Cask of Amontillado
The Cask of Amontillado
By Edgar Allan Poe
Page 5
1. The narrator is about to get revenge on someone. What is this person’s name?
2. What does it mean to get revenge with “impunity”?
3. How does the narrator act around Fortunato? Why does he do this?
Page 6
4. What is Fortunato’s weakness? How does this work out well for the narrator?
5. What is going on when the story takes place? Why would this be a good time to get revenge on someone?
6. When the narrator and Fortunato get to his house, all of the servants are gone. Why do you think this is?
Page 7
7. What does the narrator give Fortunato more of as they travel down the wine cellar? Why do you think he does this?
8. What does the narrator drink to? Why is this ironic?
Page 8
9. What does Fortunato not believe that the narrator is? What do these people do?
10. What does the narrator put around Fortunato? What do you think will happen next?
Page 9
11. What does the narrator build? How does this contradict what Fortunato was saying before?
12. What does the narrator do when he hears Fortunato screaming?
Page 10
13. What does Fortunato do out of desperation?
14. The narrator says his heart is sick from the damp cellar. Do you think this is really why he is sick? Why or why not?
15. Montresor acts as judge and executioner in this story. Explain whether you think individuals are ever justified in taking justice into their own hands?
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Poe was born in Boston on January 19, 1809. That makes him Capricorn, on the cusp of Aquarius. His parents were David and Elizabeth Poe. David was born in Baltimore on July 18, 1784. Elizabeth Arnold came to the U.S. from England in 1796 and married David Poe after her first husband died in 1805. They had three children, Henry, Edgar, and Rosalie.
Elizabeth Poe died in 1811, when Edgar was 2 years old. She had separated from her husband and had taken her three kids with her. Henry went to live with his grandparents while Edgar was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. John Allan and Rosalie was taken in by another family. John Allan was a successful merchant, so Edgar grew up in good surroundings and went to good schools.
When Poe was 6, he went to school in England for 5 years. He learned Latin and French, as well as math and history. He later returned to school in America and continued his studies. Edgar Allan went to the University of Virginia in 1826. He was 17. Even though John Allan had plenty of money, he only gave Edgar about a third of what he needed. Although Edgar had done well in Latin and French, he started to drink heavily and quickly became in debt. He had to quit school less than a year later.
Edgar Allan had no money, no job skills, and had been shunned by John Allan. Edgar went to Boston and joined the U.S. Army in 1827. He was 18. He did reasonably well in the Army and attained the rank of sergeant major. In 1829, Mrs. Allan died and John Allan tried to be friendly towards Edgar and signed Edgar's application to West Point.
While waiting to enter West Point, Edgar lived with his grandmother and his aunt, Mrs. Clemm. Also living there was his brother, Henry, and young cousin, Virginia. In 1830, Edgar Allan entered West Point as a cadet. He didn't stay long because John Allan refused to send him any money. It is thought that Edgar purposely broke the rules and ignored his duties so he would be dismissed.
In 1831, Edgar Allan Poe went to New York City where he had some of his poetry published. He submitted stories to a number of magazines and they were all rejected. Poe had no friends, no job, and was in financial trouble. He sent a letter to John Allan begging for help but none came. John Allan died in 1834 and did not mention Edgar in his will.
In 1845, Edgar Poe became an editor at The Broadway Journal. A year later, the Journal ran out of money and Poe was out of a job again. He and his family moved to a small cottage near what is now East 192nd Street. His wife, Virginia's health was fading away and Edgar was deeply distressed by it. Virginia died in 1847, 10 days after Edgar's birthday. After losing his wife, Poe collapsed from stress but gradually returned to health later that year.
In June of 1849, Poe left New York and went to Philadelphia, where he visited his friend John Sartain. Poe left Philadelphia in July and came to Richmond. He stayed at the Swan Tavern Hotel but joined "The Sons of Temperance" in an effort to stop drinking. He renewed a boyhood romance with Sarah Royster Shelton and planned to marry her in October.
On September 27, Poe left Richmond for New York. He went to Philadelphia and stayed with a friend named James P. Moss. On September 30, he meant to go to New York but supposedly took the wrong train to Baltimore. On October 3, Poe was found at Gunner's Hall, a public house at 44 East Lombard Street, and was taken to the hospital. He lapsed in and out of consciousness but was never able to explain exactly what happened to him. Edgar Allan Poe died in the hospital on Sunday, October 7, 1849.
The mystery surrounding Poe's death has led to many myths and urban legends. The reality is that no one knows for sure what happened during the last few days of his life.
Answer in COMPLETE SENTENCES!!! 2 points each (20 points)
1. Where was Poe born? What was the date?
2. What was his zodiac sign?
3. How old was Edgar when his mother died?
4. What caused him to go into debt and have no money?
5. What did he join in 1829?
6. Where did he go in 1831?
7. Where did he become an editor in 1845?
8. When did his wife die?
9. When did he die?
10. What happened during the last few days of his life?