The Cask of Amontillado

We never learn what, specifically, the "thousand injuries" Montresor refers to initially are. However, we do see Fortunato insult Montresor in the story itself, in more or less obvious ways. When...

For one thing, it is worth noting that, in Edgar Allan Poe's opening paragraph, Montresor declares his intentions where Fortunato is concerned, stating: The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had...

"The Cask of Amontillado" is a tale of extreme revenge in which a man dies in one of the most frightening ways that can be imagined. Given this premise, the story is surprisingly lacking in overt...

In Poe's celebrated short story "The Cask of Amontillado," Montresor does not specifically state his reason for seeking revenge on Fortunato. In the opening line of the story, Montresor comments...

This is certainly debatable, as some readers believe that there is no evidence of guilt on Montresor’s part; however, I argue that there is evidence to support the idea that he feels guilty. When...

Montresor is unbelievably thoughtful and careful when executing this murder in revenge for the wrongs Fortunato has done him. He knows just how to manipulate people to avoid suspicion, and his...

A trowel is a tool used to spread the cement or mortar that holds bricks or stones together. For that reason, it has become a sign of the Freemasons (or Masons), a secret fraternal organization....

There may be many morals to be drawn from "The Cask of Amontillado," but the moral which seems to pervade the whole story and to make it seem universally applicable might be expressed as this: We...

In "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe, the narrator lies to Fortunato repeatedly from the time he encounters him on the street until the time he shackles him to the wall. There is no...

Montresor carefully plans his revenge by behaving amiably towards Fortunato and treating him kindly in order to avoid suspicion and earn his trust. Montresor also chooses an advantageous time...

There is some evidence to suggest that Montresor is telling his story and confessing his brutal crime to a Catholic priest. At the beginning of the story, Montresor directly addresses someone by...

Situational irony is defined as a literary technique in which something unexpected happens, resulting in an opposite outcome that is different from what the reader or characters in the story...

From the opening sentence, we know that Montresor has "vowed revenge" on Fortunato, who has inflicted a "thousand injuries" upon him. He carefully establishes the conditions of his revenge in the...

Montresor describes his family's coat of arms as follows: "A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heal." There is a dramatic...

In the first paragraph of "The Cask of Amontillado," Montresor explains his vow of revenge. The tone is foreboding already. He is vauge in how he will carry out his vengeance, but he is clear that...

The internal conflict in "The Cask of Amontillado" besets Montresor and may be described as the conflict of character against self, while the external conflict is a subtle one between Montresor and...

Fortunato's fool's hat and costume could be interpreted as symbolizing the way Montresor thinks of Fortunato. Montresor believes that he has fooled Fortunato—that he has fooled everyone, really. He...

There is enough evidence to suggest that Montresor is certainly an unreliable narrator in Poe's classic short story "The Cask of Amontillado." In the opening paragraph of the short story, Montresor...

In "The Cask of Amontillado," Montresor tells the story of his horrific crime fifty years after murdering his enemy Fortunato. At the beginning of the story, Montresor provides an outline for the...

We never get to find out exactly what it was that poor Fortunato was supposed to have said or done that made Montresor want to exact a terrible, murderous revenge upon him. But whatever it was has...

Fortunato is portrayed as a popular, outgoing Italian man who is an epicure and views himself as a connoisseur of fine wine. Fortunato is also a wealthy man and purchases large quantities of...

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...

Montresor elaborates on Fortunato's primary character trait that makes him easy prey by stating that his one weak point was that he "prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine." Fortunato's...

Montresor's vengeful personality is his most prominent character trait. Montresor's primary motivation for murdering Fortunato stems from his desire to avenge his enemy for causing him a "thousand...

Both of the characters of Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Cask of Amontillado," share several similar traits. They are both wealthy and come from families of longstanding influence. They both...

In "The Cask of Amontillado," part of Montresor's delight in committing what he regards as the perfect crime lies in giving the drunken Fortunato various clues to his fate, which he knows his enemy...

The mood of "The Cask of Amontillado" can be described as eerie, foreboding, suspenseful, and ominous. In order to create this unsettling atmosphere, Poe utilizes several literary techniques, which...

What is distinctive about the way Montresor is dressed is that he is not wearing a costume like all the other people celebrating the carnival. His only description of his clothing is in the...

The easiest way to describe Montresor would be as vengeful, single-minded, and unforgiving. We know from the very beginning of the story that he is intent on exacting revenge for the “injuries” and...

Montresor thinks he has the right to murder Fortunado because he insulted him somehow. Without knowing what the insult is it is hard to say if Montresor was justified, but I seriously doubt he...

One of the ways Poe builds this eerie mood is through crafting an unreliable narrator. We are told in the opening sentence that our narrator has withstood a "thousand injuries of Fortunato," yet we...

The setting of the story is absolutely crucial to establishing the overall mood. The story takes place against the backdrop of a carnival when everyone's out and about enjoying themselves, getting...

Fortunado and Montresor are both very prideful men, who are willing to go to great lengths to maintain their honor and reputation. Montresor reveals his wounded pride from the get-go, as he states...

Montresor has not been telling Fortunato the truth since he encountered him on the streets and told him he had just bought a cask of Amontillado at a bargain price. Why should the reader believe...

Montresor doesn't just plan to murder Fortunato; he wants to make sure he gets away with it. To that end, he carries out his wicked crime on the day of the carnival, when everyone is out enjoying...

Poe wanted to write a story in which one man lures another into the underground catacombs and leaves him to die in chains. The only thing that could lure such a man deep underground would be wine....

Montresor is saying that revenge does not bring full satisfaction, that is, a full feeling of closure, unless the avenger's victim is aware of the identity of the person who has punished him. For...

Well, this assumes that I want to change the ending, right? (Otherwise, I'd say, the story looks good the way it is.)If I were going to change the ending, I'd extend the final paragraph. I'd give...

While the above answers are correct, I would like to add another interpretation of the quote. The motto "No one attacks me with impunity" is seen in Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado". Merriam Webster...

Montresor's rather diabolical nature is conveyed as early as the first paragraph of the text when he explains his philosophy regarding revenge. He says that he must not only punish, but punish...

As a creative exercise, it seems you have a lot of latitude in an assignment such as this one. The jury can decide to either acquit or convict Montresor: that outcome is ultimately yours to...

Throughout the story, Fortunato is completely ignorant of Montresor's evil intentions and foolishly follows him into the depths of his catacombs in hopes of tasting the Amontillado. As they travel...

In Poe's classic short story "The Cask of Amontillado," the irony of the carnival setting concerns the fact that a sinister act is taking place in such a happy, carefree setting. The carnival was a...

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...

The narrator of "The Cask of Amontillado" is bent on revenge. He opens this story by insisting that Fortunato has inflicted a "thousand injuries" upon him and claims that he has dealt with these...

A metaphor is a type of figurative language in which something is described as being something which it is not. It differs from a simile in that the device does not say that something is like...