How Does Montresor Show Pride
The Cask of Amontillado: A Study of Vengeance and Pride
In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado”, the themes of pride and revenge are deeply intertwined. They say pride comes before the fall, and it is evident that Poe was a firm believer in this concept. In his tale, it is the sin of pride that ultimately leads both characters down the path to ruin. The two main characters embody and express these themes. The protagonist, Montresor embodies revenge, his motives thoughts and actions are driven by it, his every move clearly calculated to “not only punish, but punish with impunity” (Poe). Fortunato, “the fortunate one”, our hapless antagonist, is led to his ultimate resting place because of an inherent weakness, his pride. …show more content…
At every step his pride is exploited by Montresor, the dangling carrot that leads him to his demise. The motivation for revenge is based on emotions particularly the hurt of one’s pride. Samuel Johnson said, “Revenge is an act of passion; vengeance of justice. Injuries are revenged; crimes are avenged”. Such is the case for Montresor in “The Cask of Amontillado”. The author, Edgar Allan Poe, leaves much room for interpretation and analysis. The story is told from the perspective of Montresor, presumably in Italy, possibly France, in the late 18th century during the time of Carnival. Montresor is insulted prior to the tale by the other character, Fortunato. How we are not told. From the very first line of the story, from Montresor himself, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge” (Poe). It is clear that although Montresor feels he had been wronged by Fortunato numerous times in the past, it is the insult that drove him to seek his vengeance. It is not the thousand sticks and stones, but the names that hurt Montresor deepest, an affront to his pride is the catalyst here.
Just as Montresor’s injured pride is the source of his vengeful actions, Fortunato’s pride is the root of his ultimate demise. Montresor explains, “he had a weak point - this Fortunato - although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared. He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine” (Poe). As Montresor runs into Fortunato, he takes the opportunity to claim his revenge, preying on Fortunato’s weak point, his pride. Montresor tells Fortunato of a rare bottle of wine, an Amontillado, that he recently purchased but is now questioning its authenticity, fearing he has been taken advantage of. He needs Fortunato’s expert advice in testing it, playing off his pride in his wine expertise. “Montresor uses Fortunato 's pride in being a wine connoisseur to entrap his adversary” (Platizky 207).
Fortunato is lured to his fate by his own pride and pursuance. Fortunato is led by Montresor down through the family catacombs filled with stench, bad air, and toxic nitre to find a rare wine, the Amontillado. As he leads him through this labyrinth, Montresor continuously challenges Fortunato’s pride and ego. He introduces the idea of consulting Luchesi, a rival wine connoisseur, whose skills Fortunato deems inferior to his own.
"He should, he says, have consulted Fortunato, who prides himself on being an expert on wine, adding that because Fortunato is engaged, he will go instead to Luchesi. Knowing his victim’s vanity, Montresor baits him by saying that some fools argue that Luchesi’s taste is as fine as Fortunato’s. The latter is hooked, and Montresor conducts him to his empty palazzo and leads him down into the family catacombs, all the while plying him with drink” (Morsberger 2).
Montresor repeatedly harps back to this rival, Luchesi, knowing full well that Fortunato’s pride in his expertise will not allow him to stop in his quest to show off for his friend and demonstrate his superiority. In fact Montresor uses Luchesi’s name in five separate instances to refuel Fortunato’s pride and compel him to continue on. As they head down the catacombs, Montresor gives Fortunato multiple chances to escape the doom he has planned, however, his pride and stubbornness compels him to continue on, to pursue the elusive Amontillado. Fortunato is inflicted with an ailment and the damp conditions coupled with the presence of the nitre in the catacombs greatly aggravate his condition. After a particularly long coughing fit, Montresor offers, “’Come,’ I said, with decision, ‘we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed. For me it is no matter. We will go back; you will be ill, and I cannot be responsible. Besides, there is Luchesi –‘” (Poe). At first Montresor offering an escape option to Fortunato seems unusual. However, notice that Montresor punctuates his statement by again mentioning Luchesi. Montresor is keenly aware of the extent of Fortunato’s weakness, his pride, and that even under severe risk to his health Fortunato would continue on to satiate his pride. In this way Montresor’s statement is almost sadistic in nature, playing with his impending victim. Montresor is basically taunting and telling his victim to pay attention, he states to watch his health and tells him to go back, belligerent and also swelled with pride he pushes on to see proof of the rare bottle of wine. Montresor also while drinking wine stumbling through the catacombs toasts to his victim and drinks “to his long life” hoping that he will suffer and live for as long as possible once he has exacted his revenge (Poe).
