This essay is about the short story by Edgar Alan Poe.

Essay by Rightfield December 2003

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An Analysis of "The Cask of Amontillado"

Edgar Alan Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" is a story of revenge, hatred and murder. "The Cask of Amontillado" contains two main characters, Montresor, and Fortunato. In the story Poe explains how time after time Fortunato has injured Montresor and has now even insulted his pride. Due to the many injuries that Fortunato has caused, Montresor has secretly plotted revenge. "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge..." Montresor, with his honest reputation, makes it obvious that he has planned the demise of Fortunato in a very sneaky mystery that nobody can solve. "You, who know so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat..." Montresor then begins to think guilty thoughts and reviews deeper into the consequences and how he will deal with the guilt.

"At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitely settled- but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not 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."

In this story I believe that Montresor is the protagonist. This can be defined because in the beginning Montresor acts as if he is Fortunato's friend, however he has a much darker purpose. While Montresor's motive is revealed in the beginning of the story, he makes it known to no one until he carries out his evil deed. Naturally this would put

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Fortunato in the position of the antagonist,