The Cask of Amontillado The Dreams of a Lunatic

Edgar Allan Poe Born Edgar Poe January 19, 1809 Died October 7, 1849 Orphaned, later was taken in by John and Frances Allan His cause of death remains a mystery Married his 13 year old cousin, Virginia Clemm

Summary of CoA Narrator is Montressor, the murderer of Fortunato Montressor tells the reader that Fortunato has inflicted a “thousand injuries” upon him, and that he had no choice but to punish him. He tricks his “friend” into traveling to his cellar, where Montressor claims to have a rare vintage of Amontillado, a variety of sherry. Montressor is making this confession 50 years later.

Summary (cont.) Fortunato continues to insult Montressor as they travel down to the vault, where his doom awaits. After arriving, Fortunato is too drunk to stop Montressor from chaining him to the walls. He then entombs Fortunato before leaving him to die.

Freud's Interpretation of Dreams Condensation: Dreams are compressed into works that occupy far less space than the information stored within them. Displacement: What happens in the dream, may or may not be directly related to the core idea of the dream. The abstract cannot be measured in a dream. Physical, tangible objects must therefore take their place.

Why it Matters... There are certain aspects of the story that seem to indicate that perhaps the murder does not actually occur. Perhaps the murder, and the other events of the story, are representations of Montresor's desires/events in his life, such as a deteriorating friendship with Fortunato.

CoA as a Dream Montresor kills Fortunato after meeting with him during the carnival season in Italy, when many people are present. This is a problem, since someone probably would have seen them together, which would most certainly arouse suspicion after Fortunato's disappearance. The reader is never given a clear answer as to what Fortunato's offense is. Perhaps condensation is taking place, where only part of the information is being given to the audience. After all, even though the murder is described in great detail, nothing before or after is mentioned. Only the fact that Montresor is confessing supposedly 50 years later.

As a Dream Montresor is insane, but he has a logical, rational side. He doesn't murder Fortunato in a rage, but rather sets up an elaborate plan. Therefore, his revenge must have a motive. The exclusion of it leaves the room for the interpretation that it is a dream about the death of their freindship. Montresor doesn't seem fully convinced that he wants to murder. Their dialogue contains opportunities to go backwards: "Come," I said, with decision, we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy as once I was. You are a man to be missed. For me it is no matter. We will go back; you will be ill and I cannot be responsible. Besides, there is Luchesi..." He allows Fortunato a chance to avoid his fate.

As a Dream "A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel." - Montresor's coat of arms The slogan that accompanies it means “none injure me without impunity.” While Fortunato has wronged Montresor as a friend, the coat of arms may serve as a symbol of his own refusal to let the past lie. Bringing it up serves as his mind's subconscious reminding him that his desire is now to crush the man who wronged him.

Montresor on Freud's Couch As an interpreter of dreams, Freud would have loved to hear this tale of revenge. The dream world is the perfect place to carry out this crime, as there would be no real punishment for an offense that never truly occurred. Dreams are the one place all of our desires, no matter how macabre or perverse, may come true.

Friendship Dying The death of Foruntato symbolizes the importance of the once healthy relationship. Fortunato's worsening cough represents the cancer that grows and eventually causes the failing of their friendship. Choosing to entomb Fortunato in the darkest parts of the catacombs shows that Montresor has stored the memory of his friend in the deepest parts of his heart and mind. And his confession that no one has disturbed Fortunato's remains indicate that nothing has previously brought those events to his mind.

Conclusion Montresor may or may not have in fact, killed anyone. The lack of details aside from the murder plot make the tale suspect. The events of “The Cask of Amontillado” can easily correlate to the decaying relationship of two very close friends.