1. Edgar Allan Poe's gothic tale, “The cask of Amontillado”, is really a story
about the loss of face, or "amor propio".
What is the expression in your language for the loss of face? Preserve one's dignity What other
English words come to mind when you think of the word "face" in this sense? Good reputation, appearance, and makeup.
The Insult
2. How did Fortunato cause Montresor to lose face in the story? Losing his dignity over wine.
The third paragraph of the story appears in full below. Read it carefully and try
to
imagine how Fortunato might have insulted Montresor.
"He had a weak point—this Fortunato—although in other regards he was a man to be
respected and even feared. He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine. Few
Italians have the true virtuoso spirit. For the most part their enthusiasm is adopted to suit
the time and opportunity to practice imposture upon the British and Austrian millionaires.
In painting and gemmary Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack, but in the matter of
old wines he was sincere. In this respect I did not differ from him materially;—I was skillful in
the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could."
3. Does Montresor seem to have much respect for Italians? No Which lines in the
paragraph above reveal his contempt? “For the most part their enthusiasm is adopted to suit
the time and opportunity to practice imposture upon the British and Austrian millionaires.
In painting and gemmary Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack”
4. What was Fortunato's insult? “You are no mason”
5. Why does Montresor entertain Fortunato with wines from his collection? To get him drunk and unaware of what was going to happen.
6. In what two ways does Montresor imprison Fortunato? He shackles him up, and builds the stone and mortar wall.
The story, The Cask of Amontillado, first appeared in an anthology of Poe's
stories entitled Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque. Arabesque comes from the
word Arab and refers to ornaments, decorations and motifs in Arabic art, where
figures of flowers, fruits and sometimes animal outlines appear in elaborate
patterns of interlaced lines, particularly those which have been borrowed by
other cultures. Such arabesque patterns are reflected in some of the designs and
motifs of the batik of Indonesia and Malaysia.
By analogy, then, an arabesque story is one of intricate design, which is told
through the use of fanciful language. Because arabesque graphic designs
sometimes depict fantastic creatures, Poe and others also applied this term to
tales that dealt with fantastic or supernatural happenings. Grotesque refers to
something distorted, ugly, abnormal, fantastic, or bizarre to the point of being
ludicrous or absurd. In a grotesque story, characters are physically or
psychologically deformed and engage in actions that may be abnormal or
comically absurd.
7. In what ways is The Cask of Amontillado grotesque?
Fortuneato was being psychologically tortured as he was being chained to the wall, he laughs thinking it was a joke and the bells ring from his hat.
8. First, which of Montresor's actions are abnormal?
He vows to get even and does not speak of it. He is doing this because he feels insulted.
9. Is there anything grotesque about Fortunato?
His bells always ring from his hat even when he is being chained. Also the bones that were thrown to the ground.
Humor Hunt
There are also numerous comic touches that Poe adds to this grotesque tale. Try
to find 10 examples of Poe's use of grotesque humor. Follow this trail of humor
chronologically through the story.
•Fortunato's name means lucky in Italian. This is ironic language play, as he was
hardly the lucky one in this story.
•Fortunato is dressed in a court jester's or fool's garb, complete with striped
outfit
and cap and bells.
•The jingling of the bells of the cap in the catacombs.
•Montresor's exaggerated concern for Fortunato's health.
•A joke: Not knowing Montresor plans to kill him, Fortunato says, I shall not die
of
a cough. To which Montresor replies, True-true.
•Pun: Montresor telling Fortunato he is a mason. (Fortunato was referring to
members of the society of Freemasons). Montresor reveals the trowel (a tool
used to apply mortar or cement) which he will use to build the wall which
entombs Fortunato.
•Fortunato's drunken condition.
•Fortunato bumping into the dead end of the niche where he will be entombed
and then looking bewildered.
•Fortunato's delirious laughter at the end.
•Another pun: Let us be gone. Montresor repeats Fortunato's words, not saying
that they shall leave together, but that Fortunato will be gone from this life.
END INVISOTEXT
POE ON SHORT STORIES
Many critics consider Poe to be the father of the modern short story. He was the
first writer to define the short story as a distinct literary form. In a review of
Nathaniel Hawthorne's anthology, Twice-Told Tales in Graham's Magazine, May
1842, he described his personal theory on how to construct a "tale":
5 rules of short story writing following Poe's principles
Try to make a list of 5 rules for writing a short story as implied in Poe's essay. A
keyword has been given below to help with scanning
"A skillful literary artist has constructed a tale. If wise, he has not fashioned his thoughts to
accommodate his incidents: but having conceived, with deliberate care, a certain unique
or single effect to be wrought out, he then invents such incidents—he then combines
such events as may best aid him in establishing this preconceived effect. If his very initial
sentence tends not to the outbringing of this effect, then he has failed in his first step. In
the whole composition there should be no work written, of which the tendency, direct or
indirect, is not to the one pre-established design. And by such means, with such care and
skill, a picture is at length painted which leaves in the mind of him who contemplates it with
a kindred art, a sense of the fullest satisfaction."
1. not writing on past/beleifs
2. event
3. topic scentence
4. plot
5. leave reader with one emotion
