I thrust a torch to the remaining aperture and let it fall within… I force the last stone into position; I plastered it up.” (pg7) The author's choice of words helps create the mood of shock because he describes Montresor’s actions after Fortunato gets a sense of what is being done to him. The author’s description keeps readers in shock because they can’t believe how cold Montresor was. Even though he never showed the side of him, he had it all along. The author’s use of words in the description makes the readers feel like they are in the story wondering what will happen next. Poe wanted the reader to understand what was going on in the “Cask of Amontillado”, so he wrote a detailed story choosing words that connected with his readers. This connection between words and the readers created a different mood as the story progressed from one event to another. Poe described the events with much detail it helped readers envision the events. Montresor’s revenge had readers entertained and feeling different moods as they discovered what was Montresor’s
Edgar Allen Poe wrote many great stories in his lifetime including “The Cask of Amontillado” which is a suspenseful story about a man named Montresor getting revenge on a jester named Fortunato for insulting him and ruining his family name. Montresor got revenge by leading Fortunato to his family catacombs and trapping him in the wall for all eternity, by using suspense, verbal irony and foreshadowing Poe brought us to this climactic point in the story. 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.
The setting and word choice, create the mood. In The Cask of Amontillado, it states, “I passed down a long and winding staircase, requesting him to be cautious as he followed. We came at length to the foot of the descent, and stood together upon the damp ground of the catacombs of the Montresors.” In this excerpt, the wording, such as “winding,” “cautious,” “descent,” “damp,” and “catacombs” were carefully chosen in order to create an unforeseen and a disturbing
Montresor could be making up the entire story, or he could be embellishing or downplaying the story so that he could defend his actions. If Montresor knew he did wrong, he may have left out exactly what Fortunato did, so he could embellish the wrongs to make them seem terrible, when they are the smallest of sins. Embellishing the wrongs helps to justify to the reader that the killing of Fortunato was a suitable thing to do based on the “thousand injuries of Fortunato.” Due to the unreliable narrator, the reader may not be reading the events as they happened, but rather Montresor’s
Edgar Allen Poe uses irony to create suspense in "The Cask of Amontillado", by using Montresosr plotted revenge against
In “The Cask of Amontillado”, by Edgar Allen Poe, love and hate are shown to be the two most powerful in this action. Montresor’s false affection for Fortunato, Fortunato’s obsession with wine, and the hate Montresor was possessed were all major deciding factors in how the Montresor and Fortunato chose to
“The Cask of Amontillado,” is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. As told by the narrator, Montresor, the story is of the murderous revenge Montresor takes on his friend Fortunato deep within the “catacombs of the Montresors” (167). Throughout the composition, the author expresses the theme of betrayal among friends using verbal, situational, and dramatic irony. In the first line of speech, verbal irony is observed when Montresor greets his friend at the carnival.
It is implied that Montresor is crazy and could have imagined the insult towards him. The fact that he does not explain at all the reasons for his actions indicates that he might not have wanted to come across Fortunato's reaction, who would immediately start persuading Montresor that the insult never took place. Montresor murders an innocent person in a particularly cruel way inducing as much horror and desperation within the victim before death is possible. Thankfully, the author omits how Fortunato feels in his last moments when there is either not enough air or water after his prison is
Cody Ostermiller 10-30-17 Block 1 The Cask of Amontillado Essay In “The Cask of Amontillado”, written by Edgar Allen Poe, Poe has a very distinct mood. Poe’s mood of his writing in this story is very suspenseful. He portrays this mood throughout the whole story obviously, but there are specific points in the story where the mood was very suspenseful that had you really wondering what what would happen next.
Edgar Allan Poe is most famous for the gothic themes he presents in his writings, this was no exception for Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado”. Several important ideas are brought up about the story’s central theme of revenge. These ideas can be broken down into 3 parts: the incentive, the extent, and the reaction of the person partaking in revenge. It is essential to consider these ideas while reading Poe’s story, in order to comprehend his views on revenge. It also provides the reader the ability to question their own views on revenge as well as compare it with Poe’s.
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. Poe’s theme of revenge is illuminated through his application of the three different types of irony: dramatic, verbal, and situational.
Next, Montresor replies, “It is this, I answered, producing from beneath the folds of my roquelaire trowel.” (239). Although Fortunato does not understand that Montresor has lured him into the catacombs of his home with the intentions of murdering him, but the reader knows
Visuals and word usage help convey the mood in the scenes where it is the strongest. The mood of “The Cask of Amontillado” has a mood that is dark and mysterious with a tone of revenge. One can see this in the quote in which the character Montresor says “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge”(3). The story is based on Montresor’s need for revenge on Fortunato.
This is a cruel way to kill someone and as the reader feel like this is alright and we feel for Montresor as he was insulted by Fortunato. Again though, a life is being taken but we don’t mind as Montresor tells us about why he wanted to kill
Montresor takes Fortunato to his vaults to find the rare wine called amontillado, and while there down there Montresor chains Fortunato to the wall in the vault (Poe). As Montresor and Fortunato are about to reach the destination of the amontillado, Montresor finalizes his revenge. To finalize his revenge, Montresor locks Fortunato to the vault’s wall. As soon as this happens, the reader is able to see Montresor’s murderous characteristics that he has been hiding. Fields tells us in an article,“Montresor uncovers his most illustrious plan to massacre Fortunato” ( Fields et al.).
In the beginning of the short story, Montresor defines revenge on his friend Fortunato for believing he has insulted him. Montresor has become angry that his friend is taking advantage of him and overlooking at him like a fool,