Notes on Poe’s “Cask of Amontillado”
There’s something just satisfying about reading Edgar Allan Poe. Perhaps it’s the visceral freeing of the id to do what it wants vicariously though characters like Montressor, Usher, and the Red Death. Poe’s “Cask of Amontillado” takes the reader on a psychological journey through the mind of Montresor; his and Fortunato’s descent in to the catacombs of Montresor estate parallel the journey into the subconscious of the dying narrator. “Cask” is a deathbed confession to those of us “who so well know the nature of my soul”; the confession may be to an unseen priest, but it’s also meant as a superego confession to the society at large. Poe’s story offers a character sketch, as many of his stories do, of a proud Montresor’s battle between the rational and the irrational, with the latter manifesting itself in the guise of the former. Montresor is an unrepentant murderer, and this notion does not reconcile with any rational perspective of humanity.
The American romantics, for simplicity’s sake, can be divided into two camps: the optimists and the pessimists. Of the former group, Emerson, Thoreau, and Whitman are the most famous, while the latter group consists of Poe, Hawthorne, and Melville. The romantics saw the universe as split between the order and disorder, and the human mind illustrates this split by providing the battleground between the rational and the irrational. The optimistic romantics sought the truth through a transcendental union of the rational and the irrational forming a harmony, a peace, and perhaps an experience of God. The pessimistic school see only disharmony, contradiction, and terror in this dichotomous split of the human psyche. Despite their respective conclusions, the romantics all felt a profound need for harmony, the need for spirituality (Reason combined with imagination and intuition could lead one to feel God), and the need to establish one’s harmony or oneness with the universe without losing a sense of individualism. While the Transcendentalists might have found success in their attempts, Poe, Hawthorne, and Melville seem only to see disharmony and confusion where the optimists see harmony and truth.
Poe seems to suggest that the only truth to be gleaned in this world is through the actions of others; there is no truth in nature, only dark things that might contain kernels of truth if one penetrates the surface seeming of our lives. If there is a truth for Poe, it exists under the surface, yet this is where madness, isolation, perversity, chaos, and death also lie. In order to try to find the truth, the seeker must risk the darkest aspects of the universe. Poe often emphasizes the irony of madness: the rational world hides any notions of truth, while the more insane or perverse a character seems, the closer he or she is to the truth. Poe also uses the motif of mirrors to characterize the nature of a split universe — that the human soul is cut off from the universe by its own “understanding” based in reason. Humans are in a sense buried alive, for the body contains the essence of humanity, but it is not the human. The human mind, therefore, is limited by the extent of life in the body. Poe desperately wanted the me to live eternally, but saw it as fragile and finite as its bodily container. Humans are trapped between death and time, between the pit and the pendulum, so this knowledge inspires horror, disharmony, and chaos.
In “The Cask of Amontillado,” Poe’s characters are running out of time: Montresor, meaning “my treasure” (sounds like Gollum, no?), and Fortunato, “fortunate one,” both head toward certain death — the former seems to be on his death bed, while the latter is fifty-years dead, now just the contents of the cask that Montresor shares with the invisible you, probably a friend — perhaps a priest — but definitely the complicit reader. Not a confession that looks for forgiveness, Montresor’s narrative seems to seek a sanction, maybe some sympathy, but definitely the admiration of his reader. The social veneer of propriety is broken — probably as Montresor lies dying — since he has nothing left to lose; his family motto “nemo me impune lacessit” (no one provokes me with impunity) has been maintained, so his motivation to confess seems to stem from pride, not remorse (Sipiora 242). He’s kept his treasure close to his heart for fifty years, and it’s now time to share.
Montressor’s treasure is his cask of Amontillado. The cask is the literal story, but it is also his secret: the one that trapped Fortunato fifty years hence and the one that now fascinates us. We, like Fortunato, are being lead to death, yet we can take comfort in the fact that we’re just reading a story, right? The cask probably also symbolizes the “insult” Montresor received from Fortunato — the latter probably showed him up by identifying a brand of Merlot before Montresor did at the local wine club, or something equally as trivial. Poe’s play mirrors a split view of the universe full of contradictions: the horror of being buried alive is mixed with the humor of a drunken fool walking arm-in-arm with death to the grave. Death gives the fool plenty of ways out, but keeps him on the hook by appealing to his human vanity and the promise of a prize: the Amontillado. Indeed, Fortunato gets his prize, yet the draught is not what he expects. When is it ever?
How is Fortunato the fortunate one? Perhaps Poe suggests that by remaining the fool — or at least drunk — that we can have fun even with death. Yes, death will win in the end, but perhaps a bit of naïveté as we’re led toward the grave will at least allow us to have a bit of fun. Yet, like Poe’s split universe, this interpretation cannot stand without its mirror: by being a drunk fool, Fortunato is anything but fortunate. His state, perhaps a metaphor for the notion of the body blinding the soul, allows him to be buried alive by Montresor. If Fortunato had his wits about him, he could have read the numerous clues that bespoke his doom. Do we know so well the nature of Montresor’s soul? Well, I cannot be truthful with impunity. In pace requiescat!
I find much of your comments interesting but I wonder what your take is on the coat of arms discussed in the story. Specifically the image that is on it.”A huge human foot d’or, in a field of azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel.” This has obvious origins in the Bible. Specifically Genesis 3:15 “…he will crush your head and you will strike his heel.” (The “he” refering to the Christ and the “you” refering to the serpent.) I do not think Poe put this image in by mistake. It seems he could be making some sort of religious statement.
