The Cast of Amontillado Blog

The setting of The Cast of Amontillado was probably around the 1800's in Italy.  It mentions that both Fortunato and Montresor are collecting Italian wines so they probably lived in Italy or somewhere in Europe.  When they are in the catacombs together, it is described as a very dark, sinister place.  "We passed through a range of low arches, descended, passed on, and descending again, arrived at a deep crypt, in which the foulness of the air caused our flambeaux to glow rather than flame." It just sounds incredibly dark, scary, and creepy.  

Poe's voice in this story describes things in a way that just causes you to think that they are scary and dark. It has a lot to do with the words he uses such as "catacombs" "seizes" "moisture trickle among the bones." When a book is made up of words like that, you know that it won't be a very happy and light story.  Poe would also use a lot of emotion in the dialogue of the speakers.  He wouldn't really describe what the person was feeling but he would let their words do the work.  When he was describing the setting he used a lot of dark, sinister adjectives and would string them together so the reader would understand that it was a very creepy and shady story. 

In the beginning of the story it says that Fortunato insulted Montresor and so he needs to take revenge on Fortunato.  His plan of revenge is to use Fortunato's love for collecting wine to lure him into an old catacomb by saying that he has a very rare type of wine that he wants Fortunato to taste.  After he lures him into the old catacomb he eventually chains Fortunato to a wall and then seals up the room with plaster.  His method of seeking revenge is very gruesome but on the other hand it was also very well planned and thought out.