The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe is a dark and frightening story of revenge, temptation, and murder. The victim of the heinous crime, Fortunato, is a respectable gentleman with a weakness. He has flaws like any other human being, but the difference lies in the severity of his imperfections. For poor Fortunato, his vulnerabilities prove to be the cause of his death. If Fortunato had not been drunk at the time of his homicide, he would not have been susceptible to the attractions of his murderer, Montressor, and would not have been killed. The Cask of Amontillado is an eloquent story told from the murderer's point of view. . Montresseur seeks revenge on Fortunato for many insults that the reader can only imagine. In order to determine the severity of the apparent injustices, one must understand Fortunato himself. Montresseur describes him as “rich, respected, admired [and] loved,” as well as “a man to be feared” (Poe 274-276). Fortunato was, however, an imperfect individual. His greatest imperfection was his love of wine. Fortunato's (274) “connoisseur” of wine results in his inebriated state throughout the novella. His physical and mental abilities were impaired by his drunkenness and, as a result, he was unable to resist the lure of Montreessor in the catacombs. The alcohol Fortunato consumed had drastic effects on his body's physiology. In general, alcohol affects virtually every cell in the human body. When introduced into the system through consumption, it diffuses through both the stomach and small intestine and enters the bloodstream. Alcohol circulates in the blood and is metabolized by the liver. It takes about an hour for a glass to be broken down by...... middle of paper...... Works Cited Blume, Arthur W. and G. Alan Marlatt. “The role of executive cognitive functions in the development of substance use: what we know and what we need to know.” Annals of Behavioral Medicine 37.2 (2009): 117-125. Academic research completed. Internet. November 6, 2011. Grant, Naomi K. and Tara K. MacDonald. "Can alcohol lead to inhibition or disinhibition? Applying alcoholic myopia to animal testing." Oxford Journals 40.5 (2005): 373-378. Internet. November 6, 2011. Goldberg, Leonard. “Behavioral and physiological effects of alcohol on humans.” PsychomaticsMedicine. 28.4 (1966): 570-594. Internet. November 12, 2011. “How Alcohol Affects Your Body” Blood Alcohol Information. Np 2006. Web. November 4, 2011. Poe, Edgar A. “The Cask of Amontillado” The Collected Tales and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe. New York: The Modern Library, 1992. 274-279. Print.