Montresor In The Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe

An antihero is a character in a short story that lacks heroic attributes. A protagonist is the main figure in a short story. Montresor is an antihero and protagonist mainly because he is seeking revenge on his friend for insulting him. Furthermore, there are other reasons Montresor fits the definition of an antihero superbly. He is an unreliable and unsympathetic narrator with a braggish character. Montresor is driven to commit murder because he believes in it and is fond of it. The author is conveying various themes that tell how Montresor gets away with murder, but is still devoured by hate. In “The Cask of Amontillado,” Edgar Allan Poe portrays Montresor as an antihero in order to reveal the lengths humans will go to get revenge for betrayal.

Montresor confesses he wants revenge for Fortunato’s insult and explains how he will begin it. Poe describes that Fortunato has crossed the line with insults toward the narrator, Montresor, so revenge is desired. Montresor has never given Fortunato a reason to doubt his goodness, so he knows Fortunato will fall for his trickery. Since both men have an expertise in wine, Montresor tells Fortunato, already drunk, he has a cask of Amontillado in his vaults to give him (108). The audience does not know exactly what Fortunato said to Montresor, but it surely is not as bad as what Fortunato will receive. Fortunato is drunk from the carnival and is determined to get the Amontillado, which makes it perfect timing for Montresor to begin his revenge. The first few paragraphs indicate how extensive a human’s vengeance is just from being betrayed. Montresor does not only think it is necessary to kill people, but enjoys doing it. Montresor talks with Fortunato along their journey to reach the Amontillado. Montresor keeps telling Fortunato they can turn back since the nitre is causing him to cough and there are other wines to enjoy (Poe 110). Montresor and the audience know he is trying to appear protective of Fortunato, but inside, he is determined to kill his partner. Fortunato’s slow dissention to death reveals Montresor is an antihero seeking

Not only does the audience not have any sympathy for Montresor, but he is not someone people can relate to. Montresor explains that he thrusts a torch through the remaining hole of the plaster after not hearing a response, and finishes off Fortunato. Suddenly, he only hears the ringing of bells from his jester hat in return (Poe 113). Montresor has a personality full of extreme vengeance. Although people make mistakes, most do not involve murder; therefore, Montresor’s unsympathetic character is a good fit. The last paragraph seems as if Montresor is bragging about his sin. Montresor tells, “For the half of a century no mortal has disturbed them” (Poe 113). Montresor is saying fifty years has passed, and still no one has found out about him murdering Fortunato. His words can be thought of as braggish, because he got away with such a horrible crime over the years. It's almost like he wants a pat on the back for this “achievement.” Due to not having any sympathy from the audience and bragging about murder, Montresor fulfills the definition of an