The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe - Essay Example

It is as though not even great friendship could save from breaking a man like Montresor who justifies himself by claiming that he is the kind who would not let an insult by anyone pass without getting redressed. He states “I must not only punish, but punish with impunity” and this makes a reader realize the severity or gravity of Fortunato’s shortfall in an occasion of insult which, to the part of the wronged friend, occurs impossible to forgive (Poe). Apparently, even if Montresor provides no specific details of the manner he was gravely disappointed or disgraced by Fortunato, I can readily gain an insight of understanding the ground for conflict when he begins with an exaggeration – “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could.”

Through their conversation, one would have ease of recognizing that both Montresor and Fortunato belonged to the upper class of an Italian society since the former had a mansion and the latter was a connoisseur of wine. Though no particulars are mentioned regarding the place where the two exactly met other than carnival, this is a sufficient hint of a spot in which Fortunato could be found inebriated upon drinking heavily. At this stage, Montresor is said to have entered the scene and communicated the Amontillado in possession, the lure of which Fortunato had not been able to resist in his imagination despite the fact that he was already high in spirits. Eventually, Fortunato kept exclaiming “Amontillado!” so that this portion of the story indicates Poe’s use of foreshadowing where Montresor must have known his friend’s weakness prior so he may work around this aspect to carry out his plan of revenge. He looks widely aware of the drunken man’s affairs and his serious fascination for liquor that he had thus acquired the opportunity to take advantage of his poor situation, knowing that Fortunato was subject to being a victim of his own foolishness and addiction to spirits. Then because this is the case, Montresor felt confident that he could effortlessly drag his target toward his course of entrapment which was merely due to Fortunato’s illusion over the non-existent Amontillado.

It appears that in his perspective, Montresor had sought triumph and resolution of conflict through instances of irony. For one, he expressed concern in the health of Fortunato, convincing him to decline they're going to the vaults for he knew well that he would be opposed and his friend would insist and not cease in urging for them to proceed on seeing the precious cask. Such irony may be observed effective because of the growing sense of curiosity in Fortunato where it seems there was no way he could be held back from foolish madness for what he believed to be an exquisite object of intoxication. Poe chose to present him wearing the suit of a jester with bells to symbolize the folly attached to his character and another irony goes with his name as he was often bound to experience something rather very unfortunate in the hands of Montresor.

I especially wonder why Montresor was incapable of allowing Fortunato to comprehend his fault. Was he really no longer worthy of a ‘benefit of the doubt’? Was it ever too late to give him the chance to change and reform himself? Somewhere along the process of walling up the entrance of the niche, Montresor had the freedom to ponder on the good times of their companionship and see whether it should all go to waste by killing Fortunato if he considers himself a real man of principle. For me, it is reasonable to punish with impunity but not by means of depriving the person of his right to exist since there are a number of possibilities of dealing with an insult and settling the conflict with fair acknowledgment of all arguments and human imperfections. Anyway, an insult no matter how huge in terms of degree or extent must not equate to death in consequence, I think, and the nature of Fortunato as a man who lost wisdom and philosophy through the habit of alcoholic drinking still deserved empathy and compassion.