The Cask and the Self: Analyzing Poe

Introduction


"The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most beloved and influential pieces of short fiction in the horror genre. It explores themes of revenge, betrayal, intoxication, and the self. The text is just as chilling as it is entertaining. Diving deeper into the life of its author, there is more to uncover as we analyze the story, brick by brick. 

Edgar Allan Poe

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Poe's life leading up to the creation of "Cask" was fraught with tragedy, as his parents died young and he struggled to find his footing with his education at the University of Virginia and his subsequent career as a writer (1). He'd been dismissed from University for gambling and was fired from a job in Richmond for drinking, something he would struggle with his whole life. He became a widower in 1847. Poe's death at age 40 in Baltimore, Maryland is still somewhat of a mystery, with some suspecting drinking had a hand in his untimely passing. 


"The Cask of Amontillado"

"The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge" (2). These are the iconic beginning lines to his famous short story about a man, Montresor, who leads the intoxicated Fortunato down into the catacombs under the pretense of assessing the quality of a cask of wine, only to be led to his demise by imprisonment behind a brick wall. The Poe Museum (3) praises his skill as a writer who pioneered a genre, often creating stories where the "true monster is the capacity for evil inside each person." "Cask" is a fantastic example of how biography and art intersect when considering the self.

"Cask" and Self-Analysis

Considering Poe's life, and the naming of the characters, one could argue that Poe saw himself in a negative light and "Cask" is a possible reflection of that view. Montresor. roughly meaning "my treasure," and Fortunato, roughly meaning "my fortune," implies a kind of metaphysical parallel between the two characters. One way to read the text is through the lens of one character enacting a kind of revenge on himself. The character Fortunato is seen as a drunk, dressed in a fool's cap and bells, ignorant of the trouble he is being led to, and metaphorically leading himself into. Perhaps Poe saw himself as the drunken fool, and part of him wished to lock that version of himself away forever. Fortunato has multiple opportunities to turn back, to "sober up" and realize what is happening, but his pride and the temptation of the Amontillado keep him walking his own path to destruction.

Why Should You Read Poe?

Poe was a psychologically complex human individual, and his writing often reflected this. His life and his art crossed paths quite a bit, and the opportunity to write about his thoughts likely made him the influential figure he is today. Considering narrative through biography can be a powerful tool of literary analysis. It can also, if one is brave enough, be a tool by which the self is discovered, analyzed, and understood. 

For more information, click the link in the subheading of this section. If you would like to explore biographical criticism yourself, consider the poem "Alone" in terms of what is known about Poe, how he lived, and how he died. 






References

1) Barzun, Jacques , Cestre, Charles and Mabbott, Thomas Ollive. "Edgar Allan Poe". Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Apr. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edgar-Allan-Poe. Accessed 5 April 2023. 2023.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edgar-Allan-Poe. 

2) Poe, Edgar A. “The Cask of Amontillado.” Charters, Ann. The Story and Its Writer. Available from: VitalSource Bookshelf, (10th Edition). Macmillan Higher Education, 2018, pp. 782-787.
3) “About.” Edgar Allan Poe Museum, Poemuseum.org, 2023, https://poemuseum.org/poe-biography/.

4) “What Is Amontillado.” All Wines of Europe, All Wines of Europe, 13 Dec. 2022, https://allwinesofeurope.com/what-is-amontillado/.

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