The Theme of Revenge in “The Cask of Amontillado” Essay

Edgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† is a frightening and entertaining short story about the severe consequences that result from persistent mockery and an unforgiving heart. Poe’s excellent use of Gothicism within the story sets the perfect tone for a dark and sinister plot of murder to unfold. â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† simply overflows with various themes and other literary elements that result from Poe’s Gothic style of writing. Of these various themes, one that tends to dominant the story as a whole is the theme of revenge, which Poe supports with his sophisticated use of direct and indirect factors, irony, and symbolism. The theme of revenge in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† is the driving force for the entire short story. The†¦show more content†¦Each of these factors shares the possibility of contributing to Montresor’s vengeful act against Fortunato. Another indirect factor that could contribute to Mo ntresor’s vengeful act, and thus the story’s theme of revenge, is his state of mind. Some critics have analyzed the opening line of this short story and have determined that it could contribute to an insane state of mind. When the opening line states, â€Å"The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge,† it does not describe what the insult is. The fact that Montresor does not give a specific description of the insult leads many critics to believe that Montresor has acted irrationally in murdering Fortunato and that he is insane. Another example of Montresor’s insanity is found when he replies to Fortunato’s screams (Baraban). In the story, Montresor states, â€Å"I replied to the yells of him who clamoured. I re-echoed, I aided, I surpassed them in volume and in strength† (Poe 1616). Critics view this statement as contributing to Montresor’s unstable state of mind, an d thus contributing to his act of revenge (Baraban). The last indirect factor that could contribute to Montresor’s vengeful act, and thus the story’s theme of revenge, is the short story’s social class aspects and how they relate to both Montresor and Fortunato. At thisShow MoreRelatedTheme Of Revenge In The Cask Of Amontillado706 Words   |  3 Pagesthey need retribution. Throughout history, there are many instances where revenge is used to justify a wrong that was been done to them. In Edgar Allan Poe’s short story, â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† The theme of revenge is seen through Montresor’s reason for revenge, its creation, and at the expense of life. To seek vengeance, a person must have a reason for seeking it. In the case of Montresor’s reason, he seeks revenge for the times Fortunato hurt him (Poe 1). This was one of the reasons heRead MoreTheme Of Revenge In The Cask Of Amontillado732 Words   |  3 PagesRevenge is one of the main reasons someone will commit a murder. They have a burning hatred for another person, which results in violent actions to be taken. In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† a short tale by Edgar Allen Poe, there are two characters by the names of Montresor and Fortunato.While at a carnival they coincidentally meet one another and decide to go have a taste of some of Montresor’s wine down in his cellar. However, what Fortunato doesnt know is that he is slowly walking closer and closerRead MoreTheme Of Revenge In The Cask Of Amontillado947 Words   |  4 PagesThe Cask of Amontillado written by Edgar Allan Poe is about a man named Montresor who seeks revenge on another man named Fo rtunato. Montresor meets Fortunato at a carnival and lures him away using wine, because he knows Fortunato can’t resist wine. Fortunato is anxious to try the wine so he goes into Montresor’s vault. While in the vault, Montresor begins to bury Fortunato alive. As Fortunato begins to sober up, he realizes what Montresor was doing. The central idea of the story is that revenge isRead MoreTheme Of Revenge In The Cask Of Amontillado709 Words   |  3 PagesRevenge is one of the main reason someone will commit a murder. They have a burning hatred for another person, which results in violent actions to be taken. In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† a short tale by Edgar Allen Poe, there are two characters by the names of Montresor and Fortunato thats we one another at a carnival and decide to go have a taste of some of Montresor’s wine down in his cellar. However, what Fortunato doesnt know is that he is slowly walking closer and closer towards his deathRead More Analysis Of Edgar Allan Poe s The Cask Of Amontillado 945 Words   |  4 PagesDenita Kumar Michael Frangos ENG 112 September 3, 2014 Revenge and Irony A friendship is based on trust, but do we truly know anyone in the way we think? In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† written by Edgar Allan Poe, a man named Fortunato is about to find out what kind of ‘friend’ Montresor really is. Montresor shows himself to be friendly with Fortunato, but deep down he feels nothing but hate for him. In different ways, both of these men are proud and appear upper class, yet both have faults whichRead MoreCompare And Contrast The Cask Of Amontillado And A Poison Tree1174 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"I vowed revenge.† (Poe 1) Revenge plays one of the biggest roles in The Cask of Amontillado and A Poison Tree. Edgar Allen Poe is the author of The Cask Of Amontillado, and William Blake is the poet who wrote A Poison Tree. The authors Poe and Blake use conflict and setting to convey the theme that suppressed anger sometimes induces revenge which can result in explosive violence. The setting in A Cask of Amontillado and in A Poison Tree is used to convey the theme and reveals the chain of suppressedRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado And The Masque Of The Red Death Analysis1403 Words   |  6 Pagesand suspense, considering his sudden death at the age of 40. Edgar Allen Poe created a unique voice in his stories, The Cask of Amontillado and The Masque of the Red Death, through common theme, diction, and point of view. First and foremost, in The Cask of Amontillado , Poe uses the need for revenge, as a significant theme throughout the entire story. Additionally, this theme was developed when both characters, Montresor and Fortunato created tension amongst each other. Moreover, in the story, MontresorRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe920 Words   |  4 PagesRevenge is Bitter Sweet A friend is someone that is trustworthy, but what happens when that trust no longer exists? In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† written by Edgar Allan Poe, Fortunato is about to find the answer to this question. On the surface, Montresor seems friendly with Fortunato, but deep down he feels nothing but hate for him. Could this hatred have an irrationality that only Montresor understands? In different ways, both of these men are proud and affluent, yet both have downfalls that willRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe906 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† was written in 1846, by Edgar Allan Poe. Born in 1809, Poe never knew any of his parents. At the age of three, his mother died of tuberculosis, and his father deserted the family before he was born. Taking care of him was his foster parents in Richmond, Virginia. They loved Poe, but were not supportive of his decisions and kept Poe poor. Having debt and not being able to provide food and clothes for himself caused Poe to quit school. Later, heRead MoreCompare And Contrast The Cask Of Amontillado And Man In The Well959 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† by Edgar Allen Poe and â€Å"Man in the Well† by Ira Sher are two short stories that are alike in many ways as well as different. Both stories share the theme of confinement which is central to the stories and a trapped victim who is tricked many times. Along with their similarities, the short stories also have differences such as the mindset of the perpetrator and the social classes within which the stories are set. To begin with, â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† is a story of revenge