The Cask of Amontillado Short Story By Edgar Allan Poe (PDF-Summary-Review-Online Reading-Download)
The Cask of Amontillado is a short story by the American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in the November 1846 issue of Godey's Lady's Book. The story, set in an anonymous Italian city around the time of the carnival of an unspecified year, is about a man who fatally took revenge on a friend who, according to him, insulted him. Like several of Poe's stories, and in keeping with the 19th-century fascination with the subject, the narrative revolves around a person who is buried alive, in this case, by cloistering. As in "The Black Cat" and "The Tell-Tale Heart," Poe conveys the story from the killer's perspective.
Summary
Montresor invites Fortunato to taste the amontillado that he has just acquired without proving its authenticity. Fortunato follows him into the Montresor family vaults, which also serve as catacombs. For unknown reasons, Montresor seeks revenge on Fortunato and is actually luring him into a trap. At the end of the story, the narrator reveals that 50 years have passed since he took his revenge and Fortunato's body has not been disturbed.
Scholars have noted that the reasons for Montresor's revenge are unclear and that he may simply be insane. However, Poe also leaves clues that Montresor has lost the former status of his family and blames Fortunato. Furthermore, Fortunato is portrayed as a wine expert, which Montresor exploits in his plot, but does not show the kind of respect towards alcohol that is expected of such experts. Poe may have been inspired to write the story by his own desire for revenge in real life against his contemporary literary rivals. The story has been frequently adapted in multiple ways since its original publication.
Review
The Cask of Amontillado (sometimes written "The helmet ...") is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe and first published in the November 1846 issue of "Godey's Lady's Book".
It is set in an unnamed Italian city in an unspecified year (possibly during the 18th century) and refers to the deadly revenge taken by the narrator on a friend who, according to him, has insulted him. Like several of Poe's stories, and in keeping with the 19th-century fascination with the subject, the narrative revolves around the possibility of a person being buried alive, in this case, by cloistering.
About The Author
The real Poe was born to traveling actors in Boston on January 19, 1809. Edgar was the second of three children. His other brother William Henry Leonard Poe would also become a poet before his early death, and Poe’s sister Rosalie Poe would grow up to teach penmanship at a Richmond girls’ school. Within three years of Poe’s birth both of his parents had died, and he was taken in by the wealthy tobacco merchant John Allan and his wife Frances Valentine Allan in Richmond, Virginia while Poe’s siblings went to live with other families. Mr. Allan would rear Poe to be a businessman and a Virginia gentleman, but Poe had dreams of being a writer in emulation of his childhood hero the British poet Lord Byron. Early poetic verses found written in a young Poe’s handwriting on the backs of Allan’s ledger sheets reveal how little interest Poe had in the tobacco business.
