The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

The Cask of Amontillado is a very dark short story. The story is of a man who has vowed revenge. He is obsessed with his revenge, plotting and planning the perfect revenge. This man has lost all his humanity, he goes about the business of killing someone like it is just a normal event. This story is his confession.

Montressor the killer, starts the story off professing his revenge for being insulted. He says he had to endure many injustices from Fortunato, the victim, in the past and this insult was the last straw. You never learn the truth behind the motive. You do know right of the start that this deed was done some fifty years ago and he has never been caught. He tells his tale with great delight relishing in the perfection of the deed.

This mad man plots to trick his victim into following him home to taste a wonderful wine. He acts as though he is not sure it is what he was told and he needs expert advice. He often mentions he can get someone else, all the while knowing that he is using reverse psychology. He even tells his servants to stay in the house to ensure that not a one will be there when he brings his victim home. He knows that Fortunato is already drunk and gives him more to drink as he leads him through tunnels under his estate. They are filled with bones and death but he keeps leading him further. They eventually come to a place Montressor has prepared for Fortunatos final resting place. He chains him up and seals him in a tiny room and leaves him there to die.

I really enjoyed reading this and there is so much I could write about this but I am just going to say it is really worth the read. It has been some of the most fun I have had reading lately. I have listened to or read a lot of books lately. They have been text books, other educational of inspirational non-fiction, a few classics and one Christian fiction book. I have to read Moby Dick and study Walden more and I am not really looking forward to that. Even thought the tale is gruesome it was much more interesting that what I am reading these days.

Poe seems to really represent all that is the mind of a psychopath. He is so well versed at representing a killer you would think he knew from personal experience. Just read it you won't be let down.