Wednesday 10 June 2015

What are Fortunato's crimes against Montresor?

We do not actually know, with any certainty, what crimes Fortunato has committed against Montresor.  In the first line of the story, Montresor claims that Fortunato has injured him a "thousand" times, and when Fortunato, at last, "insult[ed]" him, Montresor had finally had enough.  Evidently, whatever injuries Montresor has sustained at the hands of Fortunato, they had more to do with wounding his pride than his person.  When Montresor speaks to Fortunato about confirming that...

We do not actually know, with any certainty, what crimes Fortunato has committed against Montresor.  In the first line of the story, Montresor claims that Fortunato has injured him a "thousand" times, and when Fortunato, at last, "insult[ed]" him, Montresor had finally had enough.  Evidently, whatever injuries Montresor has sustained at the hands of Fortunato, they had more to do with wounding his pride than his person.  When Montresor speaks to Fortunato about confirming that a pipe of wine he recently, hastily, purchased is, indeed, Amontillado, Fortunato seems to enjoy the idea that Montresor has made a mistake.  He exclaims, "'Amontillado?  A pipe?  Impossible!'"  Despite his apparent illness, Fortunato insists that he accompany Montresor into his vaults to see this wine.  Even on the way to see this alleged wine, he insults Montresor by insisting that he could not possibly be a Freemason.  Therefore, it seems likely that Fortunato's only crimes are being a bit mean-spirited and wounding Montresor's pride.

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