There is also the mention of the brotherhood of the freemasons in the story as well, and the mocking of it by Montresor with the mason’s trowel. Maybe another religious allusion. Just wanted to get your input.
Indeed, Montresor as Satan figure. Of course, I’ll buy that. Yet, the image of the heal also suggests that Montresor is nothing but a snake, not even Fortunato’s equal, but desirous to be superior, like Lucifer to God. Fortunato could be seen, in this case, as a holy fool, or innocent blessed and kept by God. Yet, in the final twist, it is the nihilistic actions of Montresor that seal — quite literally — Fortunato’s fate. Kind of like waving a trowel in the face of a mason, eh? As for the trowel as religious imagery, I’m not sure; nothing comes to mind except what I’ve stated above. What do you think?
Perhaps the thing that I find most intriguing about the piece is all of the religious allusions, subtle and not so subtle. I wonder if Poe is simply manipulating the symbols for amusement. In the back of my mind I can’t help but think that he is making some sort of deeper commentary or statement. A statement about religion, the church, hypocrisy, I’m not sure.
Maybe I am trying to push the images too far; trying to squeeze out something that just isn’t there. Either way here are the things I have been considering:
As you state the story is told as a confession to “You who know my soul so well.” This seems to indicate a priest.
We see that the “Carnival” is taking place on the surface. This would be the party thrown right before Lent. Perhaps it is even Fat Tuesday. It is the reason Fortunato is dressed as the fool that he is to become literally.
It is in stark contrast to the darkness and murderous doom going on right underneath the surface. This is represented by Montressor’s happy smiling face but murderous intent.
If Fortunato is symbolized by the foot on the coat of arms then what sort of Christ figure does he represent? He is sacrificed, put to death by Montressor. Fortunato is chained through staples in the wall. The Christ of the Bible was nailed (stapled) to a cross. Christ “wins” by dying, does Fortunato?
Another thought: The Apostle’s Creed says of Christ, “He descended into hell.” This is possibly pictured by the two men continually descending into the catacombs.
Montressor is not Fortunato’s equal according to Montressor himself: “You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was.”
I think that your idea of holy fool can be pressed farther because, the Bible is full of passages that say that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who don’t believe. It says that the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom. Is this why Fortunato is dressed as a fool? Who is the real fool?
As far as the Masonic reference, this one eludes me the most. I am probably pushing the religious theme here because most Freemasons do not necessarily call themselves a religious group. However, they do have various ritualistic practices and particular doctrines that they teach. I thought that the eleven rows of bricks might be noteworthy but of the 30+ degrees in freemasonry there doesn’t seem to be any correlation. There are a significant amount of men who consider themselves Christians and they participate in Freemasonry so perhaps that is the connection.
Conclusion: Maybe Poe is making a statement about church hypocrisy. The outer surface is party and celebration, an act. The reality is that people bury their belief, their “fortune” deeply inside. Perhaps people feel “fortunate” to have their “treasure”. But it dies inside them as it sits there for years, forgotten. And feel no guilt or shame. Believers brick up their belief in Christ foolishly. In realty they who claim Christ treat him as the fool. They are tired of the insults because the law convicts their sin.
As far as the Freemasons and the trowel—maybe he is pointing out that the actions/rituals, “gesticulations” of the Masons are empty and “grotesque”. There is nothing real or concrete as with working as with a trowel and mortar.
“For the love of God—”
“Yes—For the love of God.”
Then again, maybe I go too far.
That’s a pretty interesting view on the story, Troy. I never thought of it that way.
I’m reading this story for a lit analysis class, the 11 layers of brick jumped out at me as well. The number 11 is one and one and he is building this wall separating the two. This leads to so many more parallels y’all already mentioned that may or may not elude to heaven and hell; but still thought provoking. Also in shakespears sonnet 66 the 11 lines following the one speaking of tiered burial all start with A, interesting
Troy you are a very smart man you have helped me do my project on poe I never thought of the religous allusions like that but the way you connect that is brilliant
if im not mistaken, many of Poe’s stories are about one character trying to get to deep slumber and others in the story are aspects of their psyche, like “The Raven” and “Fall of the House of Usher.” is this one any different? Now, im not certain this story is also about sleep, but here’s a few things to roll around..
Montresor is wearing a black silk mask and roquelaire (cloak). Sounds a little like pajamas.. a robe and one of those sleeping masks?
Withdrawl is Poe’s first sleep stage, entering the catacombs could be withdrawl..
Stage 2 is the hypnogogic stage, a blending of reality and dream, (not sure what in the story this relates to)
Stage 3- fantasy, or REM.. “His eyes flashed with a feirce light” eyes flashing could be REM.
Stage 4- deep slumber. perhaps fortunado’s death? or maybe montresor fails to reach deep slumber?
perhaps Fortunado represents something within Montresor that he has repressed, walled up some emotion..
another quick thought.. Poe struggeled with alchoholism quite a bit, maybe he is alluding to his own desire to bury that side of himself
The Masonic trowel, to me, is clearly foreshadowing. This is a story about vengeance, pure and simple. The bitterness of Montresor stems from “as I once was”. The mystery to me is what caused his financial and social collapse. I never tire of reading it and actually re-worked the themes for a story printed in a motorcycle club newsletter, centering around Ducati motorcycles.