What does the Montresor family's coat of arms symbolize in "The Cask of Amontillado"?

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 reason to believe that he is telling the truth when Fortunato asks about his coat of arms and he describes it as

"A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel."

The coat of arms seems too appropriate. It also seems terribly bizarre. Montresor is feeling jubilant now that he has succeeded in solving his greatest problem, which was to lure Fortunato down into his vaults without being recognized by anyone. Montresor has a rapier concealed under his roquelaire, while his victim is unarmed and grossly inebriated. Montresor can kill him any time he wants to, so he is acting in a zany fashion, partly induced by the wine he has consumed. He claims to be a Mason and shows Fortunato the trowel with which he intends to wall him up.

It may be that Montresor doesn't even have a coat of arms. Fortunato may be adding another injury to the thousand he has already inflicted when he says:

"I forget your arms."

If they have supposedly been friends for a long time, Fortunato ought to know more about Montresor's family. (This strongly suggests that they are both business associates but not really personal friends. Both deal in luxury goods such as oil paintings, antiques, gemmary, and old gourmet wines. Venice is a decaying city where aristocratic families are sometimes forced to sell off possessions in order to survive.) This is the very first time Fortunato has been to Montresor's palazzo, which is significant. Montresor may never have been invited to Fortunato's palazzo, or may have only been there on one or two occasions. Fortunato looks down on Montresor, a Frenchman, a relative johnny-come-lately to Italy. When he inquires about a coat of arms he may be thinking of forcing Montresor to confess that his family is bourgeois and never possessed one.

When Montresor describes his flamboyant and probably imaginary coat of arms, Fortunato, still hoping to catch him in a falsehood, asks:

"And the motto?"

Montresor may be inventing a motto to fit his imaginary coat of arms when he replies:

"Nemo me impune lacessit."

There is a good possibility that Fortunato does not even understand Latin and an equally good possibility that Montresor knows he doesn't. Fortunato merely says, "Good!" This is especially ironic, since Montresor is warning him he is in grave danger.

Whenever this famous story appears in an anthology, the editor usually takes pains to offer an English translation of the motto; but Poe (characteristically) does the reader the courtesy of assuming he or she can understand the Latin without help. We all know that "nemo" means "nobody" and that "me" must mean "me." The Latin "impune" is obviously close to the English "impunity," and "lacessit" suggests English words like "lacerate." So it isn't hard even for a non-Latinist to figure out that the motto is saying something like "Nobody injures me and gets away with it."

Fortunato's questions about the coat of arms and family motto suggest that he is in the habit of injuring Montresor by reminding him in various subtle ways of the differences in their family backgrounds, social status, and material possessions; while Montresor's deliberate lies suggest that he is looking forward to his final revenge.

What does the Montresor family's coat of arms symbolize in "The Cask of Amontillado"?

The coat of arms is described as depicting a ”huge human foot d’or, in a field of azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel," an image underscored with the inscription of the family motto, "nemo me impune lacessit," which means no one provokes me with impunity. This depiction is obviously a biblical allusion to Genesis 3:15: “he will crush your head and you will strike his heel,” wherein the "he" refers to Christ, and the "you" refers to the serpent, which is a symbol for Satan.

In light of this allusion, the fact that the family depicts itself as the foot crushing the head of the serpent means more than the written inscription of the motto. Not only will the Montessors punish anyone whom they feel harms them, they administer that punishment with a sense of authority. In their eyes, they are equated with Christ (the foot), or GOD, and anyone who dares to strike against them is the serpent, and is therefore evil and worthy of nothing more than total anihilation. They are justly crushed underfoot. It is this arrogance that leads Montressor to murder, which seems to the reader an extreme punishment for an insult. Montressor sees the insult as more than mere words. He sees it as an attack against God, since he feels that his family is equal to God. The proof of this godhood is held in his family crest.

What does the Montresor family's coat of arms symbolize in "The Cask of Amontillado"?

