Edgar A. Poe Shows Revenge Essay, Research Paper

Montresor the Connoisseur of Revenge

Edgar Allen Poe has always created very distinguished narrators. In Tell Tale Heart he creates a cunning narrator who goes crazy over the old man s eye. Another story he wrote, The Cast of Amontillado , he creates a deranged narrator, Montresor, who is a malicious maven of revenge. Montresor has a family motto, which reflects his revengeful nature No one attacks me with impunity. (Poe 4). In The Cast of Amontillado he fabricates a connoisseur of revenge through three aspects of revenge: planning ahead, knowledge of human nature and the love for annihilation.

To be a connoisseur of revenge, planning becomes a major ingredient in his deed against Fortunato. Montresor does an expert job of preparing for the misdemeanor. During the carnival, he determines it the best time to commit his dreadful misdemeanor. He comes to this conclusion by knowing that no one will be aware of Fortunato s absence. To lure Fortunato into the catacombs, he tampers with Fortunato s self-centeredness through the talk of an Amontillado. I am on my way to Luchesi. (2) He will tell me . (2). Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry. (2) Knowing that during the carnival Fortunato will be thick with alcohol, Montresor situated bottles of wine to carry on the consumption of alcohol. He raised it to his lips with a leer. He paused and nodded I drink, (4). Montresor s malicious planning has him one step closer to being a connoisseur of revenge.

As a master of revenge, Montresor has extensive knowledge of human nature. To get he servants out of the house that dreadful night, Montresor told them he would be out for the night. Knowing that the servants would abscond behind his back, he could now center the horrible deed in his mind. In another way that Montresor used his extensive scholarship of individual s thoughts, he plays on Fortunato s vanity or pride. He accomplishes this deed by talk of an Amontillado I received a pipe that passes for an Amontillado (2) this is where Fortunato s pride is in the connoisseurship of wine. Trying to make Fortuanto comfortable in the depths of the clammy catacombs, he achieved this through reverse psychology. Montresor always seemed to be worried about Fortuanto s health we will go back your health is precious (3) though Montresor knew that Fortunato did not yearn for the departure back. Montresor has again proven to be a master of revenge through the extensive knowledge of human nature.

With planning and knowledge, Montresor only needs the love for annihilation to be adept with revenge, which he has in a great degree. While sealing up Fortunato in the crypt, lets us be gone (7) is taunting Fortunato in a sadistic way. Another way that Montresor shows he is proud of his profession, is through again taunting Fortuanto with the last words in the story. Rest in Peace (7) he says with a grin on his face as he walks away from the clogged crypt. Finally, he tells this story with great detail and pride even though it happen half a century ago. This explains his extreme pride in the annihilation of unfortunate Fortunato. Through the killing of Forutnato, Montresor has attained tremendous pleasure that makes him become a connoisseur of revenge.

Montresor is a connoisseur of revenge because he: manipulates, overpowers with scholarship, and relishes the destruction of Fortunato. During this deed, Montresor wants to achieve the three goals that are stated in the first paragraph. I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. (1) This statement represents Montresor has to know that he isn t going to get caught. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. (1) Not getting caught as Montresor did is represented in this passage. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong. This account symbolizes Fortunato having time to think about Montresor killing him. Montresor finally reached his three objectives in the act on Fortunato. Therefore, Montersor is an expert of revenge as Edgar Allen Poe is an expert of horror.