“The Cask of Amontillado”

“The Cask of Amontillado” By Edgar Allan Poe

Catacombs • A network of caves, grottos, or subterranean place that is used for the burial of the dead • Etruscans used to bury their dead in underground chambers. Christians revived the practice because they did not want to cremate their dead due to their belief in bodily resurrection. Hence they began to bury their dead, first in simple graves and sometimes in burial vaults. • Have you seen Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade?

Catacombs

In the days before electricity… …one would light up dark, damp catacombs with flambeaux.

What is a cask? • A wooden barrel or container • The word comes from the Spanish cáscara which means tree bark, in the sense that the bark surrounds and holds the tree in the way that a cask surrounds and holds wine

Amontillado… • a pale, dry sherry • named after the Montilla region of Spain where this style of wine originated in the 18th century

Fetters • a kind of physical restraint used on the feet or ankles to allow walking but prevent running and kicking • also called shackles or footcuffs

Retribution n. Something justly deserved; recompense. Something given or demanded in repayment, especially punishment. Theology Punishment or reward distributed in a future life based on performance in this one.

Revenge

Impunity • Definition: exemption or immunity from harm, especially punishment or retribution, as a result of one's actions or words • Note the root word punity, which has the same origin as punished. When you add the negative im-, "not," impunity has the connotation of not being punished for what you say or do. • Examples: Freedom of speech enables people to say and do controversial and often disturbing things with impunity. • Crime is so rampant that it feels like criminals are terrorizing the city with impunity.

Edgar Allan Poe • Poe was born in 1809 • Orphaned at a very early age • Adopted, sent to various schools, including West Point • Enlisted in army • Published several successful poems

Poe’s Life • At age of 27, he married his 13 year old cousin • Became owner of newspaper • Wife died of tuberculosis • Poe turned to drink • Died at a young age of rabies

Poe’s story of REVENGE

Setting: Carnival Season in Italy • It is a festival season. • Occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February or March. • Involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus and public street party. • People often dress up or masquerade during the celebrations.

Carnival or Carnevale • Carnival is mostly associated with Roman Catholic and, to a lesser extent, Eastern Orthodox Christians. • The world's largest carnival celebration is held in Brazil but many countries worldwide have large, popular celebrations.

Carnival Costumes and Masks

The characters • Montresor and Fortunato- two good Italian names! This is Fortunato. Let’s remember to talk about the irony of his name when we’re finished reading!

Montresor’s Coat of Arms and family motto • “A human foot d’or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel” (9). • “Nemo me impune lacessit” (9). • Latin meaning “No one attacks me with impunity.” No one attacks me without being punished.

Freemasons vs. Masons • Freemasonry is a fraternity, or brotherhood, that aims to make good men better and to support each other. • A mason is a person whose trade is building with units of various natural or artificial mineral products, as stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or tiles, usually with the use of mortar or cement as a bonding agent.

“The Cask of Amontillado”