the cask of amontillado took place in an unnamed italian city.
the cask of amontillado took place in an unnamed italian city.
when did the cask of amontillado take place?
in an unnamed italian city
"the cask of amontillado" (sometimes spelled "the casque of amontillado" ) is a short story by edgar allan poe, first published in the november 1846 issue of "godey's lady's book". the story, set in an unnamed italian city at carnival time in an unspecified year, is about a man taking fatal revenge on a friend who, he believes, has insulted him. like several of poe's stories, and in keeping with the 19th-century fascination with the subject, the narrative revolves around a person being buried alive – in this case, by immurement. as in "the black cat" and "the tell-tale heart", poe conveys the story from the murderer's perspective.
the cask of amontillado
poe responded with "the cask of amontillado", using very specific references to english's novel. in poe's story, for example, fortunato makes reference to the secret society of masons, similar to the secret society in "1844", and even makes a gesture similar to one portrayed in "1844" (it was a signal of distress). english had also used an image of a token with a hawk grasping a snake in its claws, similar to montresor's coat of arms bearing a foot stomping on a snake – though in this image, the snake is biting the heel. in fact, much of the scene of "the cask of amontillado" comes from a scene in "1844" that takes place in a subterranean vault. in the end, then, it is poe who "punishes with impunity" by not taking credit for his own literary revenge and by crafting a concise tale (as opposed to a novel) with a singular effect, as he had suggested in his essay "the philosophy of composition".
the cask of amontillado