The Cask of Amontillado is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in the November 1846 issue of Godey’s Lady’s Book. The story, set in an unnamed Italian city at carnival time in an unspecified year, is about a man taking fatal revenge on a friend who, he believes, has insulted him.
The man, Montresor, tells an unspecified person, who knows him very well, of his intention to murder his “friend” Fortunato. Angry over numerous injuries and some unspecified insult, Montresor plots to murder his “friend” during Carnival while the man is drunk and wearing a jester’s motley. He lures Fortunato into a private wine-tasting excursion by telling him he has obtained a pipe of what he believes to be a rare vintage of Amontillado.
Fortunato goes with Montresor to the wine cellars of the latter’s palazzo, where they wander in the catacombs. Montresor offers wine to Fortunato in order to keep him inebriated. At one point, Fortunato makes an elaborate, grotesque gesture with an upraised wine bottle. When Montresor appears not to recognize the gesture, Fortunato asks, “You are not of the masons?” Montresor says he is, and when Fortunato, disbelieving, requests a sign, Montresor displays a trowel he had been hiding.
When they come to a niche, Montresor tells his victim that the Amontillado is within. Fortunato enters drunk and unsuspecting and therefore, does not resist as Montresor quickly chains him to the wall. Montresor reveals brick and mortar, previously hidden among the bones nearby, and proceeds to wall up the niche using his trowel, entombing his friend alive.
Montressor seeks to avenge himself on Fortunato for some unknown insult in “The Cask of Amontillado.” At the start of the narrative, Montressor explains, “I had endured a thousand misfortunes at the hands of Fortunato; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge” (Lowell 214). Montresor wants “not only to punish, but also to be free from punishment” (214). The nature of this affront is left unspecified; however, it is assumed that it changed Montresors social standing.
You are a man to be missed. For me it is no matter. We will go up” (216). The descriptive details in “The Cask of Amontillado” help drive the narrative forward, painting vivid images in the reader’s mind and intensifying the actions that take place.
One of the key elements of Montresor’s description is his use of foreshadowing. Early on in the story, he warns Fortunato about being careful on their journey together, saying “You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed. For me it is no matter. We will go up” (Poe 216). The reader gets a sense that Montresor is not to be trusted, and that Fortunato should be careful around him.
This foreshadowing becomes important later on in the story, when Fortunato is trapped by Montresor in a dark crypt. The use of descriptive details allows Poe to create a tense and suspenseful atmosphere, one that keeps the reader engaged in the story.
Another important aspect of “The Cask of Amontillado” is its setting. The story takes place during Carnival, a time when people are supposed to be celebrating. However, the carnival setting is used to contrast the events that take place in the story. The story begins with Montressor luring Fortunato into the dark catacombs of his home, using the promise of a rare wine as bait. The use of shadows and darkness creates a sense of unease in the reader, setting the stage for the events that are to come.
The reader is led to believe that Montresor had once held high social position, but this has been lost because to the injury inflicted by Fortunato. Fortunato, who enters the scene in a jesters costume, is oblivious to Montesors murderous intentions. Montresor bribes Fortunato into going into the family vaults so he can taste and identify some “Amontillado” (Lowell 215).
The use of literary devices such as figurative language, symbolism, and irony enhance the descriptive details in The Cask of Amontillado. Montresor’s use of figurative language in The Cask of Amontillado enhances the descriptive details in the story by adding a sense of suspense to his description of Fortunato.
One example is when Montresor characterizes himself as “mason” by saying that he has been “graduated in a very short time” (Lowell 214). The phrase “a very short time” implies that something terrible will happen shortly after. This foreshadows Montresors evil intentions later on in the story, creating an element of dramatic irony.
Additionally, the symbolism in The Cask of Amontillado also adds to the descriptive details by revealing Montresors true intentions for killing Fortunato. The most obvious symbol is that of the white mask and black robe that Fortunato wears throughout much of the story.
The use of a jester’s costume connotes that Fortunato is not as serious or intelligent as he appears to be, foreshadowing his downfall later on in the story. This idea is reinforced by another symbolic element – that of the amontillado itself. The wine, described as being “pale amber with streaks of garnet red…merely a hint of lemon” (216), hints at the blood to come.
It was a “Rite of social purification (2). “It was the severe penalty for sexual crimes and grand larceny to be buried alive (6). Because Poes is afraid of being buried alive, these bells have a frightening sound to him. During this period, many individuals (particularly the affluent classes) had special coffins constructed in order to reassure themselves that they would not be trapped inside them like Poes did once before with his preceding adventure at sea. These coffins are equipped with sophisticated “sounding devices” so that if a person is entombed alive, they may activate an alarm.
The ringing of bells is meant to warn the living that a person has been buried alive (1). The fact that Montresor uses these bells to lure Fortunato into the catacombs suggests that he plans to bury Fortunato in his casket. The cask of Amontillado could be a symbol for Montresors attempt at burying his friend alive as well. The description of the bells is also important because they indicate Poes fear of being buried alive and death.
Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” is a chilling story about the lengths one man will go to seek revenge against another, but it is also a story about the realities of life during this time period. The bells play an important role in setting the ominous tone of this short story, and they are symbolic of Poe’s own fears around being buried alive.
Poe appeals to the audience’s hearing senses with the deafening sound of the bells. The sound of these bells has a chilling effect on the audience. Every time Montresor pays attention to the ringing of the bells, the audience is reminded of the surrounding quiet.
“Poe was well aware that sudden silence in midst of celebration has an electrifying effect, and he utilized this knowledge cleverly in “The Pit and The Pendulum.” His silences are just as eloquent as those of Chekhov, with one exception: instead of lava full with emotional energy, Poes’ silences are charged with emo t” (Fagin 202).
The sound of the bells creates an eerie and suspenseful tone. The use of sound helps to set the mood for the story and allows the reader to feel as if they are a part of the story.
The setting is also important to the story. The catacombs are “the holes or pits in which dead bodies were placed” (Poe 5). The catacombs are dark, dreary, and full of bones. The bones represent death and help to create a morbid atmosphere. The fact that Montresor has chosen to entomb Fortunato in these catacombs shows how much he hates him. The audience is able to understand the depth of Montresor’s hatred through his actions.