Poe, symbolism and the antagonism in “The Cask of Amontillado”
Edgar Allan Poe published “The Cask of Amontillado” in 1846. The short story is written by first-person narrator, who describes a cold-blooded and carefully planned manslaughter that occurred fifty years ago. The narrator is Montresor a wealthy man from reputable family that educated him well. He lives in the large palazzo that comprehends catacombs; this reveals to the readers that the story took place in Italy. Through Montresor’s character author articulates the main theme of the story the fight between upper- and middle-classes, that is rising and potentially causing the inevitable downfall; and threatening wellbeing, authority and status of upper-class, which triggers the …show more content…
Walter Stepp examines Poe’s story and recommends that antagonism assumption is accurate and may be applied. Montresor is distancing himself from Fortunato by all means, “but because of Montresor 's compulsive program, his obsessional wish to demonstrate that "He is not I." Or: "I am not he." The right emphasis ought to emerge from the demonstration to follow” (Stepp, WEB). Poe shows similarities between both men and in some ways Fortunato dazed, and that possibly one of the many offenses the narrator takes extremely ruthless, "In painting and gemmary, Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack, but in the matter of old wines he was sincere." (Poe, 292). Fortunato’s knowledge of fine wine became a robust argument against Montresor. Walter Stepp links two stories “The Cask of Amontillado” and “William Wilson” that was published in 1836. In the story “William Wilson” narrator is surreal, he meets imaginative student with the same exact name, student joined the same school on the same day and copies the clothing style. Narrator is running away from another “William Wilson” and at the end of the story considers that he is killing his own prototype, but instead stubbed himself. Stepp links two narrators, but Montresor as an improved, more immoral version of William …show more content…
The one that we didn’t discuss yet is religious and scientific-technological contexts. Mustafa point6s out that the theme is set during the carnival, “a religious festival that takes place before Lent-a period before Easter marked by prayer and penance-in Roman Catholic (and some Christian Orthodox) countries” (Mustafa, Web). Mustafa suggests that the religion is one of the main structure of the story. That Montresor is confessing at the end of the story, but to whom? Mustafa indirectly responses to the question: “Perhaps the most likely auditor is a father-confessor, a Catholic priest from whom he seeks forgiveness in the final years of his life” (Mustafa, Web) . Another context of the story Mustafa touches is the scientific-technological, Montresor points out to Fortunato: “ 'The nitre!" I said; 'see, it increases. It hangs like moss upon the vaults.” Mustafa interprets in his essay, that nitre can be used as an explosive for weapons and this explains the explosiveness of the
Edgar Allan Poe published “The Cask of Amontillado” in 1846. The short story is written by first-person narrator, who describes a cold-blooded and carefully planned manslaughter that occurred fifty years ago. The narrator is Montresor a wealthy man from reputable family that educated him well. He lives in the large palazzo that comprehends catacombs; this reveals to the readers that the story took place in Italy. Through Montresor’s character author articulates the main theme of the story the fight between upper- and middle-classes, that is rising and potentially causing the inevitable downfall; and threatening wellbeing, authority and status of upper-class, which triggers the …show more content…
Walter Stepp examines Poe’s story and recommends that antagonism assumption is accurate and may be applied. Montresor is distancing himself from Fortunato by all means, “but because of Montresor 's compulsive program, his obsessional wish to demonstrate that "He is not I." Or: "I am not he." The right emphasis ought to emerge from the demonstration to follow” (Stepp, WEB). Poe shows similarities between both men and in some ways Fortunato dazed, and that possibly one of the many offenses the narrator takes extremely ruthless, "In painting and gemmary, Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack, but in the matter of old wines he was sincere." (Poe, 292). Fortunato’s knowledge of fine wine became a robust argument against Montresor. Walter Stepp links two stories “The Cask of Amontillado” and “William Wilson” that was published in 1836. In the story “William Wilson” narrator is surreal, he meets imaginative student with the same exact name, student joined the same school on the same day and copies the clothing style. Narrator is running away from another “William Wilson” and at the end of the story considers that he is killing his own prototype, but instead stubbed himself. Stepp links two narrators, but Montresor as an improved, more immoral version of William …show more content…
The one that we didn’t discuss yet is religious and scientific-technological contexts. Mustafa point6s out that the theme is set during the carnival, “a religious festival that takes place before Lent-a period before Easter marked by prayer and penance-in Roman Catholic (and some Christian Orthodox) countries” (Mustafa, Web). Mustafa suggests that the religion is one of the main structure of the story. That Montresor is confessing at the end of the story, but to whom? Mustafa indirectly responses to the question: “Perhaps the most likely auditor is a father-confessor, a Catholic priest from whom he seeks forgiveness in the final years of his life” (Mustafa, Web) . Another context of the story Mustafa touches is the scientific-technological, Montresor points out to Fortunato: “ 'The nitre!" I said; 'see, it increases. It hangs like moss upon the vaults.” Mustafa interprets in his essay, that nitre can be used as an explosive for weapons and this explains the explosiveness of the