The Cask of Amontillado Literary Analysis Essay Example

In this day and age, it is hard to define which authors and their subsequent books are truly groundbreaking and heavily influential. However, American writer Edgar Allan Poe is without question one of the most influential and groundbreaking authors of all time. In a time when several writings were surface level and very safe, Poe went all out with what he wrote in his lifetime. However, figuring out his peak in writing ability is a daunting task to do. To determine the best of Poe’s works, it is little on the quality of the story as that is subjective. If we want to objectively figure out Poe’s best work, we need to look at several other factors. With this in mind, Poe's magnum opus is 'The Cask of Amontillado' because of its innovation, its use of techniques through writing, and its main contents.

Innovation is when a story is different from the vast majority of its competition. ‘The Cask of Amontillado’ is a murder mystery that has a lot of innovation going for it. Despite being about murder, "The Cask of Amontillado" is not a detective type of story as Montresor outright explains his way of committing his crime. Montresor also lets the reader know that his idea for revenge is one with exemption from punishment. What the reader is left without though is a motive, which is extremely important for a story revolving around someone likely insane (Baraban). Many murder mysteries have a motive inside, one that is revealed early or one that is revealed late. One final way of innovation in the book is straight through Montresor. The book takes place 50 years after Montresor murders Fortunato, however, Montresor seems to take pride in his past actions rather than guilt. This is something that wouldn’t usually be seen in a story with a large period between two actions and about murder (Benton). While simply being different is not enough to make a story good, great execution with a story’s outliers is present within this story.

Another stand-out quality present within ‘The Cask of Amontillado’ is the use of many different techniques that Poe used within his writing. Poe very evidently uses irony and contrast in the story. The use of contrast and irony in the story is what gives it an advantage. Fortunato's name meaning “fortunate” is wonderful irony considering his untimely end (Gillespie and Naden). When Poe makes use of his ability to add irony to his stories, it adds to the themes of horror and darkness in the story. In the story as well, Poe can have underlying or theoretical messages about our characters and their conflict. A possible reason for Montresor’s revenge would be a conflict between classes. Fortunato is a bourgeoisie by appearance with low intellect on material items. Montresor is an aristocrat and lives in a palazzo filled to the brim with staff and servants (Krstovic and Petrides). Poe having details such as these gives the readers a reason to care about these characters and these actions, something a lot of stories sometimes don’t even care to do. Lastly, is his iconic gothic style of writing. Poe’s gothic style is used in almost all, if not all of his stories. It is also what makes his stories unique to him and recognizable. A bleak setting is an element of gothic style, and the catacombs are very bleak, a character, in this case, Fortunato, is tortured, and violence is in the story to a degree (Mcgrath). Having a signature style in a story lets it resonate in the readers' mind, and capturing the readers' attention is the most important thing a quality story can do. In short, Poe’s unique writing skills stick in the readers' minds due to their uniqueness and the way they are used.

The background of ‘The Cask of Amontillado’ as well as the way it comes together is one for the ages. The story is very simple, Montressor exacts revenge on Fortunato and the story is told fifty years after the fact. However, Poe did not leave it at that. The setting of the story is in the Catacombs, which were originally abandoned store quarries but were fixed up in the late 18th century and became a tourist in the early 19th century (Benton). Back in the day in certain areas, customs were different now and when somebody died, their dead body would be buried in the Catacombs. The skeleton would be up for display after six months. Having a setting this perfect for a story like this almost seems like a crime. Speaking of crime, Montresor waits to exact his revenge during the carnival season, because during that time, everything is in havoc and dysfunction. Fortunato, when the two first meet, is dressed in a jester outfitted with blinding colors. Carnival season in the 1700s was a standout moment within Italy and France. It spanned the timeframe of around a week. The costumes that were worn by Montresor (Black mask and cape) and the one worn by Fortunato (court jester) were largely popular at this time. The use of a lighthearted background with the carnival being contrasted by literal murder is something that. Lastly, how do we know the timeframe of this story? Well, we know the time frame of this story is by the fact that Fortunato is a member of the Masons which had Italian and French branches formed in 1726. Masons or otherwise known as Freemasons were founded in the Middle Ages. They became largely successful in the 1700s in Europe. It soon transformed into an undercover group of aristocrats and common people with a passion for free thought, rationality, and also social improvement. Freemasons, according to evidence, were in favor of social change, but not in the revolutionary style. However, established areas in Italy and France, largely the Catholic Church, had a reason to be fearful of their outbreak. Most masons had no trouble speaking what they thought, which may have gotten Fortunato entangled with Montresor (Moss and Wilson). Having this level of background detail is something that a book of the elites would do, and the detail is shocking from Poe. Relating the story extremely close to its time is a masterful effect that makes the story feel real, and it probably could be if it weren’t for the extremely psychotic parts of Montresor.

In conclusion, the way Poe can use innovation, writing techniques, and background throughout ‘The Cask’ with soaring results are what makes this book his magnum opus. It might not be his most popular, that would be “The Raven”, but popularity is non-linear to the objective greatness of anything, including music, movies, art, and literature. A book needs to leave the reader with a grand and ethereal impact that leaves them with a desire to learn and figure out certain things within it. With almost full certainty, it can be said that ‘The Cask of Amontillado’ is a book that leaves a stamp on everyone or near everyone who reads it. At the very least, it changed the landscape for stories that came after it and created a ripple effect very few books could even come close to challenging.