Cask of Amontillado Essay

Submitted By bbray91
Words: 594
Pages: 3

Brittany Bray
Dr. Kerri Allen
English 1102
January 19, 2013
Summary “The Cask of Amontillado”
The narrator, Montresor, tells a story about a man who he has vowed revenge. He speaks of a noblest named Fortunato continuously throughout the narrative. Fortunato, who is very much respected throughout the Italian village, and even feared by some villagers, has insulted Montresor by an unspecified action. Although Montresor is angry and vengeful towards Fortunato, he does not let Fortunato see that he is angry with him. He continues to smile when Fortunato interacts with him, but Montresor essentially smiles at the thought of Fortunato’s death.
Fortunato, like Montresor, was not comparable to the average Italian villager. He prided himself with his sincere knowledge in wine. Similarly, Montresor also had genuine knowledge of wine, and he also bought large quantities of fine wines when the opportunity presented itself upon him.
One evening about dusk, Montresor had encountered his insulter Fortunato. Fortunato was dressed as a jester wearing a colorful striped gown and a cap with bells. The fellow had been celebrating the carnival, as well as drinking excessively. Montresor, with immoral intentions, was very pleased to shake his hand vigorously.
Throughout a brief conversation, Montresor explains to Fortunato that he had bought a cask of Amontillado impulsively, and he wasn’t certain that it was truly Amontillado. He insists on letting his friend Luchesi taste the Amontillado to confirm that it is authentic, but Fortunato believes that he is the only person that can identify the fine wine. Montresor explains that the Amontillado is hidden deep in the cold, damp vaults of The Montresors, and that the vaults are lined with nitre and remaining bones of the Montresor family. Fortunato demanded they proceed to these vaults even though he was very sick with a horrific cough.
There wasn’t a servant in sight at Montresor’s house when the two men arrived. Foreknown, Montresor had sent them out to celebrate the carnival until morning so he could be alone for the night. As Fortunato and Montresor ventured deeper into the vaults, the vaults began to get colder and damper. By this time, small talk over a few drinks had revealed Montresor’s family emblem and motto. Fortunato’s cough seemed to get