A coat of arms is a symbolic representation of the person's family lineage and heritage. It is a source of tremendous pride and respect for those who have a coat of arms. Usually, richer, more affluent classes boast a coat of arms. In the early days, a coat of arms was the insignia drawn on the sheilds of the knights as they marched into battle. Montressor says it is:

“A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel.”

“And the motto?”

“Nemo me impune lacessit.”  

(No one insults me with impunity.)

Montressor's coat of arms is of a golden, impervious foot stamping on and crushing a serpent who is trying to sink its fangs into it. It is implying that yes, you may "sting me," but I will crush you.

What does the Montresor family's coat of arms symbolize in "The Cask of Amontillado"?

Poe's story, "The Cask of Amontillado" is full of foreshadowing and symbols.  The coat of arms of Montresor, the aggressor in the story, is no exception.

When he mentions the coat of arms, the description is that of a golden foot crushing a snake whose fangs are embedded in the foot's heel.  The motto, 'Nemo me impue lacessit' means "No one strikes me with impunity."

This motto and the images in the family's shield suggest that Fortunato is not going to be fortunate at all...rather, the opposite.  Obviously, from the speeches Montresor delivers, he feels as though Fortunato has struck him with impunity.  Fortunato, then, is the snake who has bitten Montresor's foot.  Montresor intends to crush the snake one and for all, and by the end of the story, the reader and Fortunato realize he has done just that.  By bricking him into a wall far away from where anyone will be able to hear his distress calls seals his fate (no pun intended) to become like the skeletons they encounter in the cellar. 

Gold--the color of the foot--has long suggested fortune, wealth, good luck.  Snakes have just as often symbolized an evil or forboding source...take the snake who beguiles Eve into eating the forbidden fruit, or the snakes in Harry Potter (symbol of the Slytherin House, the actual snake in one of the books), for that matter, as examples.

What is appropriate about the Montresor family's coat of arms?

It is appropriate that Montresor describes his coat of arms and motto as he does, because it seems to reinforce the reader's conception of his great pride and vindictiveness. It seems possible, however, that his coat of arms and family motto are too appropriate, that he just invented them for his own amusement. He has been acting zany ever since he got Fortunato safetly underground. He claims to be a Mason and shows Fortunato the trowel with which he plans to immolate him. He may sense that Fortunato is subtly insulting him--which may be a habit with this man. Fortunato may be asking about  Montresor's coat of arms in the hope of embarrassing him. Montresor may either not have a family coat of arms or else may have one that would indicate an inferior social status. Montresor is a French name. The family does not have roots in Italy that are comparable to those of Fortunato, who may consider Montresor a johnny-come-lately and may have let him know his contempt in various subtle ways in the past. His inquiring about Montresor's coat of arms may be Poe's way of showing an example of the "thousand injuries" so many readers have wondered about. Montresor wouldn't care about adding another lie to those he has already told this night. He lied about having the Amontillado, lied about being Fortunato's "good friend," lied about looking for Luchesi (since he wouldn't want to murder Luchesi), and lied about his concern for his "friend's" health. His entire description of his family coat of arms and the Latin motto meaning "No one injures me with impunity" may be a complete fabrication. After all, Fortunato will never check it out; he is doomed to be entombed and left to die that very night.

What is appropriate about the Montresor family's coat of arms?

The coat of arms for the Montresor family shows an azure field with a human foot crushing a serpent that is biting it.  This is particularly appropriate becuase it is Montresor who is attempting to exact revenge for the "thousand injuries" done to him by Fortunato.  So while Montresor is represented in the coat of arms by the human foot, Fortunato becomes the serpent.  Just as the foot crushes the serpent's head, Montresor will kill Fortunato.  The motto is also appropriate because it reads "No one injures me with impugnity."  Of course the motto can be applied here as well because there will be no impugnity for Fortunato; he will die in the caverns beneath the Palazzo of Montresor.

