Magnuson Elise A. Magnuson Ms.

Kabat English 11 11/12/10 Draft: Cask of Amontillado Analysis We all have something that is our hubris, our fatal fla . !ometimes, that fla "oul# get us into some big trouble. $ortuna#o%s great &ri#e in his ine "onnoisseurshi& oul# be his #o nfall. 'n the (as) of Amontilla#o, by E#gar Allen *oe, Montresor tells the story of his +uest to avenge himself u&on $ortuna#o, ho ha# #one him rong. 'roni" t ists in#i"ating the ruin of the insulter "reate this "lassi" story of revenge. $ortuna#o too) great &ri#e in his ine tasting abilities. ,is nee# to &rove this le# to his #eath. Montresor, the narrator, #es"ribes his enemy, $ortuna#o: -,e ha# a ea) &oint .this $ortuna#o. although in other regar#s he as a man to be res&e"te# an# even feare#. ,e &ri#e# himself on his "onnoisseurshi& in ine./ 012 Montresor very "unningly as)s $ortuna#o to test a ne ine that he has

a"+uire#, to see if it really is Amontilla#o, a very fine ine. 3eing the )in# of man that he is, Montresor ma)es it seem li)e $ortuna#o is too ea) to go #o n to the "ata"ombs here the ine is store#. ,e also hints that another "onnoisseur, 4u"heisi, might be better at tasting than $ortuna#o. 5f "ourse, $ortuna#o feels that he must &rove himself, so he insists on going. 5f "ourse, on"e Montresor gets him #o n to the "ata"ombs, here the ine is su&&ose#ly store#, he )ills him 0$ortuna#o2.

Magnuson $urthermore, *oe%s use of foresha#o ing allo s us to see hat $ortuna#o really is: a fool. Montresor #es"ribes his "ostume for (arnival: -6he man ore motley 0a "lo n "ostume2. ,e ha# on a tight fitting &arti. stri&e# #ress, an# his hea# as surmounte# by the "oni"al "a& an# bells./ 072 *oe #resses $ortuna#o in the "ostume of a fool, sho ing us that in the en#, he ill be foole# into going ith Montresor to his #eath, not )no ing hat Montresor ha# in min#. 'n "on"lusion, the ironi" t ists, in#i"ating the ruin of the insulter, "reate this "lassi" story of revenge. $ortuna#o%s great &ri#e in his ine "onnoisseurshi& oul# be his #o nfall. 'n#ee#, he #ie#, hi"h one might say to be +uite an ironi" t ist.

Magnuson Wor)s (ite# *oe, E#gar Allen. -6he (as) of Amontilla#o./ Prentice Hall Literature; Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Gold Level. 8&&er !a##le 9iver, :;: *earson E#u"ation, 'n"., 2000. 1.10. *rint.