The Cask of Amontillado s1

“The Cask of Amontillado” By Edgar Allan Poe

 Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)  American poet, critic, short story writer, and author of such macabre works as “The Fall of the House of Usher” (1840)  born as Edgar Poe in Boston, Massachusetts; orphaned young when his mother died shortly after his father abandoned the family. Poe was taken in by John and Frances Allan, of Richmond, Virginia  considered the father of the modern detective story and highly lauded as a poet  Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre  The actual cause of Poe’s death remains a mystery.  More about Edgar Allan Poe  A struggling writer  Addicted to alcohol  His influences  "In our endeavors to recall to memory something long forgotten, we often find ourselves upon the very verge of remembrance, without being able, in the end, to remember." - from "Ligeia"  Poe’s works  Full of macabre, death-ridden themes and fantastic, mythic tales  Usually set in dark, horrible atmosphere  his darkly passionate sensibilities—a tormented and sometimes neurotic obsession with death and violence and overall appreciation for the beautiful yet tragic mysteries of life.  What is “Amontillado”?  Amontillado is a variety of Sherry, characterized by being darker than Fino but lighter than Oloroso. It is named for the Montilla region of Spain, where the style originated in the 18th century.  The word Amontillado, which is Spanish, is an adjective meaning "Montilla-like".  “The Cask of Amontillado”  Setting: the catacomb  Narrative: First-person narrator – Montresor’s murderous point of view  What is horrible in the story?  Instead of making the burial a quick and short-lived scene, Poe makes this scene exceedingly long and draws out the elements of fear. He procrastinates the burial of Fortunato by first describing how he is shackled to the wall.  It allows the reader to envision the gruesome death of being buried alive. It fulfills the human desire to know about the unknown. It fulfills human curiosity; at least the curiosity to know what it would be like to be buried alive.