The Cask of Amontillado Questions and Answers
by Edgar Allan Poe

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Describe the Montressor's family arms. What significance do they have in the story?
  Edgar Allan Poe has chosen a fitting motto and coat-of-arms for Montressor in his short story, "The Cask of Amontillado." The Montressor coat-of-arms displays "A huge human foot d'or, in a field...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Is it true that 'in pace' could refer to a secure monastic prison?
  Yes. While the phrase "in pace requiescat” translates to “rest in peace,” “in pace” by itself means a “secure, monastic prison” in Italian. Thus there is another level of irony in Montresor's...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  What is the overall mood of "The Cask of Amontillado"?
  Here is an answer to your question. http://www.enotes.com/cask-amontillado/q-and-a/need-help-with-write-definition-mood-then-identify-171721

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  What does Montresor mean when he says, “In painting and gemmary, Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack—but in the matter of the old wines he was sincere”?
  This means that Fortunato, like his fellow countrymen, doesn't know what he's taking about when it comes to painting and precious gems. He's a quack—a word often used to describe someone pretending...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Did Montresor have to kill Fortunato in "The Cask of Amontillado"? Is there any other way Montresor could have handled this situation?  
  Poe surrounds Fortunato's crimes against Montresor with mystery and never directly reveals the exact reason Montresor desires revenge. In the opening paragraph of the classic short story, Montresor...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Montresor acts as judge and executioner in this story. Explain whether you think individuals are ever justified in taking justice into their own hands.
  Montresor is a good example of why we should almost never take justice into our own hands. He believed he was justified in walling Fortunato up in a catacomb and leaving him in the cold and the...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  What behaviors best reveal the deceitfulness of the story teller in "The Cask of Amontillado"?
  One could argue that Montresor's ability to feign friendliness and act amicably in front of Fortunato at all times best epitomize his deceitful nature. At the beginning of the story, Montresor vows...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  What specific steps does Montresor take to ensure that his plan works in "The Cask of Amontillado"?
  Montresor's first step in his revenge plot is to appear amicable toward Fortunato during their interactions to quell his suspicions and gain his trust. Montresor also specifically chooses to...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Is Fortunato’s death “poetic justice"?
  Fortunato's death in Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Cask of Amontillado" is almost certainly not any kind of justice, poetic or otherwise. Montresor mentions at the beginning of the story the...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Write an epilogue "The Cask of Amontillado" in which a case against Montresor comes to trial. Provide the prosecuting attorney’s closing argument reminding the jury of any evidence that proves Montresor’s guilt. Then provide the defense attorney’s...
  The Cask of Amontillado: Epilogue Prosecution: Ladies and gentlemen of the Jury, really, what more could you require? The defendant has confessed to this heinous crime, confessed, moreover, without...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  What are the connections between Montresor's character traits and Edgar Allan Poe's character traits?
  The principal character traits of Montresor, as revealed in "The Cask of Amontillado," are pride, cruelty, sensitivity to insult, obsession with revenge, a talent for dissimulation, and perhaps...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  What does Fortunato believe is actually happening in "The Cask of Amontillado"?
  Fortunato prides himself on being a connoisseur of wines. He also believes that he is still good friends with Montresor. Montresor lets readers know from the beginning of the story that their...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  What was the occasion for the celebrations in "The Cask of Amontillado"?
  Montresor says that he encountered Fortunato "during the supreme madness of the carnival season" and that Fortunato was dressed in "motley," which is to say the traditional garb of a fool—complete...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Can I sympathize with Montressor?
  On the surface, Montresor is an unsympathetic character, who readers struggle to identify with because they would never plan or execute the murder of their most hated enemy. However, readers...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Reread the last two sentences in paragraph 1 of "The Cask of Amontillado." Based on this text, what is the narrator's opinion of revenge? What does this reveal about his character?
  The last two sentences of paragraph one read as follows: A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Describe the Montresor family arms. What significance do they have in the story?
  In Edgar Allen Poe’s short story “The Cask of Amontillado,” Montresor’s coat of arms and family motto accurately reflect his violent character and foreshadow his cruel actions. The coat of arms is...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Why is Fortunato's name ironic in The Cask of Amontillado?
  The name Fortunato comes from the Latin "fortunatus," meaning "lucky" or "prosperous." It is also very close to the English word "fortunate" from the same root. Fortunato, a wealthy, powerful man—a...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Does Montresor ever question whether the punishment he exacts on Fortunato is fair?
  The short answer is no. On the contrary, Montresor believes that the punishment he metes out to Fortunato is entirely appropriate for the thousand unspecified injuries he did him all those years...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  How do Montresor’s name, attire, coat of arms, and family motto establish his character?
  The name, Montresor, in French, means "my treasure." This is ironic because it is his treasure, namely "a pipe of ... Amontillado" which he supposedly keeps in his vaults, that he uses to lure...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  How do details in the story evoke the idea of death?
  The most obvious detail in this regard would be the human bones stored in the crypt where Montresor carries out his terrible revenge on Fortunato. There's a large pile of them on the ground, and...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  How does this story represent man versus man?
  Montresor, the narrator, is in the act of manipulating his rival, and apparent nemesis Fortunato; playing to the other man’s weakness (Italian wines) and his acute gullibility. He—Montresor, that...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  How is the conflict of "The Cask of Amontillado" resolved?
  First it is important to determine what the prime conflict is in "The Cask of Amontillado". Montresor believes that Fortunato has caused him a "thousand injuries," and he has suffered as long as...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  What are some symbols in "The Cask of Amontillado"?
  There are many symbols to be found within the story of "The Cask of Amontillado." Much of the symbolism is ironic, such as the name of the character Fortunato, meaning "fortunate" in Italian, who...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  How are the characters different?
  Montresor is an insecure, vindictive man who carefully plans and executes Fortunato's murder. Montresor is also portrayed as an intelligent, cunning individual, duplicitous and manipulative....

