Is there ever a circumstance in which murder is a justifiable means of revenge? by Jhon Sia

"Revenge is barren of itself: It is dreadful food it feeds on; Its delight is murder, and its end is despair" (Schiller). Is there ever a circumstance in which murder is a justifiable means of revenge? The Cask of Amontillado and its ambiguity and mystery to the minds of its readers support this statement. Such a compelling act that took place in the catacombs of the Montresor family changed our view on how someone could end up killing a person just because of scornful abuse. The setting of the crime makes the story more interesting. Whatley acknowledges that anything can happen in the carnival season of pre-lenten days where places of drinking, merriment, and gaiety are out of control (Whately 12). He then added that instead of celebration and enjoyment, it is the perfect time for Montresor's plan to punish his friend, Fortunato, who brags, boasts, flaunts and bullies Montresor in ignorance and arrogance. Baraban believes that Montresor far from being a mediocre murderer, expatiates on a sophisticated philosophy of revenge: "I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong" (48).  We found out in the story that Fortunato considers Montresor, a friend, but not a friend who is important. He considers him a competitor and a potential business partner. They are friendly enemies. Fortunato would always give his honest opinion and is not sensitive enough to the feelings of his friend. He would say what he thinks is right and always puts himself on top. In the story, that was the cause for Montresor to force him to kill his friend. He had enough of all the insults that Fortunato would tell him. In Montresor's account: "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insults, I vowed revenge" (Poe 68). Montresor's revenge came about from a thousand injuries he had received from Fortunato. There is an underlying and more comprehensive reason for him to do such a criminal act. Edward Wagenknecht argues about the thousand injuries that Montresor received; he writes, "Poe carefully avoids specifying the thousand injuries that he has suffered, and there is an absolute concentration upon the psychological effect" (161). There were many scenarios where a person would seek revenge because they were offended, bullied and humiliated. In today's headlines too frequently one reads the horrific events of a school shooting. At times, it is found that the perpetrator had been bullied or experienced verbal abuse. According to newsweek.com, bullying emerges as one of the possible motivating factors for school shooting incidents. It was estimated that bullying affects 28% of 12-18-year old U.S. students and is often connected to various mental disorders such as depression and anxiety (Swaak 03).  If we suppose that Montressor was justified in murdering Fortunado, the question that follows is: does a despicable character like Fortunato deserve such a horrifying death? In this paper, I will be exploring how Poe's story and my research of what other scholars have to say about it, relate to the topic of revenge and modern-day violence including bullying, school shootings, and more.

It is punishable by law, all those who kill a person with or without a justifiable cause. We always hear from news headlines the different incidents of mass murders and school shootings. There are many aspects that contribute for the suspects to kill and murder. In the story of the "Cask of Amontillado", insult is the reason for Montresor's revenge. We learned in the story that Fortunato inflicted Montresor for several times, through his unkind words that cause him to commit murder upon him. In May's views, "The reader has no way of knowing what these ‘thousand injuries' and the mysterious insults are and thus can make no judgement about whether Montresor's revenge is justifiable" (79). There are many ways in which a person, who is a victim of insults or scornful abuse, could seek revenge without harming someone's life. In the Old Testament of the Bible, the Mosaic Law teaches a powerful principle. It says, "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" (Matthew 38). This principle can be applied to Montresor. Instead of losing someone's soul why not punished the person by having the same thing done to him? He could have set up Fortunato in front of his business partner by insulting him or yet he could humiliate him in front of everyone at the carnival. Montresor does not have the power and authority to commit such a dreadful murder neither to his friend or an enemy. Fletcher (73) strongly believes that the motive of his actions are irrational and he his mentally not stable. Many readers are still skeptical and question how severe the insult of Fortunato was that it caused Montresor to say "the thousands of injuries that Fortunato I had borne as best I could"(68). Fortunato's character being ignorant and arrogant makes it a more compelling argument for Montresor to kill him. However," Baraban (50) is right that Fortunato's disrespect to his rival, Montresor, regardless of the form it takes, is a sufficient basis for Montresor's vengeance but not to the extent of taking someone's life. No matter how big or small the cause of his injuries, the basis of his thinking for him to purge is irrational. The verbal injuries that a person receives can heal, but the conscience and guilt of murderous or violent revenge will last. We can compare Montresor's injuries to someone who is physically wounded. It takes time to heal but eventually as time passes the injuries will heal completely. We learn in the story that Montresor revealed to us after 50 years of keeping his dark secret. We do not not know the real reason behind his revealing to us of his criminal act. Many researchers have already argued whether he confessed his sin or he just brags about it. We know that he is already old at that time and perhaps confessing to a priest, might mean that he has been punished by guilt all this time. The effect of such  an act resulted in his lifetime guilt and conscience even until the bed-ridden period of his life.

