The Cask of Amontillado Group

Question:


cotjs0505
Student
High School - 12th Grade

In "The Cask of Amontillado, what does, "A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser" mean?

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Posted by cotjs0505 on Wednesday February 6, 2008 at 9:52 AM and tagged with characters, quotes, the cask of amontillado.

Answers:


  1. clane Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    This phrase was spoken by Montresor in the opening lines of the story as he tells the reader about the wrongs committed against him by Fortunato. The word "unredressed" means not right or not made up for. What Montresor is saying here is that the wrongs committed against him by Fortunato were never made up for or Fortunato never made the wrongs right so now retribution or punishment will have to serve the redresser, Fortunato, instead. He is basically saying that Fortunato has to pay and since he hasn't taken the time to make things right, he, Montresor will have to now take matters into his own hands and issue Fortunato a fitting punishment. Montresor is a very unreliable narrator because he is secretly scheming this revenge for some wrong which he never names and his revenge plot is more than a bit extreme.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/cask-amontillado/characters
    http://www.enotes.com/cask-amontillado/summary

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    Posted by clane on Wednesday February 6, 2008 at 10:08 AM


  2. amethystrose Teacher
    High School - 9th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    "Redress" means "to set right" or "to rectify"

    "Unredressed"--- the opposite of above.

    "Retribution" means "punishment that one deserves for a wrong he has committed"

    Montressor is saying that Fortunato has not "paid" for having wronged him, so Montressor is justified in taking restitution for the "insult" done to him.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/cask-amontillado/critical-discussion

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    Posted by amethystrose on Wednesday February 6, 2008 at 11:41 AM

  3. cinderelly
    cinderelly Student
    High School - 9th Grade

    You can rephrase it saying : a wrong is not revenged if the revenger either is punished for taking revenge or doesnt make the wrongdoer aware that he is taking revenge.That is wat written in my literature book hope my answer helps.

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    Posted by cinderelly on Friday November 13, 2009 at 7:35 AM