The Cask of Amontillado: Weirdest Way To Act On A Grudge

Mumu The Tricked continues their weird trip through some of the classics of horror, and Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado

TITLE: “The Cask of Amontillado” (pgs 10-18 from Great Tales And Poems Of Edgar Allan Poe)

AUTHOR: Edgar Allan Poe

GENRE: Gothic Dark Fiction

PAGES: 7

FORMAT: Paperback Book

PRICE: US $5.95 / CAN $6.99

Here we are, back to Poe’s works. There’s a reason he’s good at psychological horror. The way “The Cask of Amontillado” is written, you would assume that the slight of Fortunado’s words drove the narrator crazy. Either he was sensitive to his family name being sullied, as Fortunado does forget parts about his friend’s family, such as their motto, which seems quite fitting: Nemo me impune lacesit (Latin: No one provokes me with impunity). In truth, we’re not given the full story as to why the narrator wants to get revenge on Fortunado; it seems he was given insults to the family, but at the same time, it does seem he was rather drunk and clueless during the adventure. Perhaps he drank himself to forget common courtesy?

Alas, this does not stop the narrator for his revenge. He ends up sealing the poor drunk Fortunado behind a wall in a catacombs of his proud family’s estate. After a few hours, Fortunado comes to and pleads for the narrator to let him go, that they would both enjoy Lady Fortunado’s company. Eventually, he just fell quiet and accepted his fate. The narrator seals him behind the wall and leaves him alone. Although, at the very end, the narrator does: In pace requesicat! (Latin: May he rest in peace!); this story was told 50 years after the deed was performed, so it may have been triumphant in a sense, his greatest accomplishment, or told in horror from his deathbed, to soothe a guilty conscience.

It just amazes me what the human mind can plan and perform for revenge. It doesn’t seem that the punishment fits the crime at all; talking like he doesn’t know someone’s family’s backstory isn’t a capital offense. Fortunado was inhibited and unable to walk in a straight line, enough as it is; he clung to the narrator’s arm throughout the whole journey, only to be shoved into a room, chained in place and die within that room. It makes the narrator seem unstable; which is a common thing in a lot of Edgar Allan Poe’s works, now that I think about it. And it does disturb me how much the narrator planned for this action to take place. He even warned Fortunado about certain issues, like the growth of Nitre, something used to make gunpowder and is hard to inhale. Commenting on how his breathing was, and whether they should turn back; Fortunado was desperate for the good alcohol. IT doesn’t make sense for anyone to waste time on hating someone like this. Such an unreliable narrator.

Unreliable narrators, those who only speak for their own interest, do make interesting psychological gothic horror stories. It shows how much paranoia or ‘how dare they insult my family name’ or even just the way someone looks at them to cause a grudge to be built. In essence, by having our minds fill in the blanks, it can make the psychological horror even worse. What’s the worst grievance someone can think of to cause them to lock them behind a walled room for the rest of their life?

Mumu the Tricked loves to read and write. It’s easier to sit still and work with their eyes and hands than move around some days. They are hoping to become a successful author and book reviews are quite fun, too. Thank you!

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing, nor do the views or opinions of Crystal Lake necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or its staff. Thank you for understanding.