We don't get many specifics, but we do get some hints about what happened before the story of revenge unfolds. We learn, for example, that Montresor and Fortunato have known each other for a number of years because Montresor tells us he has waited before enacting his revenge. He says that "at length" (meaning, at some point in time) he would be avenged for his wrongs: he was willing to wait for the right moment and the perfect plan.
We also know that Fortunato has "injured" Montresor many times, though we don't know precisely how. We also learn that Fortunato has managed to insult Montresor, which Montresor finds the unforgivable sin.
Other details we know is that both men are interested in good wines, and that Fortunato considers himself a wine expert. Montresor uses Fortunato's fascination with good wines to lure him into the catacombs. The men must have a history together of either enjoying wine or somehow being involved in the wine trade. Montresor says of himself:
I was skilful in the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could.
Because of their shared past, Fortunato, though surprised, believes Montresor when he says he has an amontillado, a fine sherry.
We know that Montresor continues to be friendly to Fortunato for a long time, even though he inwardly is seething with rage at him. The two also appear to come from a wealthy social class, as they can afford fine wines. Montresor has servants and seems to live in a large house. In short, we can imagine them having a past of belonging to the same social set, sharing a love of wines, and seeming to be friends, except that Fortunato has insulted Montresor in a way Montresor finds unbearable.
What is the inciting incident in Edgar Allan Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado"?
Edgar Allan Poe, in his short story The Cask of Amontillado, does not specify the precise nature of the "inciting incident" that drives the story's narrator, Montresor, to seek the demise of his intended victim. The story's opening sentence is purposely vague with respect to this matter:
"THE thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge."
We can only surmise from this comment that Fortunato has verbally insulted, or criticized to unspecified third parties, the story's narrator. Certainly, Fortunato is presented as a pompous blowhard, thoroughly arrogant, particularly on the subject of wine, the bait employed by Montresor to entrap his nemesis. At one point, continuing to lead the inebriated target of his wrath deeper into his cellar, Montresor begins to explain that another colleague or friend, Luchresi, has attested to the identity of Montresor's cask of wine, prompting Fortunato to sharply respond, "He is an ignoramus." All we know of Fortunato, therefore, is that he is an arrogant ass, given to condescending remarks directed towards others, and it was apparently a history of such comments uttered towards or about Montresor that constituted the "inciting incident."
What is the initial incident in "The Cask of Amontillado"?
In literature, the initial incident is that which generates action...
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in theprotagonist. In the short story "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe, the unreliable narrator named Montresor mentions that Fortunato, whom he considers his antagonist, has committed a "thousand injuries" against him. Then, Montresor names the initial, or inciting, incident: "...when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge." Thus, the initial/inciting incident is the unknown "insult"that Montresor claims to have borne at the hands of Fortunato.
This insult spurs Montresor to find Fortunato among the Carnival revelers and put his plan of revenge into action, a plan which is predicated upon Fortunato's "weak point": He takes excessive pride in his connoisseurship in wine. Montresor capitalizes upon this pride of Fortunato's by flattering him: "I was silly enough to pay full Amontillado price without consulting you in the matter." Then, Montresor acts as though he will consult another man because Fortunato is too busy. But Fortunato's pride will not allow anyone else to be conducted to the catacombs of the Montresors where the Amontillado is stored. He tells Montresor "Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from sherry."
What is the initial incident in "The Cask of Amontillado"?
I agree with the previous post that the initial incident in the short story, "The Cask of Amontillado," is the offense that Fortunato commited against Montressor. Unfortunately, Montressor never reveals what Fortunato has done to him to cause the vengeful incidents that follow. We only know what the first lines of the story tell us.
The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge.
It appears that Montressor was unhappy with Fortunato's longtime treatment of him ("The thousand injuries"), but the last straw was the unnamed insult.
What is the initial incident in "The Cask of Amontillado"?
In my opinion, the initial incident in this story is not really even seen in the story. To me, the initial incident is whatever Fortunato did in the past to Montresor.
The initial incident is the thing that leads to the rising action in the story. To me, the rising action in this story is the interaction between Montresor and Fortunato as Montresor maneuvers Fortunato into going down into Montresor's wine cellars.
So the initial incident has to be whatever caused this to happen. In my opinion, that is the conflict between them that is only referred to in this story.