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Why does Montresor want to kill Fortunato?
Montresor states that Fortunato insulted him, but never offers more detail than this vague description. Scholars have debated whether Fortunato actually did anything to insult Montresor at all. Amongst those who believe Fortunato did something, some question whether Montresor, telling the story fifty years after the fact, even remembers what that actual insult was. The closest thing Montresor offers to a motive is his explication of the Montresor family motto, which translates to “No one insults me without impunity.” Montresor apparently believes that his family’s honor depends on punishing any who would insult them.
What do Montresor and Fortunato wear?
The story takes place during the carnival season, which was a Catholic festival that takes place before Lent, and in accordance with tradition both men are dressed in costume to celebrate. Fortunato is dressed as a fool or jester, with a colorful costume and a cap decked with bells. Montresor, for his part, wears a black mask and cloak. Although the carnival season is a time to wear disguises, here Montresor and Fortunato are dressed as their true roles in the story. Fortunato is foolishly tricked toward his doom, and the black-clad Montresor is, in fact, a harbinger of death.
How does Montresor lure Fortunato into the vault?
Montresor strings Fortunato along with the promise of testing whether the amontillado he has purchased is genuine. In addition to the deceptive pretense of bringing Fortunato into the vault, he ensures that Fortunato continues further into the vault by challenging Fortunato’s pride. He suggests that their mutual friend Luchesi could test the wine instead, or that Fortunato is too ill to handle the dampness of the vaults. Although Fortunato appears tempted with the promise of more alcohol alone, Montresor’s needling ensures that he’s willing to continue on to his doom.
What is the significance of the gesture Fortunato makes while drinking the De Grâve wine?
Fortunato makes a gesture while drinking the De Grâve wine that is one of the secret gestures of the Freemasons. The Freemasons are a secretive fraternal organization originating in the 18th century. Some critics have read Fortunato being a freemason as a sign that he used the brotherhood to advance in society, angering Montresor, whose status comes from his family name. Others suggest that Fortunato’s freemasonry was a dig at Poe’s former friend and fellow writer (and freemason), Thomas English, who had criticized his work.
Who is the “you” Montresor is speaking to?
Montresor’s audience is as ambiguous as his motive, and critics and scholars have many different interpretations. The most concrete detail the text gives is that the audience is someone who “so well know[s] the nature of [his] soul,” that is, someone close to Montresor. We also know that Montresor tells the story of his revenge on Fortunato fifty years after the fact. One of the most common interpretations is that Montresor tells this story as a deathbed confession to either a family member or priest.
