Payback, revenge, karma; call it what you will, but it all has to do with the idea of retribution. Revenge, the conventional name, is typically an idea that accosts itself when an individual offends another, leading to ill feelings. In the short story, “The Cask of Amontillado,” and the poem, “A Poison Tree,” by Edgar Allan Poe and William Blake, both protagonists host feelings of revenge, but only see one side of it; however, the reader can see the explicit side effects of it. The major external conflicts between Montresor and Fortunato and the narrator and their friend develop the theme, “revenge affects the perpetrator as much as the perpetrated,” because both conflicts develop a harmful and unhealthy obsession. To begin with, Montresor’s
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For instance, one does not expect his quarry to laugh, but the main character of “The Cask of Amontillado” was indeed tantalized in this way. While finishing up his “affair” in the catacombs, suddenly, “there came from out the niche a low laugh that erected the hairs upon my head,”(6). In this scene, it seems as though the tables turn for a moment. Obviously, Fortunato is impacted by the events because he is dying, but Montresor may as well be dead due to the mental effects it has on him. Also, hearing his victim laugh at him can cause him to be insecure about himself and his devious plans. Furthermore, Montresor excuses his leave by claiming he felt ill. “My heart grew sick--on account of the dampness of the catacombs,”(7). Here it appears that Montresor is formulating excuses for his fear and paranoia. He begins to say his heart grew sick, then quickly explains that it is due to the cold catacombs. It is rather suspicious because later he also mentions he has not touched the remains in decades; it may be because he is fearful of that area, now. Montresor never realized that cutting Fortunato’s life short would give him lifelong side …show more content…
In order to keep his rage burning, the narrator in “A Poison Tree” purposely feeds it. He, “watered it in fears/Night and morning with my tears/And I sunned it with many smiles/And with soft deceitful wiles,”(5-8). The narrator has basically become the servant to a higher more malevolent power in exchange for power. They voluntarily allowed the idea of revenge to feed off his energies and eventually deteriorate him physically and mentally. Similarly, Montresor’s resolution for the tale is that he has not touched the remains of the noble Fortunato for quite some time. He confesses that, “For the half of a century no mortal has disturbed them. In pace requiescate,”(7). The fact that Montresor was able to recall these events from 50 years ago proves that his obsession with revenge was not something he would forget. He has remembered that night because it affected his condition of life from then on. It is inferred that revenge became an addiction for Montresor and the narrator, and they are now experiencing the withdrawal
For instance, one does not expect his quarry to laugh, but the main character of “The Cask of Amontillado” was indeed tantalized in this way. While finishing up his “affair” in the catacombs, suddenly, “there came from out the niche a low laugh that erected the hairs upon my head,”(6). In this scene, it seems as though the tables turn for a moment. Obviously, Fortunato is impacted by the events because he is dying, but Montresor may as well be dead due to the mental effects it has on him. Also, hearing his victim laugh at him can cause him to be insecure about himself and his devious plans. Furthermore, Montresor excuses his leave by claiming he felt ill. “My heart grew sick--on account of the dampness of the catacombs,”(7). Here it appears that Montresor is formulating excuses for his fear and paranoia. He begins to say his heart grew sick, then quickly explains that it is due to the cold catacombs. It is rather suspicious because later he also mentions he has not touched the remains in decades; it may be because he is fearful of that area, now. Montresor never realized that cutting Fortunato’s life short would give him lifelong side …show more content…
In order to keep his rage burning, the narrator in “A Poison Tree” purposely feeds it. He, “watered it in fears/Night and morning with my tears/And I sunned it with many smiles/And with soft deceitful wiles,”(5-8). The narrator has basically become the servant to a higher more malevolent power in exchange for power. They voluntarily allowed the idea of revenge to feed off his energies and eventually deteriorate him physically and mentally. Similarly, Montresor’s resolution for the tale is that he has not touched the remains of the noble Fortunato for quite some time. He confesses that, “For the half of a century no mortal has disturbed them. In pace requiescate,”(7). The fact that Montresor was able to recall these events from 50 years ago proves that his obsession with revenge was not something he would forget. He has remembered that night because it affected his condition of life from then on. It is inferred that revenge became an addiction for Montresor and the narrator, and they are now experiencing the withdrawal