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“The Cask of Amontillado”: The weapon of Montresor’s madness One of the main characters of Edgar Allan Poe's “The Cask Of Amontillado” is Montresor, whose conviction for revenge consumes him, as he refers to Fortunato venturing upon insult. Montresor could stand no more and vowed revenge. Montresor's refusal to tell us the source of his hatred of Fortunato is our first clue that Montresor is completely mad. Fortunato may have done nothing whatsoever to …

…are spent trying to justify something done in a moment of madness. Of course this is ridiculous. Fortunato is murdered in cold blood by Montresor, and it was Montresor's own wounded pride (together with his madness) which drove him to it. By the time they reach the cellar where the imaginary cask of Amontillado is supposed to be, Montresor has Fortunato trapped like a rat, and this poor victim has no possible chance for escape.