Edgar Allan Poe, the cask of Amontillado Overview

For my short story I was given the chance to read Edgar Allan Poe, the cask of amontillado. I have read many short stories from Edgar Allan Poe and it’s usually mystery, violence or murder. This short story was nothing different, it was about revenge, hate and murder.

The tone in this story in my opinion is the most important element ? the ?attitude? of the author in a work? (56). Tone usually will not be stated in a straightforward way but needs to be inferred from how the author describes events or characters.

In the story Edgar Allan Poe writes about a gentleman named Fortunato who hurt him a thousand times, but when he heard that he laughed at his proud name he said ” I promised myself that I would make him pay for this- that I would get revenge” which is in the first paragraph. He was very upset and this set the tone for the rest of the story.

The tone in which he killed Fortunato was the most important literature, he wanted revenge and was willing to wait for the perfect time. This story was written in first person were he tells more about his plan to use wine to get revenge. The plan, get him drunk and weak by offering him fine wines, since that was his poison.

The short story had me interested from the beginning by offering a little clue that a death will be taken and by surprise. Edgar Allan Poe wanted revenge, but not to get caught. He finally had his chance as I waited to see what plan he had in motion. The result ended in Mr. Fortunato begin burried alive behind a brick wall to die. The story, although short had many details and many mystery. The tone in which he wrote let you know that he didn’t feel bad or regretted anything, he even writes toward the end that ” my heart grew sick; it must have been the cold” he says his heart grew sick, but blames it on the cold instead, no remorse.