Cask Of AmontilladoSome people wonder is Montressor was insane in the short story of “The Cask ofAmontillado. ” Well to me, he was.
I say this because would a sane man wantrevenge on a person? Would a sane man want to kill someone in such a slow andpainful way? That is the idea that is going to be discussed in this essay. “Imust not only punish but punish with impunity (p. 149) That line in itself justsays that he is not a normal thinking human being. This is when he starts tomake out his plan of retribution. During this time, Montressor was careful notto arouse Fortunato’s suspicions. “.
. . Neither by word or by deed had I givenFortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued.
. . to smile in his face, andhe did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation (p. 149). Fortunato had a weakness, which Montressor thought could be good for hisimplementing his plan.
Fortunato prided himself upon being a connoisseur of finewines. In this respect, they were both equals. So therefore, he knew that hewould catch on to the bait and fall into the trap. Montressor knew thatFortunato had been drinking and this was even more of a good thing for him.
Hehad shown his gratitude for finding Fortunato because he had just purchased alarge cask of what he thinks in Amontillado, which is a dry sherry. Montressorhad his doubts about its authenticity and so didn’t Fortunato. “Amontillado. .
. Impossible! And in the middle of a carnival!” (p. 149). Montressor then told him that he also had his doubts, that he had already paidfull price and that he was sorry for not consulting with him first. He thentells Fortunato that he was on the way to Luchesi’s because he wanted to knowits authenticity.
That was just a piece of the bait to make Fortunato come intothe trap. Fortunato was also placing himself in the trap by suggesting that theygo to their vaults to taste the Amontillado. Montressor plays like he doesn’tknow what he is about to do. Most insane people do that. He claims that he andFortunato shouldn’t go because Fortunato has a serious cold.
He insisted thathe stay behind because the dampness and the niter wouldn’t be good for hiscough. Fortunato once again, took the bait and the plan was put into action. When they had arrived, there was no one there. All the servants were goneaccording to plan. Montressor kept insisting that they go back because of theniter and of Fortunato’s cough. “We will go back; your health is precious.
You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. For meit is no matter. WE will go back; you will be ill, and I cannot be responsible. Besides, there is Luchesi—” (p. 150). But once again, He wanted to taste theAmontillado and he was putting himself closer and closer to his own death.
Theyboth kept walking and Montressor kept saying that they should go back. AndFortunato kept creeping closer to his death. The soon reached the room where theAmontillado was kept. “At the most remote end of the crypt there appearedanother less spacious. Its walls had been lined with human remains.
. . Three sidesof this interior crypt were still ornamented in this manner” (p. 152). Thebones had been removed from the fourth wall and were scattered around the crypt. By doing this, there was an empty crypt “.
. . in depth about four feet, inwidth three, in height six or seven. .
. . ” which had been created (p. 152). Fortunato was intoxicated at this point from all the drinks that Montressor hadoffered before.
He then told Fortunato to enter where he then in a moment,changed him up to the granite. “In its surface were two iron staples, distantfrom each other about two feet, horizontally. From one of these depended a shortchain, from another a padlock. Throwing the links around about his waist, it wasbut the work of a few seconds to secure it” (p.
152). Fortunato was taken bysurprise but too intoxicated to resist. “The Amontillado!” Fortunato calledout. “True,” Montressor replied, “the Amontillado” (p. 152), As thosewords were spoken, Montressor was carrying out the last things of his plan. Under the pile of bones were some building stones and mortar.
With these and histrowel, he started closing up the entrance to the crypt. During this time,Fortunato’s intoxication started wearing off and he started to hear sloe moanscoming from inside. “There was a long obstinate silence. I laid the secondtier and the third, and the fourth; and then I heard the furious vibrations ofthe chain.
The noise lasted for several minutes, during which, that I might havehearken to it with more satisfaction” (p. 152). Now how could a sane personkeep working while listening to the moaning and the movement of the chains? Howcould a sane person get a feeling of satisfaction from that? That is one of thethings that make Montressor insane before he commits the act of inhuman murder. Just as the wall was about chest level, Montressor peeks in and then hears the”loud and shrill screams. .
. ” that came from Fortunato. For a short time,Montressor was frightened and he trembled, but he realized that no one couldhear him so he started re-echoing him. Then it grew quiet again.
As the task wasalmost complete, a low laugh could be heard from the interior of the niche. Itwas accompanied by a somewhat sad voice. “Ha! ha! ha! –he! he! –A verygood joke, indeed–an excellent jest. We will have many a rich laugh about it atthe palazzo–he! he! he!–over our wine–he! he! he!” (p. 153).
Montressorresponded and echoed Fortunato’s laughter. Fortunato then reminded Montressorthat it was getting late, and that people would start looking for them. “Let us be gone,” Fortunato said. “Yes, ” Montressor said,”let us be gone.
” Fortunato cried out, “For the love of God,Montressor!” And he replied, “Yes. For the love of God!” (p. 152). Then there was a silence. Montressor then called out for Fortunato, butthere was no reply.
He then again looked inside and he let the torch fall. “There came forth in return only a jingling of bells. Y heart grew sick; itwas the dampness of the catacombs that made it so. . .
I forced the last stone intoplace. . . I re-ereceted the old rampart bones. For the half of a century no mortalhad disturberd them. .
. ” (p. 153). That last paragraph just shows that at thevery end, he felt a little guilt, but he was too rapped up in what it was donefor, that he found something else to blame for him feeling that way. This wholeessay explains that he was insane.
It shows you the steps and the actions thatthis man had done just to get revenge. No sane man would plot this out so wellthat no mortal hasn’t touched the “grave” site for a half of century.
