Portrayal Of The Mood In The Cask Of Amontilliado

Many books and movies come up with important setting. Sometimes settings of the play can convey the mood of a scene, making the story much stronger and compelling. In The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe, author bought a setting with joy and happiness that helped build unexpected murder.

In the beginning, there was a celebration with costumes and drinking. Party created a setting of people having a good time which everyone was unaware to the possibilities lurking in the dark part of Montresor’s mind. Nobody suspected a murder because everyone was busy with their own party. The core part of this setting is that it creates the best cover for the murder. Everyone was busy getting drunk while wearing a masks which was very difficult to identify each other. However as the story progresses, we find Montresor luring Fortunado down into the catacombs. This which in thought alone would be terrifying, but with Poe’s writing becomes the sort of thought that makes the reader tremble and shy away at what might be lurking in the next few lines. The reader is almost able to feel the insufferable dampness and the darkness closing in around them as they read. This was strategic on Poe's part, so that his story would be even more alluring to the prospective audience.

When we start the story till when we finish it, the aura of it changes drastically. This is very purposeful, to ensure the mood and foreshadow to what is on the next page. What is most interesting is how the carnival is used to lure someone away into the dark depths of the catacombs, which is a common scare today when going to a party or an actual carnival. Happy and joyful until the truth is revealed to be dark and sinister beneath the mask and alcohol. Two majorly different settings, but they are connected much like “long winding staircase”(220) that takes Fortunato and Montresor deeper below the surface.

Up through the modern times, this horror type story can be used as symbolism of what to avoid. Such as not to insult someone or think someone incapable of doing certain things. After all Montresor’s reason for killing Fortunato is simply “when he ventured on insult I vowed revenge”(218).Fortunato openly disregards Montresor and seems to think himself better with all all of his words. Or that idea that while with others, all of us wear a mask, and it is not until we are all alone that our true intentions are known and revealed. To those less fortunate, like Fortunato, when these secret sides are revealed, sometimes there is no getting out of and restoring the way life used to be. Though if we look at this more literally with the carnival, which is notorious for traveling and with it people go missing, or get murdered, we can see yet another tie to today. Such wonder of the colors, big tents and surprises inside, yet when opened, the tent is nothing more that a niche in the catacomb that someone will disappear into to be lost forever. It is scarily still relevant in that sense, which makes this story even more interesting to read. The feeling of helplessness being unable to reach help because of how deep down you are, and the fact that no one can help you just makes it even more terrifying. Which can make it even more thrilling of a read. Maybe that is why the line “I replied to the yells of him who clamoured. I re-echoed, I aided, I surpassed them in volume and in strength.”(222), just adds to the psychological torture not only to Fortunato, but to the reader’s mind. It plagues the mind that the killer is willing to scream louder, which means that they are not worried about being heard so the chances are non existent for help out of the desperate situation.

It is a theory that everyone likes to be scared, which is why horror movies do so good, and how works of fiction like Poe’s do so well. Poe is able to create a world that sucks you in and with every passing word, it is harder to pull yourself back to reality. With this in mind, it is safe to say that the ambiance he creates, traps the reader and makes the stories beyond revered. Setting makes this creepy story, so enthralling that it is hard to snap out of Montresor’s world.