As Fortunato is led deeper and deeper into the vaults, Montresor grows bolder and bolder, giving hints to his victim. Fortunato’s weakness of pride is so great that he is completely blind to his impending fate. When asked by Fortunato if he is a mason, referring to the Free Masons, Montresor produces the trowel he has been carrying hidden under his garments, something he has no reasonable explanation for carrying and his instrument of vengeance. As they move further through the catacombs, the victim states he forgot the Montresor’s family motto, to which Montresor replied "Nemo me impune lacessit" which is translated to “No one cuts (attacks) me with impunity”, an direct allusion to his earlier comment about punishing Fortunato with impunity. Despite these clues, Fortunato is completely oblivious, blinded by pride.
The end result finds Fortunato cornered, chained in and walled up brick by brick to be left to die alone in the darkness. This is the end of the story and the reader realizes the tale has been Montresor’s confession to a murder of vengeance told fifty years later. In this way Montresor exhibits the ultimate expression of his pride, his pride making him feel fully justified in his heinous and immoral act.
“Indeed, while most contemporary detective fiction serves a didactic purpose by showing how criminals are caught, "The Cask of Amontillado" depicts a man who has successfully committed a premeditated murder and escapes punishment.
Not only does Montresor feel no guilt, but he perceives his murder of Fortunato as a successful act of vengeance and punishment rather than crime. ' Montresor presents himself as a person who had the right to condemn Fortunato to death; he planned his murder as an act of execution” (Baraban 49).
As stated above the protagonist, savors every moment fulfilling his plot of revenge, his pride consumes his behavior and he is unable to feel any wrongdoings from his actions only complete enjoyment from the clever retaliation. He also feels he is just because he gave several opportunities for the victim to bow out from his plan, even if his own pride made it impossible for him to escape. Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” is a tale of vengeance that illuminates the dangers of pride. Both characters exhibit extreme, disproportionate pride which in turn leads to their downfall. Fortunato’s pride blinded him from impending danger, ultimately leading to his gruesome death and Montresor’s pride drove him to seek vengeance and in turn led to him committing a heinous, immoral act, a mortal sin. Through analysis of this tale it seems clear that pride lays the bricks down the path to
ruin.
Works Cited
Baraban, Elena V. "The Motive for Murder in "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe." Rocky Mountain Review of Language & Literature (2004): 47-64. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.
Morseberger, Robert E. "The Cask of Amontillado." Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.
Platizky, Roger. "Poe 's The Cask of Amontillado." Exlicator 57.4 (1999): 206-09. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.
Poe, Edgar Allan, and Gary Richard Thompson. "The Cask of Amontillado." The Selected Writings of Edgar Allan Poe: Authoritative Texts, Backgrounds and Contexts, Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2004.
In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado”, the themes of pride and revenge are deeply intertwined. They say pride comes before the fall, and it is evident that Poe was a firm believer in this concept. In his tale, it is the sin of pride that ultimately leads both characters down the path to ruin. The two main characters embody and express these themes. The protagonist, Montresor embodies revenge, his motives thoughts and actions are driven by it, his every move clearly calculated to “not only punish, but punish with impunity” (Poe). Fortunato, “the fortunate one”, our hapless antagonist, is led to his ultimate resting place because of an inherent weakness, his pride. …show more content…
At every step his pride is exploited by Montresor, the dangling carrot that leads him to his demise. The motivation for revenge is based on emotions particularly the hurt of one’s pride. Samuel Johnson said, “Revenge is an act of passion; vengeance of justice. Injuries are revenged; crimes are avenged”. Such is the case for Montresor in “The Cask of Amontillado”. The author, Edgar Allan Poe, leaves much room for interpretation and analysis. The story is told from the perspective of Montresor, presumably in Italy, possibly France, in the late 18th century during the time of Carnival. Montresor is insulted prior to the tale by the other character, Fortunato. How we are not told. From the very first line of the story, from Montresor himself, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge” (Poe). It is clear that although Montresor feels he had been wronged by Fortunato numerous times in the past, it is the insult that drove him to seek his vengeance. It is not the thousand sticks and stones, but the names that hurt Montresor deepest, an affront to his pride is the catalyst here.
Just as Montresor’s injured pride is the source of his vengeful actions, Fortunato’s pride is the root of his ultimate demise. Montresor explains, “he had a weak point - this Fortunato - although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared. He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine” (Poe). As Montresor runs into Fortunato, he takes the opportunity to claim his revenge, preying on Fortunato’s weak point, his pride. Montresor tells Fortunato of a rare bottle of wine, an Amontillado, that he recently purchased but is now questioning its authenticity, fearing he has been taken advantage of. He needs Fortunato’s expert advice in testing it, playing off his pride in his wine expertise. “Montresor uses Fortunato 's pride in being a wine connoisseur to entrap his adversary” (Platizky 207).
Fortunato is lured to his fate by his own pride and pursuance. Fortunato is led by Montresor down through the family catacombs filled with stench, bad air, and toxic nitre to find a rare wine, the Amontillado. As he leads him through this labyrinth, Montresor continuously challenges Fortunato’s pride and ego. He introduces the idea of consulting Luchesi, a rival wine connoisseur, whose skills Fortunato deems inferior to his own.
