What is a thematic statement for "The Cask of Amontillado"?

A thematic statement typically does two things: it contains a theme (a statement, directly expressed or implied, that the text makes about some aspect of its subject) and makes a claim (a statement of opinion that one can back up with evidence from the text) about that theme. Given Montresor's high standards for revenge and the attention paid to his requirements for true revenge, we can assume that they are going to be important within the context of the story. He says,

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.

In other words, Montresor will only consider his revenge complete if he escapes all negative consequences that might result and if he makes his identity known to Fortunato, the man on whom he intends to seek revenge. However, there is evidence to suggest that, although Montresor escapes punishment, he cannot escape his own guilt. Although it is possible to interpret this evidence differently, Montresor speaks to someone who he says "know[s] the nature of [his] soul," and he appears to be confessing to the murder on his deathbed, as he says that it's been "half of a century" since he killed Fortunato. He also says that his "heart grew sick" as he walled up his victim. Therefore, you could state,

In "The Cask of Amontillado," Edgar Allan Poe illuminates the idea that, although one might escape punishment for wrongdoing, one cannot escape one's own conscience.

In order to write a a thematic statement, you first need a theme. There are a few themes in The Cask of Amontillado, such as the mortality of man or the violation of trust; but the one that I will use is the theme of hubris. (For a fuller explanation of the other themes, I have included a link.) Hubris, as defined by dictionary.com, is "excessive pride or self-confidence; arrogance." In literature, another part is generally added to the meaning: the arrogance leads to a downfall of some kind. This happens to both characters: Montressor's hubris leads him to a moral downfall by means of murder, and Fortunato's hubris leads him to death (which is the ultimate downfall). With all of that in mind, one example of a thematic statement for The Cask of Amontillado could be something like:

In the short story The Cask of Amontillado, Poe explores the reality of hubris: how the pride of man will lead to their downfall.

It's possible that Poe intended this tale's principal theme to be a moral one, that of the wrongness of seeking revenge. If so, however, we would have to account for the fact that the avenger in this case is not subjected to any retribution against him for the crime of murder, and a gruesome murder at that. This "madman," unlike those in the "Tell-tale Heart" and "The Black Cat," gets away with it. He's not even shown suffering guilt, fifty years later, though it's possible that despite his neutral, unperturbed tone in narrating the story, he's unburdening his soul by making a cathartic revelation. Given the length of time that has passed since he killed Fortunato, Montresor must now be a very old man, especially by the standards of Poe's time and more so earlier, when the story evidently takes place.

Poe's stories, unlike those of his contemporary Hawthorne with which he had much in common, generally don't present themes involving an explicit moral point or a "message." We might conclude that Poe's intent is purely to shock the reader by creating an atmosphere of violence and terror. But one can say that this purpose, and the atmosphere that Poe creates here in order to facilitate it, are in themselves the "theme." The action of a Poe tale is a metaphor of the helplessness of humankind.

In his works it's as if we are stuck in a dream, a nightmare that we cannot emerge from, and in which we can't uncover the real meaning, the sense behind the seeming meaninglessness of what we observe happening. Why does Montresor hate Fortunato to the extent that he would wall him up alive in the catacombs? No answer. All we are given is the generalized statement about the "thousand injuries," and the darkness of these cellars through which Montresor leads his victim. What Poe deliberately leaves unsaid is an analogue to the symbolism of a dream, in which more often than not the dreamer can't fathom the mystery of the absurd things taking place.

The tale's setting in Italy is significant. English and American writers of the period were obsessed with Italy as an exotic, magical place where the Western world's mythic identity was rooted. What could be more fascinating and horrible than a grotesque murder happening in a land which, with its warmth and perceived moral freedom, is so different from the anglophone world?

This exoticism and mystery are at the heart of Poe's subject, as they are in Hawthorne's depiction of a fabled Italy in "Rappaccini's Daughter." In Poe it's as though the setting in itself overrides any conventional theme that might be read in the story. Just as in his poetry, Poe seems to value sheer sound, the dream music of words, over an explicit meaning or purpose. In "The Cask of Amontillado," the outward elements of irrationality and mayhem override any explicit ideas that might nevertheless be expressed in the story.

What are some possible thesis statements for the setting of "The Cask of Amontillado"?

