Pride In The Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe

Improved Essays
The greatest sin known to mankind is pride. From the beginning of time, pride has been the biggest downfall in humanity. People let their own pride influence their minds and let it consume them for the worse. For example, Adam and Eve let their pride get the best of them and it led to their destruction. Another example of the power of pride is seen in the famous narrative “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe. The main individual, Montresor, was insulted by another character, Fortunato, and this led Montresor’s pride to devour him and seek revenge causing a horrible tragedy; death. Poe illustrates the theme that pride steers to a man’s collapse through the actions of the characters in the story. The influence of pride is undoubtedly …show more content…
Looking at Fortunato and his pride, Montresor sees this as his biggest weakness but when he views himself, his pride is his biggest strength. With pride being Fortunato’s weakness, Montresor uses this and begins to plan his revenge by creating an imaginary cask of Amontillado. He does this because he knows Fortunato will do almost anything just to get a taste of it. Montresor lies to him and says that he is getting Luchesi to taste the wine because he knows this will tick Fortunato off since if anyone should be tasting anything then it should be Fortunato. Fortunato’s pride leads him to believe that not a single person is a better wine taster other than him. He then offends Montresor and Luchesi by stating that “You have been imposed upon. And as for Luchesi, he cannot distinguish Sherry from Amontillado” (4). This then had a major result on the story for the reason that Fortunato is certain that he can speak and achieve whatever he pleases due to his high and mighty skills. Unfortunately this leads Fortunato directly into Montresor’s …show more content…
Throughout their adventure through the catacombs, Montresor suggest they should turn back because Fortunato seems to be getting sick with the dampness in the air causing him to cough but Fortunato demands that they continue through the catacombs. In Fortunato’s mind, he must remain strongminded and physically strong so that Montresor will not think that he is weak. Again, this shows that he is willing to do anything to taste the wine. With pride taking over the mind of Fortunato, Montresor directs Fortunato to a crypt where he intends to lock Fortunato up and put him in the ground alive. Together, pride steers Fortunato and Montresor to this horrifying moment of Montresor slaying Fortunato without contemplating the end result that will come about from his actions and Fortunato’s pride blinds him from seeing this before it is too

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    From the very beginning Montresor began to use Fortunato pride against him. When Montresor first told Fortunato about the Amontillado he tells him he was on his way to get Luchesi to check the authenticity of the Amontillado. Fortunato who prided himself with his connoisseurship in wine took offense to this and replied “Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from sherry” and proceeded to the catacombs. Montresor notices Fortunato seems ill and recommends that he turns around to leave since his health is too important but despite offering Fortunato a chance to leave Montresor is sure to mention that Luchesi is still an option, after hearing this Montresor knows that Fortunato pride will not allow him to let another person test the Amontillado. Montresor whole plan is depended on by Fortunato’s pride which eventually allowed Montresor to act out his plan and get…

    • 628 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Firstly, in Edgar Allen Poe's The cask of Amontillado, pride incites to acts of vengeance. The character of Montresor and Fortunato are ideal to study the effects that pride can incite because they both have a huge sense of vanity attached to their being. Montresor is part of a noble family while Fortunato is a wealthy man who is proficient in fine wine. Both their pride will lead to acts of vengeance. In the first line, Montresor gives us an essential preview of the actions that will come in the story.…

    • 304 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Fortunato does not realize the façade that has been placed in front of him. Montresor is not his friend though he believes him to be. He believes that his joking nature is appreciated and that nothing bad is to come to him. He is unaware that he is soon to join the deceased that surround…

    • 900 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Fortunato is too trusting in Montresor and he follows him down to the catacombs, but it may be because he is intoxicated and not thinking clearly. "I have no engagement; come". (p.1,LINE NUMBERS), Fortunato easily agrees to go with Montresor. Perhaps, if Fortunato was sober, he would have realized that things did not add up. Fortunato's freedom ironically leads to his death.…

