How Does Montresor Show Dominance

Dominance is the power and influence of others. It is a characteristic of highly social animals, such as humans, in which individuals compete intensely with one another for food, mates, territory, or any other resource, including money. This is evident in social relationships between family members, friends, and even enemies. This relationship is perfectly showcased between Montresor and Fortunato in Edgar Allan Poe’s “A Cask of Amontillado.” Montresor recalls the events of a murder that happened 50 years ago where he baited his friend Fortunato with Amontillado, taunted Fortunato with Luchresi, and eventually killed Fortunato by sealing him inside the catacombs. As Montresor lays out his incredibly detailed description of Fortunato’s murder, it becomes evident that Montresor was motivated by his need for dominance over Fortunato.
This need for dominance is first witnessed when Montresor’s chooses to use Amontillado against Fortunato. Montresor considers himself almost an expert in terms of wine, stating “I [Montresor] was skillful in the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could,” and he also knows that Fortunato is
In one of the last passages, Montresor had just finished building the wall about chest high and he decided to shine the torch into the “trap.” Out of nowhere, Fortunato releases a loud scream, which surprises Montresor. In response, Montresor yells back. He states that “I replied to the yells of him who clamoured. I re-echoed, I aided, I surpassed them in volume and in strength. I did this, and the clamourer grew still” (Poe 254). This supports the idea that Montresor craves dominance; taking control of the circumstances and getting his vengeance was Montresor’s plan the whole time. When Fortunato threatens his dominance, Montresor responds with greater force and strength. Afterwards, since the act of dominating Fortunato is accomplished so well