The Cask Of Amontillado

Revenge is the key factor in the story The Cask of Amontillado. The main character, Montresor, sought vengeance on his friend, Fortunato, because he had insulted him. Montresor and his family's pride was hurt, as the foundation of their family would not stand to be insulted and could not let an insult go unpunished. Montresor then begins to carry out a plan to ensure the ultimate revenge, one that would leave him and his pride …

…no idea what was happening to him. He assumed that Montresor was playing a trick on him, and thus did not feel truly threatened. Fortunato had no idea that he was being revenged, and to him, Montresor didn't appear as an avenger. He was self-assured that Montresor would never deceive him. Through Fortunato's point of view, Montresor's actions had been done without any reason. That is why he implored Montresor to stop before he died.