Describe the significance of the Montresor family arms in "The Cask of Amontillado".

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 described by Montresor as,

A huge human foot d’or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel.

This image of a giant golden foot crushing a serpent that has bitten the heel is interesting because it indicates that the Montresor family is violent and will crush those who oppose or offend them. Montresor also reminds his guest of the Montresor family motto, Nemo me impune lacessit. The rough translation of this Latin phrase is, “no one attacks me with impunity.” Based on the family crest, it is unwise to cross the Montresor family!

To fully understand the significance of this symbolism and the narrator’s cruelty, it is important to revisit Montresor’s rationale for murdering Fortunato. In the opening lines of the story, the narrator reveals,

The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.

The implication is that Fortunato has repeatedly insulted the Montresor family in some unspecified manner. When Montresor cruelly buries Fortunato alive in the vaults of the family home, his actions mirror his coat of arms and adhere to the family-values of the crest.

I hope this helps!

Why is the description of Montresor's family crest in The Cask of Amontillado important?

Montresor is proud of his family's heritage, and it is apparent that Fortunato's "insult" concerned a personal slight to his name. As Montresor leads Fortunato to his final resting place, the doomed man comments on the "extensive" nature of the catacombs.

“The Montresors,” I replied, “were a great and numerous family.”
“I forget your arms.”
“A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel.”
“And the motto?”
“Nemo me impune lacessit.”
“Good!” he said.

The Latin interpretation of the motto, to "Punish with Impunity," is acceptable to Fortunato, but he will soon find that Montresor lives by the credo. For it is exactly in this manner that he will kill Fortunato. When he leaves Fortunato to die within the walled recess, hidden so no one will ever find him, he lives up to the family motto: He successfully punishes Fortunato without suffering the consequences of the crime.

There are several layers of irony here: One, is that Fortunato unknowingly approves of the motto; secondly, he walks willingly to the spot where he helps Montresor fulfill his goal; and, finally, Fortunato's bones will soon be intermixed with those of the family he has insulted. Additionally, Poe foreshadows the outcome by including this dialogue between the two men

What is the meaning of the Montresor family arms in "The Cask of Amontillado"?

During their descent into the catacombs, Fortunato and Montresor pause several times to take a drink. Montresor is happy to do so, since he wants to make sure Fortunato is drunk when they reach their final destination. At one point, Fortunato toasts the bodies that "repose" around them. When Fortunato comments about the extensive size of the underground vaults, the narrator responds that

     “The Montresors... were a great and numerous family.”
     “I forget your arms.”
     “A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel.”
     “And the motto?”
     “Nemo me impune lacessit.”
     “Good!” he said.

The Latin motto of the Montresor family translates to "No one attacks me with impunity," impunity meaning "without punishment." Thus, Montresor's act of revenge correlates with the family motto, punishing Fortunato for his own attack--an eye for an eye.

What is the meaning of the Montresor family arms in "The Cask of Amontillado"?

In medias res, or “into the middle of things” is Latin phrase used to describe a story that begins in the middle or even at the conclusion instead of at the beginning.

The main character and narrator of the story, Montresor, relates his story of revenge to an unnamed listener, the mysterious “you” who is acquainted with Montresor. He narrates his story in the past tense, referring to events that have already happened.

Finally, the clearest clue that Montresor is looking back and telling the story after the fact comes at the very end with these statements:

I forced the last stone into its position; I plastered it up. Against the new masonry I reerected the old rampart of bones. For the half of a century no mortal has disturbed them.

With the final sentence, we know that Montresor’s revenge happened fifty years ago--and no one has found and disturbed Forunato’s tomb since Montresor buried Fortunato alive.

In "The Cask of Amontillado," how does the coat of arms relate to the story?

