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The Cask of Amontillado

by Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849)

  • Free to read
  • 10 min read
  • Reading level: 6th grade

"The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe is a short story first published in November 1846. Set during Carnival in an Italian city, it follows nobleman Montresor as he enacts revenge against fellow noble Fortunato for perceived insults and injuries. Told from the murderer's perspective, the tale lures Fortunato into the catacombs beneath Montresor's home with the promise of rare amontillado wine. What awaits is a carefully planned trap that ends in live burial. The story's central mystery lies not in detection, but in understanding Montresor's true motives for such extreme vengeance.

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  • Horror tales, American
  • Revenge

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The Cask of Amontillado

by

Edgar Allan Poe

The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitely settled—but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved, precluded the idea of risk. 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.

It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.

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About this edition

This free edition of The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #1063, released 2010-06-06. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Short Stories, Crime, Thrillers and Mystery, American Literature.

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