Summary: The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

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ANNICALOU TAÑAQUIN

III RUTHERFORD

The short story “The Cast of Amontillado” written by Edgar Allan Poe is a tragic story of revenge in an unnamed city in Europe. It focuses merely on the aristocrats in the middle ages. Montresor, the narrator of the story depicts about his vengeance to a man (Fortunato) who seems to have insulted him and caused him injuries. Injuries may have caused him so much that he is willing to dirty his hands just to make himself secure.

In an unnamed city in Europe, a man named Montresor had a secret anger to his fellow man Fortunato due to an unmentioned insult. In a carnival, he saw Fortunato drunk and wearing jester’s motley. That instant, he became happy because he thought that it is the right time to execute his well planned revenge.

As bait, he told Fortunato that he wanted to go to Luchesi to help check the authenticity of the Amontillado wine, he bought. But because Fortunato is a man with pride, he thought that Montresor looks up to Luchesi when it comes to wine and said that he is better. Even if he has bad cough, he still insisted in going to Montresor’s place to test the wine.

They proceeded to Montresor’s palazzo; here they wander deep to the catacombs. This time, he gave Fortunato more alcohol that’s why he grew a lot drunk. After that, he made a gesture, and when Fortunato didn’t recognize it, he had suspicions that he is not a mason.

As they walked, Montresor suddenly, told the story of his family. Of how fearless and how brutal they can be in terms of fighting and merciless killing. But, Fortunato didn’t think that Montresor’s motive is to kill him because he was too eager to taste the wine.

When pass by a niche, Montresor told Fortunato that the Amontillado is inside so, the man willingly entered. Inside, Montresor chained him to the wall but because of drunkenness, he didn’t seem to care. After that, he bid Fortunato goodbye and started pilling up bricks.

Few minutes passed and suddenly, Fortunato recovered from his drunkenness. He tried screaming but no one listened. He tried to break out from the chains but it is simply impossible. When the last row of bricks where piled, he begged Montresor to let go of him for God’s sake. And for the last time, he didn’t mind.

In the end of the selection, Montresor claimed that half a century has passed but still, no one has ever found justice for Fortunato; never in that time that he has been caught or alleged him. In that span of time, no one has ever disturbed the body of Fortunato. Lastly, he closes the story with a remark. In pace requiescat.