In Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Cask of
Amontillado," the narrator and protagonist, Montresor, is found to be mentally
unbalanced or deranged to some extent. Though Poe never directly states that Montresor
is insane, that fact is made evident by the same character's actions and speech. While
the information given in the opening paragraph is enough to suggest to the reader that
Montresor is not well, the contents of the rest of the story offer many pieces of
evidence that tell the reader that Montresor's mental illness is a
certainty.
In the first paragraph of the story, Montresor
divulges his requirements for revenge and states that, should his plan fail to result in
meeting each of the prerequisites, he would not have been vendicated at all. The
extreme nature of his views on his vendetta indicate that Montresor is
"off."
As Fortunato is led to the scene of his imprisonment
and, ultimately, death, Montresor frequently mentions his concern for Fortunato's health
while also luring him to continue onward.
"Come," said I, with decision. "we will go
back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are
happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed. For me it is no matter. We will go
back; you will be ill, and I cannot be responsible. Besides, there is
Luchesi--"
Perhaps the most
telling evidence of Montresor's deranged state occurs after he becomes startled by the
screams coming from Fortunato as he is being entombed. After his initial fright, which
leads Montresor to attempt to stab Fortunato, Montresor calms himself, reapproaches the
partially sealed compartment, and screams back at Fortunato so loudly that Fortunato's
cries are overpowered.
...I reapproached the wall; I replied to the
yells of him who clamored. I reechoed, I aided, I surpassed them in volume and in
strength...
Clearly, these
are not the actions of a mentally stable person.
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