The Cask of The Cask of AmontilladoAmontillado

Cultural Background of CarnivalCultural Background of Carnival

“…“…but when he ventured upon but when he ventured upon insult,insult,

I vowed revenge.”I vowed revenge.”

The Cask of AmontilladoThe Cask of Amontillado is the is the narrator’s account of his narrator’s account of his

ability to carry out a chilling ability to carry out a chilling plot of revenge against his plot of revenge against his

offender.offender.

Precision in time, place, and Precision in time, place, and setting rule out the idea of setting rule out the idea of risk and allow the narrator risk and allow the narrator

both the retribution he seeks both the retribution he seeks and the secrecy he demands.and the secrecy he demands.

Carnival SeasonCarnival SeasonCarnival Season is celebrated in many countries around the world with a Roman Catholic heritage. Celebrations and parades put on just prior to the observance of Lent. Carnival includes Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and parades and celebrations throughout Europe, the Caribbean and South America - notably Venice, Italy and Brazil.

Carnival SeasonCarnival SeasonCarnival is a secular Carnival is a secular holiday, but it holiday, but it evolved from the evolved from the Christian Christian observance known observance known as Lent. Lent is a as Lent. Lent is a solemn forty-day solemn forty-day period of fasting period of fasting prior to Easter.prior to Easter.

Carnival SeasonCarnival Season Traditionally, the fasting during Traditionally, the fasting during

Lent involves abstaining from Lent involves abstaining from eating meat.eating meat.

Modern interpretations of fasting Modern interpretations of fasting may involve abstaining from may involve abstaining from anything one enjoys.anything one enjoys.

Carn + valCarn + val FLESH (Meat) + FAREWELLFLESH (Meat) + FAREWELL

In anticipation of the solemnity of In anticipation of the solemnity of Lent, the celebration of Carnival Lent, the celebration of Carnival evolved. evolved.

Participants engage in excessive Participants engage in excessive and extreme behavior to bid and extreme behavior to bid farewell to meat-eatingfarewell to meat-eating (and (and merriment).merriment).

What Happens During What Happens During Carnival?Carnival?

Carnival is a time of Carnival is a time of EXCESSEXCESS and and INDULGENCEINDULGENCE..

Overindulgence upon food & alcohol is Overindulgence upon food & alcohol is common.common.

Partying in the streets and Partying in the streets and masquerading are enjoyed.masquerading are enjoyed.

The combination of alcohol The combination of alcohol and costumes creates an and costumes creates an atmosphere where people atmosphere where people

tend to let down their tend to let down their inhibitions.inhibitions.

European European Carnival Carnival

traditions traditions survive in the survive in the

United States in United States in the form of the form of Mardi Gras.Mardi Gras.

““The Cask of Amontillado” The Cask of Amontillado” is set during the “is set during the “supreme supreme

madnessmadness” of Carnival. ” of Carnival.

In such a riotous In such a riotous atmosphere, it is easy to atmosphere, it is easy to see how a crime could go see how a crime could go

unnoticed.unnoticed.

Lifestyles of the Lifestyles of the RichRich

Circa 1700-1800 Circa 1700-1800

The The wealthy wealthy

class class enjoyed enjoyed

indulgences indulgences such as such as

gemmarygemmary

PaintingPainting

Palazzos (mansions)Palazzos (mansions)

Fine WineFine Wine(vintages)(vintages)

Vineyards, Vineyards, where the where the grapes for grapes for producing producing wine are wine are grown, grown, create create

picturesque picturesque settings for settings for

owners’ owners’ estates.estates.

The narrator plans for his The narrator plans for his revenge to take place in the revenge to take place in the

catacombs beneath his estate.catacombs beneath his estate.

What are What are catacombscatacombs??

Catacombs:Catacombs:Cities of the DeadCities of the Dead

At a certain point in At a certain point in European history, European history,

catacombs, catacombs, underground burial underground burial chambers, became a chambers, became a viable alternative to viable alternative to

cemeteries.cemeteries.

Catacombs are Catacombs are characterized by characterized by extensive tunnels extensive tunnels

leading to chambers or leading to chambers or recesses where the recesses where the

dead repose for dead repose for eternity.eternity.

The wealthy The wealthy could opt for could opt for

family family catacombs catacombs

beneath their beneath their estates.estates.

The narrator of “The The narrator of “The Cask of Amontillado” Cask of Amontillado”

carries out his carries out his revenge within the revenge within the catacombs beneath catacombs beneath

his palazzo.his palazzo.

The narrator is able The narrator is able to lure his victim into to lure his victim into the catacombs with the catacombs with

the promise of the promise of amontilladoamontillado, a fine , a fine

sherry wine.sherry wine.

(The(The l’s l’s are pronounced like the are pronounced like the l’l’s in s in tortillatortilla.).)

The “supreme The “supreme madness” of Carnival madness” of Carnival

aside, why doesn’t aside, why doesn’t the suggestion of a the suggestion of a

journey to the journey to the catacombs for a taste catacombs for a taste of wine seem odd or of wine seem odd or

suspicious to the suspicious to the victim?victim?

The Storage of The Storage of WineWine

For wines to maintain their For wines to maintain their best quality, they need to be best quality, they need to be

stored at fairly cool and stored at fairly cool and constant temperatures.constant temperatures.

During the time period in which During the time period in which the story is set, modern electric the story is set, modern electric refrigeration was not available. refrigeration was not available.

To protect wine collections, To protect wine collections, connoisseurs adopted the connoisseurs adopted the

practice of storing wines under practice of storing wines under the ground where temperatures the ground where temperatures

remain ideal year-round.remain ideal year-round.

Basements, cellars, and Basements, cellars, and even catacombs serve as even catacombs serve as

excellent storage excellent storage facilities for the precious facilities for the precious

vintages.vintages.

Herein, where wine Herein, where wine bottles intermingle with bottles intermingle with the bones of the dead, the bones of the dead, the narrator carries out the narrator carries out

his plan for revenge.his plan for revenge.

Catacomb “Dormitory”

Catacomb “Art”

Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan PoeAuthor, not the Author, not the narrator, of the narrator, of the story.story.Developed Developed characters whose characters whose sanity is sanity is questionable.questionable.Universally credited Universally credited as a significant as a significant contributor to the contributor to the development of the development of the short story as a short story as a literary genre.literary genre.

““The Cask of The Cask of Amontillado”Amontillado”

ENJOY THISENJOY THISLITERARY JOURNEYLITERARY JOURNEY

INTO THE DARK SIDE OF INTO THE DARK SIDE OF REVENGE!REVENGE!