In this story, Edgar Allan Poe layers multiple aspects of the setting to reinforce the perfection of the murder plot. In reality, they probably were not all needed. An effective thesis can be constructed around arguing for the primary importance of any one aspect. As there are several distinct ones, you can find ample evidence in the story to back up the one that you think is most important.

One such statement might be: By setting the story in a house with a wine cellar, the author creates an ideal environment for the murderer to lure the victim, who is a wine lover, to a fatal encounter.

This type of statement is supported by the story's title. A similar statement could argue for the primacy of the catacombs as the ideal setting because the depths make them soundproof to anyone above. A third option would be to emphasize Venice with its carnival because of the disguises, or the contrast of the merriment to the sinister murder plot.

Just keep in mind that the evidence in the text should point you toward the thesis so you can be confident that your thesis corresponds to the author's intention.

Why not consider your discussion/analysis of Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" as that of a Gothic tale?  With this approach, your thesis statement can be a contention that the setting exhibits standard gothic elements which contribute to the horror of the story.  If you have been instructed, for instance, to devise your thesis statement with three aspects/opinions which you will prove in the body, you could contend that the catacombs are, indeed, dark and mysterious, filled with the grotesque, and of a foreboding atmosphere.

Another consideration is the fact that the setting is the most important element of Poe's narrative.What better place to "bury" his crime along with his culprit during the time of the Carnival when all revel and imbibe, unaware of their surroundings in their celebration?  In this case, you could devise a thesis that presents three reasons why the setting is the most important short story element in "The Cask of Amontillado."

Venice makes the perfect setting for Edgar Allan Poe's story "The Cask of Amontillado" because it is the scene of the famous annual carnival of Venice. The streets are crowded and everyone is drunk. People are wearing disguises, so it is easy for Montresor to lure Fortunato to his palazzo without being recognized. The land under the palazzo is honeycombed with catacombs, so it is also easy for Montresor to perpetrate his revenge against Fortunato once he manages to get him down below in the quest for the nonexistent Amontillado. The chains attached to the granite wall have been there since the days when noblemen could dispose of rebellious subjects by leaving them to die without any possibility of their screams being heard up above. Since the catacombs are also used for storing wine, it is plausible to persuade Fortunato that the cask of Amontillado is to be found down there. Poe needed to set his story in a distant place and a distant time because a story set in contemporary America involving a perfect murder would probably not be accepted for publication.

What themes are present in "The Cask of Amontillado"?

Clearly a central theme that goes to the very heart of this excellent short story is that of revenge. From the very first paragraph it is clear that revenge is Montresor's central motive for acting in the way that he does:

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

Although the exact nature of this "insult" is never divulged, revenge is the driving force that leads Montresor to plot and enact his most gruesome of punishments. Consider Montresor's motto, "Nemo me impune lacessit", which means "Nobody attacks me without punishment", which adds a moment of black humour to the story as Fortunato responds to the firmness of this motto with a strong approbation: '"Good!" he said.' Of course, the first paragraph is key to the reader in terms of displaying Montresor's plan, which is an enactment of his motto:

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.

It is vital therefore to Montresor that Fortunato meets his fate at his hand - Fortunato must know that it is Montresor who is exacting the revenge himself, otherwise, by Montresor's definition, it would not be revenge.

Of course, the fact that the short story never makes it clear precisely what the grevious offence was that plagues Montresor so does beg the question of whether Montresor is entirely reliable - of course, if Fortunato had wronged Montresor so badly it would be unlikely that he would trust Fortunato enough to follow him by himself into the depths of his family catacombs.

What is a restatement of the theme Montresor states in the first paragraph of "The Cask of Amontillado"?

A restatement of the theme, which is that of revenge, as declared by Montressor may be written in this manner:

THEME: Revenge is only truly revenge when the avenger makes himself known to his victim and oppresses him and when he is able to punish his victim without being caught and when the act of revenge is committed without injurious consequences.

What grievance Montressor has against Fortunato the reader never learns; nevertheless, it seems a serious one, whether imagined or real. Certainly, Montressor succeeds in his oppressive act against Fortunato; however, he does not commit this act without impunity. For, Montressor, indeed, suffers consequences as his act of violence against Fortunato returns to haunt him with the horror of what he has done-- "My heart grew sick," he remarks. And, with stress he calls out "In pace requiescat!" after his task of revenge is finished.