1. “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe

2. 1. Has anyone ever done anything to you that made you want to get revenge on them? What did they do?

3. 2. Have you ever gotten revenge on someone for something they did to you? What did you do to them in return? Why did you feel a need to get revenge?

4. 3. Explain how the revenge made you feel. Did you get caught
3. Explain how the revenge made you feel. Did you get caught? If you had gotten caught, would that have changed the feeling the revenge gave you? Explain.

5. catacombs
Usually, catacombs. an underground cemetery, especially one consisting of tunnels and rooms with recesses dug out for coffins and tombs.
an underground passageway, especially one full of twists and turns.

6. virtuoso
a person who has special knowledge or skill in a field.

7. impunity exemption from punishment.
immunity from detrimental effects, as of an action.

8. fettered A fetter is a chain or shackle placed on the feet.
Usually used in the plural - “fetters” can refer to anything that confines or restrains.
Thus, “fettered” means confined or restrained, literally by a chain or shackle placed on the feet, or figuratively by something like boredom or poverty.

9. connoisseur
a person who is especially competent to pass critical judgments in an art, particularly one of the fine arts, or in matters of taste: a connoisseur of modern art.
a discerning judge of the best in any field: a connoisseur of horses.

10. gait
a manner of walking, stepping, or running.

11. precluded
to prevent the presence, existence, or occurrence of; make impossible: The insufficiency of the evidence precludes a conviction.

12. retribution
retaliation, repayment, recompense.

13. afflicted
to distress with mental or bodily pain; trouble greatly or grievously: to be afflicted with arthritis.
vex, harass, torment, plague.

14. explicit
fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated; leaving nothing merely implied; unequivocal: explicit instructions; an explicit act of violence; explicit language.
precise, exact, unambiguous

15. Literary Terms Questions

16. 1. CHARACTERIZE Montresor. What kind of person is he?
Concerned with honor – kills Fortunato over an “insult” p. 168
Cruel – taunts Fortunato by showing him the trowel (p. 171) and screaming w/him when walling him up (p. 172)
Manipulative – entraps Fortunato using F’s own self-perception (p. 168); servants p. 169
Sociopathic/psychopathic – commits murder with little evidence of remorse (p. 173)

17. 2. What might Fortunato’s name mean?
Someone who is fortunate
Someone who becomes successful through luck, not necessarily hard work

18. 3. Why might Fortunato’s name be IRONIC?
He is not fortunate in his interactions with Montresor, which lead to his death.
This is the opposite of what we might expect for someone whose name implies good luck or fortune.

19. 4. Give examples of IRONY in the story, including SITUATIONAL, DRAMATIC, and VERBAL IRONY.
Situational: Fortunato expects Amontillado and instead receives death
Dramatic: Fortunato doesn’t know he’ll be killed; but reader does, and thus gets the trowel joke (p. 171) and the cough joke (p. 170)
Verbal: the compliments M pays to F; p. 171 M “implores” F to return.

20. 5. How does not knowing what Fortunato did to Montresor intensify the horror of this story?
One could imagine that Fortunato’s offense is quite minor or unintentional and that Montresor is a particularly cruel person
One could imagine their own friends or acquaintances behaving like Montresor

21. 6. Would the story be better or worse if you knew what Fortunato did to Montresor? Explain.
Might be worse because Poe’s idea of what is horrifying might not match yours.
Might be better if Poe manages to tap into your deepest, most secret fears.

22. 7. Explain how Montresor’s family motto is related to the story
7. Explain how Montresor’s family motto is related to the story? To the actions of Montresor?
The motto translates, “No one insults me with impunity.”
This shows that Montresor cannot let an insult be forgiven.
He interprets it to allow/require him to kill Fortunato.

23. 8. How does Montresor manipulate Fortunato
8. How does Montresor manipulate Fortunato? What CHARACTER TRAITS make Fortunato easy prey for Montresor?
Fortunato is really proud of his ability to judge fine wines and is competitive with others to show his skill. He also likes to drink.
Montresor appeals to Fortunato’s pride w/the story of the cask, and uses Luchresi to appeal to F’s competitive nature; he also preys on F’s drunkenness

24. 9. What is the setting? What details of the setting contribute to the horror of this story?
Italy (p. 168 – mentions Italians; names seem Italian)
During the carnival season (p. 168)
Probably mid-1800s as the word “millionaire” (p. 168) was coined around
Horror: catacombs, nitre, midnight

25. 10. Contrast the setting in the beginning of the story with the setting where Montresor takes Fortunato.
The beginning is the craziness of carnival, with costumes, colors, noise, parties; it is dusk. p. 168
The end is in the depth of Montresor’s family crypt with darkness, bones, horror; it is midnight. p

26. 11. Explain the MOOD of this story
11. Explain the MOOD of this story. Give examples from the text to support your answer.
Horrifying –
Montresor toys with Fortunato,
showing nitre p. 169,
taunting about cough p. 170
and trowel p. 171;
Fortunato is unsteady and drunk when killed p
while Montresor is calculating and efficient p

27. 12. Who is the PROTAGONIST of this story? Justify your answer.
It is Montresor
He is the one pursuing a goal, even if we think it’s a negative goal
The reader gets most insight into his motives and thoughts.

28. 13. Who is the ANTAGONIST of this story? Defend your answer.
It is Fortunato
He is in conflict with Montresor (the protagonist) because he has insulted Montresor

29. 14. Who is the narrator of this story? What kind of narrator is he?
Montresor is the narrator
First person limited (uses “I”; doesn’t give Fortunato’s thoughts
May be unreliable
Doesn’t explain the “insult”
Might have pangs of conscience
P. 173 “My heart grew sick; it was the dampness of the catacombs…”
Why is he telling this story 50 years later? possibly deathbed confession?

30. 15. Explain a symbol in the story.
The cask of Amontillado could symbolize the wealth associated with a rare item, which motivates both characters
Montresor’s coat of arms could symbolize his revenge against Fortunato’s insult
Fortunato’s fool costume symbolizes his foolishness and greed

31. 15. Explain a symbol in the story. (cont.)
Carnival symbolizes a topsy turvy society that allows such a murder
The catacombs symbolize Montresor’s personality, which is pleasant on the outside, but filled with death and darkness.

32. Romantic Story Analysis Chart

33. Fantasy and Imagination

34. Love of Nature
N/A

35. Intense Emotion Montresor’s desire for revenge
Fortunato’s fear as he’s being walled up

36. Sympathetic interest in the past, medieval
Montresor’s home and catacombs seem medieval

37. Exotic Places
Italy
Carnival
Catacombs

38. Legends and Myths
Buried alive

39. Death
Fortunato

40. Morbid melancholy; insanity
Montresor is sociopathic

41. The Supernatural
N/A

42. Failed Love
N/A

43. Mysticism (spiritual intuition beyond ordinary understanding)

44. Rural Life and the Common Man
N/A