Poe's Theory and Practice Reflected in The Cask of AmontilladoEdgar Allan Poe, author of "brilliant reviews, poems, and stories," was born in 1809 and sadly died. , a young man, in 1849 (665). To truly understand Poe, we must note the period in which he wrote. It was a time of literary realism and dark romanticism, which was Poe's arena. The concept of “new literary criticism” was not yet common. However, Poe was both an acclaimed critic and author. By observing the talents Poe admired in the writings of others, we can better understand the inner workings of his infamous short stories. In 1854, Poe wrote a review of the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne entitled "The Importance of Single Effect in a Prose Tale" (854). In this essay, I will compare the strong points of Poe's champions in Hawthorne's works with those that accentuate Poe's well-known short story "The Cask of Amontillado." According to Poe, “the truth is often…the point of the tale” (855). Perhaps this is why Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" borrows its premise from a supposedly factual incident that took place while Poe was stationed in Boston Harbor. After unjustly killing a young lieutenant in a duel, a Captain Green was encouraged by his men to drink heavily. He was then buried alive under the floorboards. (Agatucci) Likewise, the unfortunate Fortunato meets his fate as the warmth of alcohol soothes his inhibitions. Like Captain Green, Fortunato was not portrayed as innocent. Universal truth is considered a facet of literary realism or, as Shakespeare stated, "a mirror held up to [human] nature." There is hardly a more natural emotion than the need for revenge. While the appearance of forgiveness......in the middle of paper......immediately insists by addressing the reader as a friend: "You who know so well the nature of my soul" (666 ). He then undertakes to enlighten the reader on the unspeakable act he committed. Poe does this with behavior that falls somewhere between boastful and remorseful. Regret, however, is not clear until late in the story with the phrase "My heart fell ill..." (670). We then realize that this appalling act was committed around fifty years earlier (671). This leads the reader to discover a sense of urgency in Montresor's confession. Perhaps he is on his own deathbed, we can only guess. This lends itself to Atwood's idea that "This is the story [Montresor] needs to tell, this is the story [we] need to hear" (Agatucci). In other words, the reader must have a commitment to Poe as he has to his reader. “The Cask of Amontillado” is more than a story; it's an enriching experience.

Essay / Poe's Theory and Practice Reflected in The Cask of AmontilladoEdgar Allan Poe, author of "brilliant reviews, poems, and stories," was born in 1809 and sadly died. , a young man, in 1849 (665). To truly understand Poe, we must note the period in which he wrote. It was a time of literary realism and dark romanticism, which was Poe's arena. The concept of “new literary criticism” was not yet common. However, Poe was both an acclaimed critic and author. By observing the talents Poe admired in the writings of others, we can better understand the inner workings of his infamous short stories. In 1854, Poe wrote a review of the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne entitled "The Importance of Single Effect in a Prose Tale" (854). In this essay, I will compare the strong points of Poe's champions in Hawthorne's works with those that accentuate Poe's well-known short story "The Cask of Amontillado." According to Poe, “the truth is often…the point of the tale” (855). Perhaps this is why Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" borrows its premise from a supposedly factual incident that took place while Poe was stationed in Boston Harbor. After unjustly killing a young lieutenant in a duel, a Captain Green was encouraged by his men to drink heavily. He was then buried alive under the floorboards. (Agatucci) Likewise, the unfortunate Fortunato meets his fate as the warmth of alcohol soothes his inhibitions. Like Captain Green, Fortunato was not portrayed as innocent. Universal truth is considered a facet of literary realism or, as Shakespeare stated, "a mirror held up to [human] nature." There is hardly a more natural emotion than the need for revenge. While the appearance of forgiveness......in the middle of paper......immediately insists by addressing the reader as a friend: "You who know so well the nature of my soul" (666 ). He then undertakes to enlighten the reader on the unspeakable act he committed. Poe does this with behavior that falls somewhere between boastful and remorseful. Regret, however, is not clear until late in the story with the phrase "My heart fell ill..." (670). We then realize that this appalling act was committed around fifty years earlier (671). This leads the reader to discover a sense of urgency in Montresor's confession. Perhaps he is on his own deathbed, we can only guess. This lends itself to Atwood's idea that "This is the story [Montresor] needs to tell, this is the story [we] need to hear" (Agatucci). In other words, the reader must have a commitment to Poe as he has to his reader. “The Cask of Amontillado” is more than a story; it's an enriching experience.

Navigation

« Prev 1 2 3 4 5 Next »

Get In Touch