    • 397 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The main character which is Montressor, kills Fortunato because of something he said to him so he wanted to get “revenge”. One of the quotes that best shows Montresor’s insanity is when he says, “I placed my hand upon the solid fabric of the catacombs, and felt satisfied. I reproached the wall. Ii replied to the yells of him who clamouered. I reechoed, I aided, I surpassed them in volume and in strength.…

    • 2098 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This is just a tale of an angry soul, he takes his anger out on Fortunato who insults his family. And Montresor finally says this is enough, and simply offs the man. And of course, Fortunato is, like stated before very drunk. He does not realize that he is being lead to his death. Montresor knew it too.…

    • 395 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Argumentative Essay: The Cask of Amontillado Psychopath "In a place filled with tears, they are looking for the man that had none. " These are the words of John Katzenberg. ("Quotes") The narrator, Montresor, from The Cask of Amontillado is a man of no tears, otherwise known as a psychopath.…

    • 660 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The drunken Fortunato sees all of this as a prank at first, but when he comes to his senses he starts to yell for Montresor to let him out and the fear of this all not being a joke becomes surreal. Montresor was more than serious about all of this. Soon thereafter silence engulfs the vault and Fortunato is dead. For fifty years, Montresor carried this story with him and it is now that he is just confessing. With his confession comes a sense of freedom.…

    • 2215 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Montresor’s charm plays in the most when he flatters Fortunato’s knowledge of wine and therefore manipulates him into wanting to follow Montresor into his vaults. Montresor continues by exploiting Fortunato’s knowledge and fondness of wines when after he tells Fortunato that he has come across a cask of Amontillado, he successfully lures him into his trap when he states “I am on my way to Luchresi. If anyone has a critical turn it is he. He will tell me—,” to which Fortunato is fully convinced that Montresor did indeed have the Amontillado and was intent on joining him (Poe…

    • 789 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    He does not know that he is doing something terribly wrong all he knows is that he is avenging everything that Fortunato had done to him. Montresor is also determined to kill Fortunato. Montresor is determined to kill Fortunato that he led him in with a dry, sherry called Amontillado. Since Fortunato is a…

    • 780 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Fortunato And Montresor

    • 173 Words
    • 1 Pages

    Fortunato insulted Montresor hundreds of times. Montresor had decided to get his revenge by using one of Fortunato’s weakness against him. Fortunato weakness was his love for wine. So, Montresor through a party where Fortunato had gotting drunk at . Montresor had told Fortunato that he had acquired bottle of Amontillado, and he would ask their friend Luchesi to taste it.…

    • 173 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Indeed, Montresor is trying to influence the situation with Fortunato. He is being kind to him and commenting on how well he looks. Plays upon his expertise in wine, knowing that would be the thing that would allure Fortunato to follow…

    • 742 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The “Cask of Amontillado” written by Edgar Allan Poe is a thrilling short story about seeking revenge through a murder plot. This story is not only interesting, but it also has incredible detail. Through his use of carefully constructed characterization, diction, and irony, Poe creates a mood that is both chilling and horrifying. Throughout this short story Poe uses characterization to build up suspense and to strengthen his writing.…

    • 822 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    As the two are walking deeper into the catacombs, Fortunato begins to cough, prompting Montresor to tell him “Come, we will go back; your health is precious.” (167) Montresor knows very well that Fortunato will not agree to turn around and goes on to say “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” (167). It is during this time in the catacombs that Montresor reveals his belief that Fortunato’s life is more precious than his own and that he is no longer happy.…

    • 750 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine,” (866). Having met Montresor after consuming a lot of alcohol at the carnival has impaired Fortunato’s thinking in that, at the very least, he does not realize that he has already intoxicated and goes on to drink more at the offering of Montresor. He does not recognize that although he has made insults toward Montresor he is still very friendly with him and greets him graciously (866). His issue of pride goes deeper than just gluttony for alcoholic beverages. His pride is induced by the need to show Montresor that it is he, and he alone, knows a true Amontillado.…

    • 2053 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays