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Primary sourceBookNovember 1846

The Cask of Amontillado

Edgar Allan Poe · November 1846

Poe's short story narrated by a nobleman who lures a rival into the catacombs and buries him alive out of revenge.

Poe wrote this revenge tale, showcasing his use of irony and a first-person murderer's voice.

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Scanned page from a nineteenth-century magazine showing the start of the story 'The Cask of Amontillado' by Edgar A. Poe, with two columns of small black type and a few lines of dialogue quoted in the right column.
Edgar Allan Poe, "The Cask of Amontillado", Godey's Lady's Book, November 1846.

About this source

What it is

"The Cask of Amontillado" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in the November 1846 issue of Godey's Lady's Book. It is narrated by Montresor, who describes taking revenge on Fortunato by luring him into family catacombs and sealing him inside a wall.

Why it matters

The story is told entirely from the murderer's point of view, with Poe giving few clear reasons for the crime, leaving readers to judge Montresor's sanity and motives. It shows Poe's use of irony, controlled pacing and a first-person voice that reveals cruelty without explaining it fully, a technique he used in several of his tales.

Look closer

  • Why might Poe leave Montresor's exact motive for revenge unclear?
  • How does the setting of a carnival, usually a time of celebration, add irony to the story?
  • What clues suggest Montresor's version of events might not be entirely trustworthy?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Edgar Allan Poe on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Scanned first page of the 1839 printing of Edgar Allan Poe's story "The Fall of the House of Usher", with the title, byline, and opening paragraphs of body text in a two-column-free single column on yellowed paper.Book

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Scanned first page of the 1841 printing of 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' by Edgar A. Poe. Title centered at top, followed by the byline and two columns of body text in small serif type.Book

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Edgar Allan Poe · 1841

Scanned page 22 of an 1842 printing of Poe's story 'The Masque of the Red Death: A Fantasy', by Edgar A. Poe, in two columns of small serif print on yellowed paper.Book

Primary source

The Masque of the Red Death

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