Coaxed the final few by a last dig at his ego to which he replies, “[Luchesi] is an ignoramus” (186). Hark the fact that Fortunato is about to be chained to a wall never to be seen again because of his ignorance and pride. As Montresor slowly lays each tier of masonry he takes the time to enjoy the suffering of his victim (186). He mocks his victim’s struggles; shouting down his pleas (187). In the end, Montresor has sealed his rival deep within the bowels of his family’s crypt (185) with no one the wiser until he decides to share his story with his audience 50 years after the murder had taken place …show more content…
When taken in context with Edgar Allan Poe’s own lifetime, the similarities between the stories setting of early 1700 Venice and his own are stark. Both times when the wealthy and privileged did what they willed without any thought of its effects on others. The expansionist movement of Poe’s America was routinely stepping on people’s rights in the quest for more power and influence, while Venice in the early 1700’s was fracturing under the stresses caused by maintaining its expansionist territories. Poe is known to be a horror author and this story seems tailored to scare those in power. A warning to be wary of harming those you step upon to reach such lofty heights. Just because you are powerful doesn’t mean another can’t use their abilities to ruin you. A warning directed towards the emerging business class of mid-1800’s America and the government’s continued aggressive actions towards the native peoples of