The short story “The Cask of Amontillado” written by Edgar Allen Poe takes the reader into a plot for vengeance on the aristocratic Fortunato, told by Montresor fifty years after he got away with it. Throughout the story, Poe integrates symbols to highlight pieces of the story, and to foreshadow the plot’s outcome. These symbols include the Amontillado wine, Fortunato’s character, the catacombs, Nitre, and Montresor’s coat of arms.
The first symbol presented in this short story is the Amontillado wine. Besides being in the story’s title the wine is reiterated periodically and is considered the backbone of the Montresor’s revenge. Literally speaking, a cask of Amontillado is a type of sherry wine that has been processed in a special way. One …show more content…
Fortunato’s name is a source for both symbolism and irony. The name Fortunato is defined as “the lucky one.” Since by the end of the story Fortunato’s character is assumed to be dead, this is a clear symbol for his ironically misfortunate demise. As well as his name, Fortunato’s appearance is also symbolic. He is dressed in motley, a traditional outfit worn by gestures or fools. This can be read as a symbolic insight towards Fortunato’s character, clueing to readers that he is like a fool. This is supported throughout the plot as Fortunato is oblivious to the myriad of hints that Montresor gives about his overall plan. For example, when Fortunato states “the cough is merely nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough.” And Montresor replies with a “True—true.( Poe 110)” A person with average intelligence would see that Montresor’s reply is hinting towards his hidden agenda; however this is simply disregarded by Fortunato. Because of Fortunato’s overall gullibility within the story, from his intoxication or otherwise, one can easily predict that Poe decided to dress Fortunato in a traditionally foolish gown to be representative of his foolish …show more content…
Catacombs are often defined as a type of underground tomb in some places on the earth, like Italy where this story takes place. In one way the catacombs, which are described by Fortunato to be “Extensive (Poe 110),” could represent the previous social status of the Montresor family. Just as the catacombs are extensive and connected, the Montresors were once socially connected to many other powerful and wealthy families. Although another theory could be that the catacombs are connected to the nature of Montresor’s plot to kill Fortunato, as they are a burial place. Because the catacombs are already piled with the bones of other dead induvial, nobody would suspect another dead body to be the product of a murder. As well, the Nitre on the walls of the catacombs can also be symbolic. When the two are walking in the crypts Montresor points out the Nitre on the walls to Fortunato, stating that looked like “white web-work which gleams from these cavern walls.(Poe 110)” Some may point out that Montresor’s relation of the nitre to web work could be symbolic of the web or trap that Fortunato inevitably find himself in. Therefore, the catacombs in which a majority of the story takes place in is both important to the plotline as well as offers a unique setting for symbolic
The first symbol presented in this short story is the Amontillado wine. Besides being in the story’s title the wine is reiterated periodically and is considered the backbone of the Montresor’s revenge. Literally speaking, a cask of Amontillado is a type of sherry wine that has been processed in a special way. One …show more content…
Fortunato’s name is a source for both symbolism and irony. The name Fortunato is defined as “the lucky one.” Since by the end of the story Fortunato’s character is assumed to be dead, this is a clear symbol for his ironically misfortunate demise. As well as his name, Fortunato’s appearance is also symbolic. He is dressed in motley, a traditional outfit worn by gestures or fools. This can be read as a symbolic insight towards Fortunato’s character, clueing to readers that he is like a fool. This is supported throughout the plot as Fortunato is oblivious to the myriad of hints that Montresor gives about his overall plan. For example, when Fortunato states “the cough is merely nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough.” And Montresor replies with a “True—true.( Poe 110)” A person with average intelligence would see that Montresor’s reply is hinting towards his hidden agenda; however this is simply disregarded by Fortunato. Because of Fortunato’s overall gullibility within the story, from his intoxication or otherwise, one can easily predict that Poe decided to dress Fortunato in a traditionally foolish gown to be representative of his foolish …show more content…
Catacombs are often defined as a type of underground tomb in some places on the earth, like Italy where this story takes place. In one way the catacombs, which are described by Fortunato to be “Extensive (Poe 110),” could represent the previous social status of the Montresor family. Just as the catacombs are extensive and connected, the Montresors were once socially connected to many other powerful and wealthy families. Although another theory could be that the catacombs are connected to the nature of Montresor’s plot to kill Fortunato, as they are a burial place. Because the catacombs are already piled with the bones of other dead induvial, nobody would suspect another dead body to be the product of a murder. As well, the Nitre on the walls of the catacombs can also be symbolic. When the two are walking in the crypts Montresor points out the Nitre on the walls to Fortunato, stating that looked like “white web-work which gleams from these cavern walls.(Poe 110)” Some may point out that Montresor’s relation of the nitre to web work could be symbolic of the web or trap that Fortunato inevitably find himself in. Therefore, the catacombs in which a majority of the story takes place in is both important to the plotline as well as offers a unique setting for symbolic