I have suggested that Montresor may be spontaneously inventing his coat of arms and the motto that goes with it. He has been deceiving Fortunato about everything else, including the cask of Amontillado. Why should he be telling him the truth about his coat of arms? It is a little too appropriate for the occasion. And the Latin motto is also a little too appropriate. Fortunato is drunk, and Poe may just be having fun with him. There is a good possibility that Fortunato doesn't even understand Latin. When Montresor says the motto is "Nemo me impune lacessit," Fortunato simply says, "Good." Even a reader who does not understand Latin ought to be able to guess that it means something like "Nobody (nemo) injures me (me) with impunity (impune)." Montresor may have an entirely different coat of arms, or no coat of arms at all, and he may have an entirely different motto, or none at all. The coat of arms and motto are not necessary to convince the reader that Montresor is proud and vengeful. We are well aware of this already.

In "The Cask of Amontillado," how does the coat of arms relate to the story?

The story is set in Italy, is it not?  Remember Romeo and Juliet and the family honor?  Huge for this nationality is the pride in one's surname, in one's person.  Certainly, the phrase "with impunity" also echoes the words of the exposition of Poe's Gothic tale, underscoring the theme of revenge, a revenge that Montesor wears upon his person as one would wear a shield. (coat of arms)

In "The Cask of Amontillado," how does the coat of arms relate to the story?

The coat of arms adds a little foreshadowing, because it tells us that revenge is in his blood.  It also adds humor, because it seems silly and adds to the goofy aspect of the story.  However, if you take it seriously it shows that he really is unstable.

In "The Cask of Amontillado," how does the coat of arms relate to the story?

Yes, Montressor is acting not only personally to revenge the dishonour visited upon him by Fortunato. He is also following a long family tradition in terms of not taking dishonour lightly and seeking to have his revenge on those who perpetrate such dishonour. It helps us to understand the character of Montressor a bit better.

In "The Cask of Amontillado," how does the coat of arms relate to the story?

In "The Cask of Amontillado," how does the coat of arms relate to the story?

Basically, the coat of arms means "you can't mess with me and get away with it."  It's a totally macho, in-your-face sort of a motto.  It sets us up for what Montresor is going to do -- he's not going to let Fortunato get away with messing with him.

In "The Cask of Amontillado," how does the coat of arms relate to the story?

In Edgar Allan Poe's short story, Fortunato, the man whom Montresor plans to kill, asks Montresor about the coat of arms of the latter's family:

"I forget your arms."

"A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel."

"And the motto?"

"Nemo me impune lacessit."

The motto means "no one insults me with impunity."

These arms are obviously relevant to the story as a whole: Montresor feels that he has indeed been insulted by Fortunato. He plans to kill Fortunato (that is, he plans to crush the serpent). The detail suggesting that Fortunato's fangs have been buried in Montresor's heal can be read in at least two ways: Montresor feels that he has been injured by Fortunato; Montresor, even though successful in killing Fortunato, will be troubled by the killing for years afterward.

What does Montresor's analysis of revenge and his family's coat of arms reveal about him in "The Cask of Amontillado"?

One must have a little background knowledge of the location and time period in which the short story occurs.  This is Catholic Middle Ages Italy. The coat of arms (the snake clasping the heel crushing it) sets the stage for the revenge--which Montressor wants for now and later.  Montressor gets Fortunato DRUNK--a mortal damble sin in the Catholic Church unless confessed to a priest.  If one dies with this unforgiven sin, it means ETERNAL DAMNATION in hell.  This is Montressor's TOTAL REVENGE. Not only does Fortunato realize at the end what is happening, but also realizes where he is going to.  And Montressor (the Monster), gets away with total revenge--murder of the body and soul of his enemy Fortunato.

What does Montresor's analysis of revenge and his family's coat of arms reveal about him in "The Cask of Amontillado"?

Montressor's revenge upon Fortunato in "The Cask of Amontillado" is two-fold: It must be fitting and severe, and it must be completed without the possibility of prosecution or reprisal.

