Apparently, Montresor had been planning this revenge for a long time and, ironically, had chosen carnival time as the setting for this most horrible type of crime. Earlier, he had let all of the servants off for the night, using the excuse of the carnival in this way he would avoid arousing Fortunato's suspicions and would also prevent anyone from witnessing the atrocity he planned to commit. Montresor complied while wrapping himself in a cloak to make sure that he would not be recognized. However, Fortunato was determined to taste the wine and insisted on being taken to Montresor's home. He tantalized Fortunato with the rare liquor, even pretending that his vaults where the wine was stored had too much dampness and 'nitre' for Fortunato's afffiction. Knowing that Fortunato considered himself a great expert, or connoisseur, of fine wines, and especially a devotee of a sherry known as Amontillado, Montresor flattered him by obsequiously asking his opinion on a newly acquired cask of Amontillado. In fact, at the end of the story, we, the readers, are certain that his atrocity will never be discovered. Accordingly, one evening during carnival time, a time when much frivolity and celebration would be taking place, Montresor set his fiendish, mad plan into motion with full confidence that he would never be discovered. Foremost is the fact that Montresor has never let Fortunato know of his hatred. The remainder of the story deals with Montresor's methods of entrapping Fortunato and effecting his revenge upon the unfortunate Fortunato. Montresor can stand no more he vows revenge upon Fortunato. The first-person narrator, whom we later discover to be named Montresor, announces immediately that someone named Fortunato has injured him repeatedly and has recently insulted him. Finally, every line and comment contributes to the totality or unity of effect that Poe sought to achieve. Furthermore, it conforms to and illustrates perfectly many of Poe's literary theories about the nature of the short story: that is, it is short and can be read at one sitting, it is a mood piece with every sentence contributing to the total effect, it is a completely unified work and while it is seemingly simple, it abounds in ironies of many kinds.

'The Cask of Amontillado' has been almost universally referred to as Poe's most perfect short story in fact, it has often been considered to be one of the world's most perfect short stories.

Poe the cask of amontillado