Cask Of Amontillado Existentialism

Edgar Allan Poe is noted as one of the most controversial authors. He was rejected by many and his works like his life are captivating, horrifying, and deal with love, death, terror, revenge and often brand evil. He had a love for the arts, alcohol and women. Death surrounded much of Poe’s early years and it is no wonder that many of his works deal with death and dying. His writings did not deal with the supernatural world of vampires or ghosts but dealt with the evil from within our souls that resides in each one of us. As in the story “The Cask of Amontillado” which focuses on revenge and pride which results in murder establishes the perfect backdrop for the perfect murder. Poe demonstrates how a person’s inner demons can lead to the
Most stories in this era dealt with things like ghost, vampires or werewolves. His characters were usually well educated men who displayed signs of mental instability. Poe thought that rational men could have immoral thoughts and commit immoral acts. In this story Poe presents the unreliable narrator. “We might read “The Cask of Amontillado” not as a confession, but rather as self-defense, an attempt to provide a rational account of apparently irrational events and behavior” (Cleman 70). Charles May notes in this regard, “Even if our hypothesis that Montressor tells the story as a final confession…is correct, the tone or manner of his telling makes it clear that he has not atoned, for he enjoys himself in the telling too much-as much, in fact, as he did when he committed the crime itself” (May 81). This is a valid point that I had never considered when reading the story but I am not sure I agree with him. Nowhere in the story does it claim he told anyone other than his telling now some 50 years later about the crime. He makes sure his house is free from all workers and servants during the festivities and he mask himself. I must agree with G.R Thompson that the narration is a confession that Montressor is making on his death bed due to his troubled conscience. Whereas in “The Cask of Amontillado” we know the motive is revenge
Montresor knew that Fortunato had a weakness for the spirits and he used this against him to lure him to his death. “He had a weak point-this Fortunato-He prided himself upon his connoisseurship in wine” (Mays 108). Montresor knows that he will not turn down the invite for a chance to drink Amontillado. He uses the imaginary Cask to lure him into the catacombs. He knows by telling Fortunato that he was going to see Luchesi that this will only make Fortunato even more eager to follow him to carry out his plan for revenge.
“The Cask of Amontillado” is filled with irony. Poe uses both verbal and dramatic irony in this short story. These two types are combined when the journey into the catacombs begins. Fortunato coughs and Montresor pretends to be concerned and request that they turn back. To which Fortunato responds “Enough,” he said; “the cough is mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough” (Mays 110). Montresor knows that the cough will not kill him because his fate is sealed by death within the catacombs not from the cough. He will rest forever within the