Yeung PAGE 6
Building Skeletons
Douglas Horton once said, "While seeking revenge, dig two graves-one for yourself." (Brainyquotes.com) Similarly, depicted in the famous ironic short horror story, The Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allan Poe presents how Fortunato digs his own grave as a result of his own vanity and insults along with Montresor who helps him to dig it. Indeed, throughout The Cask of Amontillado, individuals sought ways for vengeance, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Moreover, often people are so engulfed by their own desires veiled by "the rheum of intoxication" (Poe 107) disables them to see the danger ahead. Thus, possibly because of one's supreme hatred of one's enemy their morality will be completely devoured by their bitterness and inclination. Instead, the fire they've build up in themselves turns around and ultimately controls them, transforming them into a murderous monster, even smiling "at the thought of his immolation."
(105) Edgar Allan Poe establishes Montresor as the antagonist in which his lust of hate devours his morality and ultimately vows revenge with impunity on the impudent Fortunato.
Just before Lent, a forty-day fasting period before Easter, Poe builds up a dark and spine-tingling suspense of The Cask of Amontillado beginning with an ironic setting of a "supreme madness of the carnival season" (105). An important carnival in which everyone dresses in flamboyant costumes and fancy masks to conceal one's identity. Deep down under the European cities are some ancient cemeteries, the catacombs. Beneath, in the long meandering tunnels lies ceaseless shelves "lined with human remains" (110) "with casks and puncheons intermingling" (109), a pretty fine place to store wine or perhaps an even better place to commit murder. Set in Italy, Montresor is introduced as a vengeful virtuoso in "Italian vintages" (105),