On Montresor's Motivation In The Cask Of Amontillado
Montresor’s Motivation
The Cask of Amontillado is a classic Edgar Allan Poe story about revenge stuffed with irony. There is no real build up to the beginning of the narrator, Montresor’s, revenge. The story actually begins with him stating that he is disgusted and fed up with the actions of Fortunato and that he had dealt with them long enough, (“The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge,” Pg. 1612). But what exactly is it that has infuriated Montresor to the point of “punish(ing) (Fortunato) with impunity?” Montresor was obviously insulted in some way by Fortunato, but how? The first thing that he mentions when he is planning his revenge is Fortunato’s weakness, and that is that, “he prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine.” (1612). Montresor informs us that in everyday life Fortunato is a “quack”, but when it comes to wine he really knows a thing or two. Right after that statement he tells us, “In this respect I did not differ from him materially; I was skilful in the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could.” Montresor was also a connoisseur of wine, and maybe even made it himself, so could that have been a subject that triggered some tension towards Fortunato? Could Fortunato have made comments towards a product …show more content…
or possibly endorsement of Montresor’s? Wine is brought up many times in the narration. When Montresor approaches Fortunato at the party he has already had his fair share of wine and is already drunk. Montresor gets his attention by saying, “I have received a pipe of what passes for Amontillado,” (1612) and tells the drunkard that he has his doubts about it. Though he has had more than enough wine, Fortunato has to try it and see if it’s real or not. Even when they enter the catacomb and are worried about the damps, the narrator pours Fortunato a glass of wine to protect them, (“A draught of this Medoc will defend us from the damps." 1614). We are told that the wine made his eyes sparkle. Even later Montresor “broke and reached him a flagon of De Grave. (Fortunato) emptied it at a breath. His eyes flashed with a fierce light. He laughed and threw the bottle upwards with a gesticulation (Montresor) did not understand.” Could Montresor have used the tool that Fortunato used to infuriate him in the first place? A popular assumption in the reason for Montresor’s anger is that Fortunato, in some way, insulted his family.
Though it is never directly stated why, there are hints to why it is an insult against his family that finally pushes Montresor over the edge. Just go back to the opening line that says, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.” Maybe it is his arrogance and comments about wine were what cracked the surface, but it is when Fortunato insults Montresor’s family is when he goes over the line. It’s not until page 1614 when the first comment about Montresor’s family is
made.
“These vaults," Fortunato said, are extensive."
"The Montresors," Montresor replied, "were a great numerous family."
"I forget your arms."
"A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel."
"And the motto?"
"Nemo me impune lacessit."
Montresor’s family motto means, No one harms me with impunity." It’s at this time in the story where Fortunato shows interest in the Montresor family, possible making Montresor that much angrier. When discussing the motion that Fortunato makes when tossing the flask back, Fortunato talks about his heritage of being a mason. Montresor claims to be one as well.
".. you are not of the brotherhood." -F
"How?" -M
"You are not of the masons." -F
"Yes, yes," I said "yes! yes." -M
"You? Impossible! A mason?" -F
"A mason," I replied. -M
"A sign," he said. –F
"It is this," Montresor answered, producing a trowel from beneath the folds of his roquelaire.
The story is concluded with Montresor leading Fortunato in to the deepest part of the catacomb, chaining him to a stone by his wrists and trapping him in by building a wall using bricks and the trowel that he earlier revealed from beneath his roquelaire. Fortunato was a mason. Masonry is the building of structures. I saw Montresor’s actions of building the wall to seal Fortunato in permanently as a mocking towards his family, much as Fortunato could have done to Montresor. The final sign that is mentioned was at the very end before the last brick is laid on to the wall Montresor begins to have doubts and second thoughts about his actions. When he does, he looks back and around him at the bones of his family; where his entire family past is laid. It is at this point when he sees this is when he remembers all that Fortunato has said and done in the past, is reassured upon his actions, and makes his way out of the catacombs with silence following him.