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  What are some examples of alliteration or repetition in "The Cask of Amontillado"?
  Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Cask of Amontillado" contains both of those literary devices. Repetition occurs when the same words or phrases are repeated in order to make an idea more...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  The presence of dialogue in a story is very important because it reveals important information about the characters and the plot. However, the absence of dialogue is also very Important. “The Tell-Tale Heart” has only ONE instance of dialogue, in...
  It isn't actually true that there's only one instance of dialogue (if we mean spoken words within quotation marks) in this text. If you look towards the middle of the story, the narrator describes...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Why does the narrator use Amontillado to lure Fortunato?
  The classic horror short story "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe tells of a man named Montresor who vows revenge after Fortunato insults him. However, he does not take his vengeance...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  How does Montresor know that the house would be empty?
  Throughout Poe's classic short story "The Cask of Amontillado," the protagonist and narrator, Montresor, explains how he formulated and executed revenge on his unsuspecting enemy, Fortunato....

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  In what ways does the narrator grudgingly admire Fortunato?
  In trying to lure Fortunato to his tomb, the narrator uses a bit of reverse psychology on the man: You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  What is it about Montresor that makes him an especially effective enemy to Fortunato? Give an example from a book you’ve read or a film/TV show you’ve seen in which this type of villain exists.
  Montresor makes a really effective enemy for Fortunato because he is proud, diabolical, and very intelligent. He understands people very well, and he is able to exploit this highly developed...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  What message is the author sending the audience through the imagery of Montresor's coat of arms in "The Cast of Amontillado"? What does it symbolize?
  The Montresor coat of arms has a golden human foot on a sky blue background; the foot is stepping on a serpent rampant which is turning and biting into the heel of the foot even while the snake is...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Does Montresor's revenge meet the criteria of impunity in "The Cask of Amontillado"?
  At the beginning of Poe's classic short story "The Cask of Amontillado," Montresor mentions that he vowed to get revenge on Fortunato for causing him a "thousand injuries." Montresor then proceeds...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  How does the setting of the carnival aid in establishing Fortunato’s fate?
  The setting significantly contributes to Montresor's success and allows him to manipulate the unsuspecting Fortunato, who is distracted by the "supreme madness of the carnival season." By choosing...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Was revenge justified in "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe? Is revenge ever justified?
  It is difficult to know if Montresor's revenge was justified because the reader doesn't exactly know what he's avenging. All we know, and this from a rather unreliable narrator, is that at some...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  What is the climax of "The Cask of Amontillado"?
  In a story, the climax is that moment of greatest emotional intensity. In "The Cask of Amontillado," it comes when Montresor walls Fortunato up in a niche in the wall of the catacombs and Fortunato...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Write an epilogue to "The Cask of Amontillado" in which a case against Montresor comes to trial. In your epilogue, provide the prosecuting attorney’s closing argument, reminding the jury of any evidence that proves Montresor’s guilt. Then provide...
  The defense attorney would surely build a case on an insanity plea. After all, sane people do not typically plot murder against a person who has insulted them. Montresor claims that he had endured...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  How does Poe create suspense in the inevitable death of Fortunato?
  Poe creates suspense throughout his classic short story by concealing Montresor's plan to murder his enemy, characterizing Montresor as an unreliable, cruel man and cleverly foreshadowing...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Please provide a thorough analysis of "The Cask of Amontillado."
