A protagonist is a character who is at the center of the conflict, driving the story. The antagonist is the person or force working against that character.
The protagonist of this story is Monstresor. First of all, he is the narrator - it is his story that he is telling. That doesn't always make the narrator the protagonist, but it often does. Secondly, he is the only character with any depth. Fortunato is a flat character, given little background and no opportunity to "grow" or expand. He does not drive the conflict - he does not even feel the conflict. For him, everything is fine, up to the moment he realizes he's being buried in a wall. The lack of detail about Fortunato - and about the supposed "insult" that he gave to Montresor - makes him too unimportant to be the protagonist.
It would seem that the antagonist is Fortunato, however. In Monstresor's mind, it is the force working against him, insulting him. Therefore, Monstresor must act out against Fortunato, as he does in murdering him. However, as said above, no detail is given about Fortunato's "insult", and readers are left with the impression that it either didn't happen or wasn't that serious. That makes Montresor his own antagonist - his resentment towards Fortunato, whatever the cause, is what is causing him to be conflicted and to act out in such a violent way.
Who is the antagonist of "The Cask of Amontillado"?
An antagonist is a character (or group of characters) that opposes the protagonist either directly or indirectly. Edgar Allan Poe penned the story "The Cask of Amontillado" in 1846. The protagonist in this story is Montresor. The story is told from his point of view, as he describes his experience with his enemy, Fortunato. The story is a description of Montresor's plot of revenge, and his execution of this plot. Fortunato is the antagonist of this story.
Montresor never gives details about what Fortunato did to antagonize him, but he does divulge that Fortunato has insulted him. In the opening lines of the story, Montresor explains:
"The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I 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 I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitively settled--but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish, but punish with impunity."
Montresor's family motto is "No one insults with impunity," meaning that no one will be able to insult them and get away unpunished. Although we don't know the specific nature of the insult, we know that Montresor has been offended and is not going to put up with it. He has bided his time, weaving an intricate plot of revenge in order to punish Fortunato for the wrongs he...
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has committed against him.
Who are the protagonist and antagonist in "The Cask of Amontillado"?
This is a very interesting question actually, because "The Cask of Amontillado" is a classic example of a villain protagonist in fiction. The main character, Montresor, is the kind of character you would expect to see cast as an antagonist when you consider that the story is about him misleading Fortunato with the intention of burying him alive. He is clearly the villain in the piece. Furthermore, this story is told in first person perspective by Montresor, which further complicates the picture because we see this entire story from the viewpoint of the murderer. We hear his thoughts and impressions and see events through the lens of his own, ultimately warped perspective. Taken as a narrator, Montresor is deeply unreliable—that should be considered in any analysis or reading of the story.
Who are the protagonist and antagonist in "The Cask of Amontillado"?
There are only two characters in Edgar Allan Poe's classic short story "The Cask of Amontillado"--Montressor and Fortunato. But which one is the protagonist? By normal definition, the protagonist is the main character of the story, in many cases considered even heroic, but nearly always it is one that receives empathy or emotional support from the audience or reader. Technically, Montressor would be the protagonist, although most readers would not consider him heroic or a character worthy of their moral approval. This would leave Fortunato, by default, as the antagonist--the adversarial character in main opposition to the protagonist. However, most readers probably sympathize with Fortunato's fate--a response usually reserved for the protagonist. The ambiguity of the two characters is just another example of the brilliance of both the story and its writer.
Who are the protagonist and antagonist of "The Cask of Amontillado"?
There is some debate about Montresor's being the protagonist since he is
- an unreliable narrator who alludes to "a thousand injuries"; however,these unnamed injuries may only be such because of Montresor's point of view.
- vindicative in his punishment, which far exceeds what may have been done to Montresor.
- a murderer.
Suffering at the hands of Montresor, Fortunato may well be the protagonist.
Who are the protagonist and antagonist of "The Cask of Amontillado"?
I have to agree with the previous posts. Montressor is the protagonist, whether the reader agrees with his motives or state of mind or not. Fortunato is his enemy, effectively making him the antagonist.
Who are the protagonist and antagonist of "The Cask of Amontillado"?
I agree that we often look for the good guy and label him/her the protagonist. In truth, the protagonist is the main character. Some main character are not good guys. The Cask of Amontillado is a perfect example. We tend to think of the antagonist as the bad guy, but again that's not really accurate. The antagonist is nothing more than an obstacle for the protagonist. This character is placed directly in the path of the protagonist. The protagonist must then overcome the obstacles offered by this character. Usually, this character reveals the qualities of the hero, but, in this case, the antagonist reveals the true horror of the protagonist's character.
Who are the protagonist and antagonist of "The Cask of Amontillado"?
Montressor is, indeed, the character who does every major action in the story: he sends the servants away, setting up the scenario for an empty house; he lures Fortunato to his cellar; he walls Fortunato in; and he is thrilled to have kept this secret for more than fifty years. No other character in the story does much of anything except react to Montressor's actions. This is a perfect example of a story in which the protagonist cannot be defined as "the good guy," which is how so many people define it, and the antagonist cannot be defined as "the bad guy."
Who are the protagonist and antagonist of "The Cask of Amontillado"?
For me, the protagonist is Montresor. We see the action through his eyes and we, strangely enough, sympathize with him even as he is doing this horrible thing to Fortunato. I do not think there is any other choice for a protagonist.