"He should, he says, have consulted Fortunato, who prides himself on being an expert on wine, adding that because Fortunato is engaged, he will go instead to Luchesi. Knowing his victim’s vanity, Montresor baits him by saying that some fools argue that Luchesi’s taste is as fine as Fortunato’s. The latter is hooked, and Montresor conducts him to his empty palazzo and leads him down into the family catacombs, all the while plying him with drink” (Morsberger 2).
Montresor repeatedly harps back to this rival, Luchesi, knowing full well that Fortunato’s pride in his expertise will not allow him to stop in his quest to show off for his friend and demonstrate his superiority. In fact Montresor uses Luchesi’s name in five separate instances to refuel Fortunato’s pride and compel him to continue on. As they head down the catacombs, Montresor gives Fortunato multiple chances to escape the doom he has planned, however, his pride and stubbornness compels him to continue on, to pursue the elusive Amontillado. Fortunato is inflicted with an ailment and the damp conditions coupled with the presence of the nitre in the catacombs greatly aggravate his condition. After a particularly long coughing fit, Montresor offers, “’Come,’ I said, with decision, ‘we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed. For me it is no matter. We will go back; you will be ill, and I cannot be responsible. Besides, there is Luchesi –‘” (Poe). At first Montresor offering an escape option to Fortunato seems unusual. However, notice that Montresor punctuates his statement by again mentioning Luchesi. Montresor is keenly aware of the extent of Fortunato’s weakness, his pride, and that even under severe risk to his health Fortunato would continue on to satiate his pride. In this way Montresor’s statement is almost sadistic in nature, playing with his impending victim. Montresor is basically taunting and telling his victim to pay attention, he states to watch his health and tells him to go back, belligerent and also swelled with pride he pushes on to see proof of the rare bottle of wine. Montresor also while drinking wine stumbling through the catacombs toasts to his victim and drinks “to his long life” hoping that he will suffer and live for as long as possible once he has exacted his revenge (Poe).
As Fortunato is led deeper and deeper into the vaults, Montresor grows bolder and bolder, giving hints to his victim. Fortunato’s weakness of pride is so great that he is completely blind to his impending fate. When asked by Fortunato if he is a mason, referring to the Free Masons, Montresor produces the trowel he has been carrying hidden under his garments, something he has no reasonable explanation for carrying and his instrument of vengeance. As they move further through the catacombs, the victim states he forgot the Montresor’s family motto, to which Montresor replied "Nemo me impune lacessit" which is translated to “No one cuts (attacks) me with impunity”, an direct allusion to his earlier comment about punishing Fortunato with impunity. Despite these clues, Fortunato is completely oblivious, blinded by pride.
The end result finds Fortunato cornered, chained in and walled up brick by brick to be left to die alone in the darkness. This is the end of the story and the reader realizes the tale has been Montresor’s confession to a murder of vengeance told fifty years later. In this way Montresor exhibits the ultimate expression of his pride, his pride making him feel fully justified in his heinous and immoral act.
“Indeed, while most contemporary detective fiction serves a didactic purpose by showing how criminals are caught, "The Cask of Amontillado" depicts a man who has successfully committed a premeditated murder and escapes punishment.
Not only does Montresor feel no guilt, but he perceives his murder of Fortunato as a successful act of vengeance and punishment rather than crime. ' Montresor presents himself as a person who had the right to condemn Fortunato to death; he planned his murder as an act of execution” (Baraban 49).
As stated above the protagonist, savors every moment fulfilling his plot of revenge, his pride consumes his behavior and he is unable to feel any wrongdoings from his actions only complete enjoyment from the clever retaliation. He also feels he is just because he gave several opportunities for the victim to bow out from his plan, even if his own pride made it impossible for him to escape. Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” is a tale of vengeance that illuminates the dangers of pride. Both characters exhibit extreme, disproportionate pride which in turn leads to their downfall. Fortunato’s pride blinded him from impending danger, ultimately leading to his gruesome death and Montresor’s pride drove him to seek vengeance and in turn led to him committing a heinous, immoral act, a mortal sin. Through analysis of this tale it seems clear that pride lays the bricks down the path to
ruin.
Works Cited
Baraban, Elena V. "The Motive for Murder in "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe." Rocky Mountain Review of Language & Literature (2004): 47-64. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.
Morseberger, Robert E. "The Cask of Amontillado." Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.
Platizky, Roger. "Poe 's The Cask of Amontillado." Exlicator 57.4 (1999): 206-09. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.
Poe, Edgar Allan, and Gary Richard Thompson. "The Cask of Amontillado." The Selected Writings of Edgar Allan Poe: Authoritative Texts, Backgrounds and Contexts, Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2004.