The Cask of Amontillado Essays -- essays research papers

The cask of Amontillado "I must non only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong." With these ferverous words from the introductory paragraph of Edgar Allan Poes Cask of Amontillado, the written report of Montresors retaliation begins. Poe repeatedly stresses the need for revenge due to bitterness and pettishness in Montresors character towards Fortunato, but more importantly, stress is placed on revenge by which the victim realizes their injustice towards the redresser. Unfortunately, it seems that Montresor is denied this pure and encompassing revenge when his victim, Fortunato, during his last few minutes with Montresor, believes that his actions are a huge charade, and not the actions of a man scorned and seeking revenge. Although in burying Fortunato alive, Montresor is qualified to physically accompli sh what he ultimately desired, he is left with an argument of insatisfaction judging by his own definition of true and justified revenge. Poe shows the exasperation Montresor feels towards Fortunato from the very first sentence of the story with, "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge." It is never contract what this injury was to Montresor, but it was so obviously so heinous that Fortunato was not to be spared. Later in the story, M...