Internal Conflict In The Cask Of Amontillado

In “The Cask of Amontillado,” Edgar Allan Poe tells the story of Montresor, a man who takes revenge on his one-time friend, Fortunato. Although Poe does not give us many details about what led to the conflict between the two men, we know that Montresor is hurt and angered by Fortunato’s insults. And so, Montresor plots to kill Fortunato by luring him into the dark catacombs of his palace, where he will entomb him alive.

As the story progresses, we see that Montresor is torn by his conscience. He feels guilty about what he is planning to do, and he is even worried that Fortunato will figure out his plan and escape. In the end, however, Montresor’s desire for revenge is stronger than his conscience, and he goes through with his plan.

The conflict between Montresor’s desire for revenge and his conscience is an example of an internal conflict.

The Cask of Amontillado: An Analysis of Internal Conflict

It is safe to say that almost every human being experiences some sort of conflict throughout their life. Whether it be with others or within themselves, everybody goes through it. In the story “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe, the main character Montresor goes through both external and internal conflict which eventually leads to his downfall.

The conflict between Montresor and Fortunato starts as an external one but quickly becomes internal for both characters. It is external because it is a disagreement between the two men over a wine, Amontillado. Fortunato thinks that Montresor’s Amontillado is not the real thing and Montresor wants to prove to him that it is. This conflict quickly becomes internal for both men when Fortunato starts to get drunk and Montresor starts to get angry. The conflict turns into an internal one because it is no longer just about the wine, it is now about their pride. Montresor is angry that Fortunato does not believe him and Fortunato is angry that Montresor is trying to trick him.

The conflict between Montresor and Fortunato leads to the downfall of both men. For Montresor, the conflict leads to his downfall because he lets his anger get the best of him and ends up killing Fortunato. He does this by luring him into the catacombs of his home and then chains him to the wall. He then proceeds to seal him up in the wall with bricks, leaving him there to die. For Fortunato, the conflict leads to his downfall because he was too proud. He was so proud that he did not want to admit that he was wrong about the Amontillado and this ultimately led to his death.

The conflict in “The Cask of Amontillado” is a classic example of how internal conflict can lead to the downfall of an individual. It is important to remember that conflicts, whether they be internal or external, are a part of life and need to be dealt with constructively. If they are not, they can lead to serious consequences like the ones experienced by Montresor and Fortunato.

The Dark Side of Human Nature: Internal Conflict in “The Cask of Amontillado”

In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado,” the narrator, Montresor, is a man who feels he has been wronged by his one-time friend, Fortunato. He hatches a plan to take revenge on him during Carnival season. Montresor hides his anger and deception behind a mask of cordiality as he entices Fortunato into the catacombs of his palazzo, where he intends to bury him alive.

The story is set in an unspecified Italian city during the Carnival season. Montresor tells the story of how, 50 years earlier, he took his revenge on Fortunato, a fellow nobleman who insulted him. Angry over numerous injuries and some unspecified insult, Montresor plots to murder his “friend” during Carnival, while the man is drunk, dizzy, and wearing a jester’s motley.

Montresor lures Fortunato into a private wine-tasting excursion by telling him he has obtained a pipe of what he believes to be a rare vintage of Amontillado. Fortunato goes with Montresor to the wine cellars of the latter’s palazzo, where they wander in the catacombs. Montresor offers wine to Fortunato to keep him inebriated.

At one point, Fortunato makes an elaborate, grotesque gesture with an upraised wine bottle. When Montresor appears not to recognize the gesture, Fortunato asks, “You are not of the masons?” Montresor says he is, and when Fortunato, disbelieving, requests a sign, Montresor displays a trowel he had been hiding. When they come to a niche, Montresor tells his victim that the Amontillado is within. Fortunato enters drunk and unsuspecting and therefore, does not resist as Montresor quickly chains him to the wall. Montresor reveals brick and mortar, previously hidden among the bones nearby, and proceeds to wall up the niche using his trowel, entombing his friend alive.

Conclusion

When Montresor finally confronts Fortunato with the cask of amontillado, the latter is so drunk that he doesn’t even realize what’s happening. He simply thinks that Montresor is joking around and playfully trying to scare him. In reality, however, Montresor has been planning this revenge for a long time, and he is now ready to execute it. Fortunato is so drunk that he doesn’t even put up a fight as Montresor chains him to the wall and starts sealing up the opening to the niche with him inside. All he can do is beg for mercy, but Montresor is unmoved. He throws in a lit torch to light the way for Fortunato’s final journey and leaves him there to die.

The cask of amontillado is a revenge story, but it is also a story about the dangers of pride. Fortunato’s pride leads him to his downfall; he is too proud to back down from a challenge, even when he knows that he is in over his head. He is also too proud to admit that he is wrong about the amontillado, even when it is clear that Montresor knows more about wine than he does. In the end, Fortunato’s pride costs him his life.