The Cask of Amontillado is a classic Edgar Allan Poe story about revenge stuffed with irony. There is no real build up to the beginning of the narrator, Montresor’s, revenge. The story actually begins with him stating that he is disgusted and fed up with the actions of Fortunato and that he had dealt with them long enough, (“The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge,” Pg. 1612). But what exactly is it that has infuriated Montresor to the point of “punish(ing) (Fortunato) with impunity?” Montresor was obviously insulted in some way by Fortunato, but how? The first thing that he mentions when he is planning his revenge is Fortunato’s weakness, and that is that, “he prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine.” (1612). Montresor informs us that in everyday life Fortunato is a “quack”, but when it comes to wine he really knows a thing or two. Right after that statement he tells us, “In this respect I did not differ from him materially; I was skilful in the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could.” Montresor was also a connoisseur of wine, and maybe even made it himself, so could that have been a subject that triggered some tension towards Fortunato? Could Fortunato have made comments towards a product …show more content…
or possibly endorsement of Montresor’s? Wine is brought up many times in the narration. When Montresor approaches Fortunato at the party he has already had his fair share of wine and is already drunk. Montresor gets his attention by saying, “I have received a pipe of what passes for Amontillado,” (1612) and tells the drunkard that he has his doubts about it. Though he has had more than enough wine, Fortunato has to try it and see if it’s real or not. Even when they enter the catacomb and are worried about the damps, the narrator pours Fortunato a glass of wine to protect them, (“A draught of this Medoc will defend us from the damps." 1614). We are told that the wine made his eyes sparkle. Even later Montresor “broke and reached him a flagon of De Grave. (Fortunato) emptied it at a breath. His eyes flashed with a fierce light. He laughed and threw the bottle upwards with a gesticulation (Montresor) did not understand.” Could Montresor have used the tool that Fortunato used to infuriate him in the first place? A popular assumption in the reason for Montresor’s anger is that Fortunato, in some way, insulted his family.
Though it is never directly stated why, there are hints to why it is an insult against his family that finally pushes Montresor over the edge. Just go back to the opening line that says, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.” Maybe it is his arrogance and comments about wine were what cracked the surface, but it is when Fortunato insults Montresor’s family is when he goes over the line. It’s not until page 1614 when the first comment about Montresor’s family is
made.
“These vaults," Fortunato said, are extensive."
"The Montresors," Montresor replied, "were a great numerous family."
"I forget your arms."
"A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel."
"And the motto?"
"Nemo me impune lacessit."
Montresor’s family motto means, No one harms me with impunity." It’s at this time in the story where Fortunato shows interest in the Montresor family, possible making Montresor that much angrier. When discussing the motion that Fortunato makes when tossing the flask back, Fortunato talks about his heritage of being a mason. Montresor claims to be one as well.
".. you are not of the brotherhood." -F
"How?" -M
"You are not of the masons." -F
"Yes, yes," I said "yes! yes." -M
"You? Impossible! A mason?" -F
"A mason," I replied. -M
"A sign," he said. –F
"It is this," Montresor answered, producing a trowel from beneath the folds of his roquelaire.
The story is concluded with Montresor leading Fortunato in to the deepest part of the catacomb, chaining him to a stone by his wrists and trapping him in by building a wall using bricks and the trowel that he earlier revealed from beneath his roquelaire. Fortunato was a mason. Masonry is the building of structures. I saw Montresor’s actions of building the wall to seal Fortunato in permanently as a mocking towards his family, much as Fortunato could have done to Montresor. The final sign that is mentioned was at the very end before the last brick is laid on to the wall Montresor begins to have doubts and second thoughts about his actions. When he does, he looks back and around him at the bones of his family; where his entire family past is laid. It is at this point when he sees this is when he remembers all that Fortunato has said and done in the past, is reassured upon his actions, and makes his way out of the catacombs with silence following him.