In the past couple of years, we have witnessed the effect of bullying, insults, and other verbal abuse. Many innocent people including children have been massacred and killed. It happens anywhere at any time even in schools where it supposed to be the place where learning occurs not shooting or any forms of violence.  According to Elizabeth Landau (03), "In school, they were usually bullied, harassed and ignored. Frighteningly, we have a little idea about what separated those who ponder committing slaughter from those who go through with it." She added, "the risk factors such as social isolation and rejection, are found in many people across the United States, a country shaken by the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in which 20 children and six adults were killed." There were many more incidents that are similar to these which is happening to our modern world society.  In relation to the story of "The Cask of Amontillado," it is obvious that Montresor was emotionally affected by all the insults that Fortunato gave him because if he did not, he would not have ended up the life of his friend. Some scholars have argued that Montresor is a mad man or he is mentally retarded. One of the scholars firmly agrees with this statement is John Rea. He maintains that Montresor’s action is perversity, not revenge. He continues to explain "If he had care about revenge, instead of echoing Fortunato, his last words would have been something about the insult that he says Fortunato has given him. (174)".  As Montresor stated in the story their family motto which translates, "Let no one have insulted me with impunity" Typically, the motto refers to "insults" not "injuries." Although I agree with Rea up to a point, I cannot accept his overall conclusion that Montresor is insane and it disregards his motive of seeking for revenge. Baraban plainly concludes that through careful examination of the last words of Montresor, it provides additional evidence that the intention of murdering Fortunato is vengeance (56). The very last words in the story are, "Against the new masonry, I re-erected the old rampart of bones. For the half of the century, no mortal has disturbed them. In pace requiescat! (May you rest in peace)(Poe 72)!

Poe's short story uses many symbols, allegories, and figures of speech. Irony takes a significant role in the story. (FN) Nevi observes that there are examples of irony that cover many aspects of the story, "The Cask of Amontillado" (462).  An example of irony is the setting of the story that took place in the carnival, which is supposed to be the place of happiness and not for murder or any criminal act. Fortunato's dress is also ironic, as he wears jester clothes and acts as the person who makes fun of and laughs at others.  He is not the one who is being laughed at. One may notice the Latin meaning of his name is fortunate. He is definitely not the fortunate one.  Nevi goes on to state, "that many students identify, [and] include Montresor's use of the word "friend" about Fortunato, a man Montresor hates enough to kill" (462). Most of the readers would easily point Montresor as the antagonist, aggressive, brutal and even vicious because of what he did, which is true. However, once the readers fully understand the motive and the reason for Montresor to kill, they would probably change their perception of Montresor. They should have known that he was the one who was the victim.  He was inflicted with many insults  and emotional injuries that caused him to seek revenge. Baraban (52) acknowledges that Fortunato may use his power to "injure" Montresor, but since he comes from a less prominent family, he has no right to insult Montresor.  Regarding modern-day violence, it is easy to blame everything on the perpetrator who shoots many people because of what they do.  However, if one does not know the perpetuator's background, they assume a person would not seek revenge if they were not hurt or have been emotionally affected because of bullying or insults. I believe that Montresor probably knew that many people would say many bad things to him, but in his mind he knows that he was justified in his murderous action even if it is not acceptable to some.

Revenge is justifiable but murder is not an option for revenge. The injuries that Fortunato cause him is enough for him to take revenge; however, killing does not satisfied revenge. In the story, we found that he confessed after 50 years of keeping his dark secret. He deserves the consequence of feeling guilty in his later years, as he is about to reunite with his old friend. Each scholar has his view and judgment based on his understanding of the story. Their logical thoughts and ideas vary from what other scholars have to say about the murder regarding the motive for Montresor to avenge himself. They were able to expand how revenge plays a big part in the story. As we explore the story, we understand the different views and opinions that each of the scholars have.  Poe's story opens our mind to how revenge can cause harm and destruction to both parties. Concerning this, we also learned that insults and bullying have a psychological effect on individuals. It is one of the major factors of having seen in today’s news the different shooting and violent incidents that happen everywhere even in a place like a school. Montresor is not justified of his revenge. I believe that people cannot be justified by their revenge by committing any murder.

Works Cited

Baraban, Elena V. "The Motive for Murder in ‘The Cask of Amontillado' by Edgar Allan Poe." Rocky Mountain Review of Language and Literature, vol. 58, no. 2, 2004, pp. 47–62. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1566552.

Fletcher, Richard M. The Stylistic Development of Edgar Allan Poe. The Hague: Mouton, 1973.

May, Leila S. "Sympathies of a Scarcely Intelligible Nature: The Brother-Sister Bond in Poe's 'Fall of the House of Usher."' Studies in Short Fiction 30 (1993): 387-396.

Nevi, Charles N. "Irony and ‘The Cask of Amontillado.'" The English Journal, vol. 56, no. 3, 1967, pp. 461–463. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/811596.

Swaak, Taylor." HOW WE TALK ABOUT BULLYING AFTER SCHOOL SHOOTINGS CAN BE DANGEROUS: EXPERTS". Newsweek.com. February 28,2018

"The Cask of Amontillado." Recommended Reading: 500 Classics Reviewed, June 1995, p. 1. EBSCOhost, byuh.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lfh&AN=103331RRR10670089900066&site=eds-live.

Wagenknecht, Edward. Edgar Allan Poe: The Man Behind the Legend. New York: Oxford University Press, 1963.

Whatley, Rehana. "Confession within a Confession: Poe's Brave New World in "The Cask of Amontillado." Journal of Global Intelligence & Policy, vol. 5, no. 7, Summer2012, pp. 56-59. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=94267141&site=ehost-live