The Cask of Amontillado (Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition)

At a glance:

“The Cask of Amontillado” is one of the clearest examples of Poe's theory of the unity of the short story, for every detail in the story contributes to the overall ironic effect. The plot is relatively simple. Montresor seeks revenge on Fortunato for some unspecified insult by luring him down into his family vaults to inspect some wine he has purchased. However, Montresor's plot to maneuver Fortunato to where he can wall him up alive is anything but straightforward. In fact, from the very beginning, every action and bit of dialogue is characterized as being just the opposite of...

[The entire page is 941 words long]

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:

eNotes Pass