At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitely, settled—but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.

Montressor's revenge must be swift, decisive and free of risk, and in these actions he was successful: The completion of his act proved to be a perfect crime. Montressor may have based this goal on his own family motto. The family crest displayed 

“A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel.”

The motto read

"Nemo me impune lacessit" ("No one attacks me with impunity").

So, Montressor's crest was emblazoned with a human foot crushing a snake, whose fangs were attached to the heel. The motto simply means that no personal attack will go without punishment. Certainly, Montressor followed both of these ideas when he decided to kill Fortunato. Like the snake, Fortunato had somehow insulted or attacked Montressor; like the heel, Montressor would respond by crushing his enemy.

What does Montresor's analysis of revenge and his family's coat of arms reveal about him in "The Cask of Amontillado"?

From these two things, we learn that Montressor is a pretty cold-blooded individual who is really quite ruthless when it comes to getting revenge on people who (he thinks) have done him wrong.

We find out that he wants real revenge.  He wants the guy to know it's happening to him.  He wants the victim to know who is getting revenge.

From the coat of arms, we know that it is his intention to never give up.  He will get revenge at all costs.

Overall, then, I guess you could say he's a ruthless and implacable enemy to have.

Why is Montresor's family crest appropriate in "The Cask of Amontillado"?

The coat of arms and the motto Montresor describes are suspiciously appropriate. It is possible that Montresor is inventing both of them as a cruel joke. He says a few lines later, "My own fancy grew warm with the Medoc." Montreor has been behaving in a zany fashion since getting his victim down underground. He does not have to be cautious any longer. He has a rapier and Fortunato, in his tight-fitting costume, must be unarmed. Montresor can kill Fortunato any time he wants to. Furthermore, Montresor is getting a little bit drunk. The Medoc may be the first wine he has drunk all eveninig. There is no reason to believe that anything he tells his victim is the truth. He has been lying to him since they met in the street. He lies about being a Mason. And, of course, the biggest lie he has told is that he has a cask of Amontillado in the catacombs beneath his palazzo.

It is possible that Montresor does not have a coat of arms at all. His background is suspect. Here he is a Frenchman living in Italy. Why? Although the catacombs are full of human bones, they are probably not the bones of Montresor's ancestors. The chains attached to the rock wall in the niche indicate that these catacombs and their contents go back a long time. Other poor wretches were chained there hundreds of years ago. Some of the bones piled in front of the niche may be the bones of people who died in those chains. Montresor may be hypersensitive about his family honor because his family history is so obscure. And Fortunato may know, or at least sense, that Montresor comes from an inferior background. Some of the "thousand injuries" Montresor has suffered may have come from insolent questions and remarks about his origins.

In short, Montresor may be making up a coat of arms and family motto because he doesn't have a genuine one, and Fortunato may be asking him about them just because he either knows or suspects that this is the case. As long as Montresor is inventing a coat of arms and a family motto, he might as well make up one that satisfies his outraged feeliings. If Montresor had told this lie on a different occasion (assuming it is a lie), then Fortunato might have checked it out; but Fortunato won't be checking anything out.

Why is Montresor's family crest appropriate in "The Cask of Amontillado"?

Though Montresor's family is not as illustrious as the powerful Fortunatos, he is proud of his heritage, and he obviously lives by the motto of his family coat-of-arms. When Fortunato admits to forgetting the image of the Montresor family crest, Montresor explains that its image consists of

"A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel."

(A large golden--"d'or"--foot in a blue field, it crushes an out-of-control snake who has bitten the heel of the foot.) The motto on the crest:

"Nemo me impune lacessit."

(The English translation of the Latin phrase is "No one attacks me with impunity.") One of Montresor's main points considering Fortunato's murder is that he

... must not only punish but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser.

Montresor has decided to seek revenge on Fortunato by honoring the credo of his family crest--to kill without being caught.