Ideas for Reports and Papers
1. Delve into the history of the Free and Accepted Masons, the organization to which Fortunato seemingly belongs. How were Masons viewed in the United States during the 19th century? Why might Poe have chosen Fortunato as a member?
2. Identify the similarities and differences between "The Cask of Amontillado" and another Poe story, such as "The Premature Burial" or "The Tell-Tale Heart."
3. What is nitre (also known as potassium nitrate or saltpeter)? How does it form on the walls of catacombs? Why might it be dangerous?
4. Investigate the field of heraldry, the medieval system of assigning and describing symbols displayed on a shield to identify families. Learn enough of heraldry's specialized vocabulary to explain the conversation between Montresor and Fortunato about Montresor's "arms."
5. Research the attire of European gentlemen in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Fortunato, who has been partaking in the carnival, is dressed in motley. Montresor wears a silk mask and a roquelaire. What do the men's outfits reveal about their social status or character?
6. Compare and contrast Poe's style of horror in "The Cask of Amontillado" with that of another renowned writer in the genre, such as Washington Irving, Nathaniel Hawthorne, H. P. Lovecraft, or Stephen King.
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