  An analysis of a short story should contain descriptions of the story's plot, theme, setting, characterization, and style. Here are summaries of these various elements that you can expand upon. In...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Did Montresor commit a perfect murder?
  At the beginning of Poe's classic short story "The Cask of Amontillado," Montresor elaborates on his definition of the perfect revenge. After vaguely describing the ways Fortunato had caused him...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Identify two examples of how Montresor uses reverse psychology on Fortunato as part of his plan to lure him into the catacombs.
  When Montresor tells Fortunato that he believes he has purchased a large quantity of a rarer Spanish wine called Amontillado, he knows that Fortunato will never believe it is possible and that...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Can you please paraphrase paragraph 1? "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that gave utterance...
  Here is my attempt at a paraphrase of Poe's typically nineteenth-century, florid prose into the less elaborated and more scaled-down language of our own age: I had been able, as best I could, to...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  How did the plot of "The Cask of Amontillado" progress?
  The plot of "The Cask of Amontillado" unfolds as a flashback. Fifty years have passed since the main events of the story took place. Although we are not certain, it seems that Montresor, the...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Discuss whether or not Montresor has a just cause to hate Fortunato. Why or why not?
  We have no evidence that Montresor has sufficient justification for the level of his intense hatred of Fortunato. First, Montresor is not specific about what Fortunato has done to earn his...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  Explain how the narator's point of view shapes the action and pacing of "The Cask of Amontillado." Trace the plot and the different aspect of the story and how they are revealed by the narrator.
  This story is narrated from a first-person objective point of view. This means that the narrator uses first-person pronouns like I or we and that he is a participant in the events that occur. It...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  The Fraternity of the Masons is a long-standing organization whose modern members are involved in many charitable and educational causes. The Masonic Order has always involved many secretive traditions and rituals which, in order to learn, you...
  The short story "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe is a tale of revenge. The narrator, a man named Montresor, lures his victim Fortunato deep into the family catacombs beneath his...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  What kinds of injuries did Fortunato inflict on Montresor in "The Cask of Amontillado"?
  In the opening sentence of Poe's classic short story "The Cask of Amontillado," Montresor claims that Fortunato had caused him a "thousand injuries" but does not go into specific detail regarding...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  How do the authors of "The Cask of Amontillado" and "From Beyond" use allegorical elements to create horror? How are the characters allegorical? How does this contribute to the meanings of the works?
  Allegories are stories in which characters, places, or events stand for ideas or events. For example, in medieval drama, a person called Envy might stand for and enact the sin of Envy. Both "The...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  What are the three concepts of psychoanalysis? How do they apply to "The Cask of Amontillado"?
  The three parts of psychoanalytic theory are the id, the ego, and the superego. These three parts of the psyche are said to function together to create a living, acting human being. The id is...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  What is the theme of "The Cask of Amontillado"? Describe how Poe makes the theme clear, and explain why his techniques are effective.
  In “The Cask of Amontillado," Edgar Allen Poe’s powerful tale of revenge, the reader sees how an obsession with vengeance can overwhelm a person. When we meet the narrator, Montresor, he is vowing...

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• The Cask of Amontillado
  What is a research proposal for this story?
  The most fruitful avenues for a research proposal on "The Cask of Amontillado" are probably enquiries into the historical background of the story. Here are two possibilities. It is often claimed...

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