Panoramic Poe

The written word has been the vehicle by which generations have articulated their hopes, fears, aspirations, and nightmares. Amidst these ideas, the author must weave together history, culture, environment and atmosphere to produce a setting in which their ideas will develop. This setting is crucial to many stories, including Edgar Allan Poe's "Cask of Amontillado." Poe shrouds the reader in the warmth of a celebration and the coldness of death with only his words as a guide.

Poe starts out by introducing the reader to a carnival like atmosphere reminiscent of Mardi Gras. There are people in multi-colored jester outfits, people wearing masks, and the overall feeling of festiveness. This jovial atmosphere is greatly contradicted by the Montresor's vengeful mood. The contrast of mood to setting creates a sense of chaos, somehow signifying an underlying madness in the character.

Another important aspect of the carnival setting is the wine. At the carnival itself, liquor is free flowing and most people have indulged themselves, including Fortunato, Montresor's bane. This particular feature in the setting allows Poe to set up the events that unfold in the story. Fortunato, intoxicated and somewhat vain, insists upon seeing the Amontillado rather than have Montresor take it to someone else. At this point, the carnival setting has served its purpose in setting the mood and the circumstances of the story.

Poe quickly changes the setting from the jocular activities associated with the carnival to the damp, dark catacombs under Montresor's home. This sudden contrast in setting helps to establish the sinister atmosphere of the story. Poe describes in meticulous detail Montresor and Fortunato's descent into the catacombs. These details place the readers side by side with a calculating Montresor as he descends down the "long and winding staircase." These details place the reader so close to Fortunato that they too can see his eyes are "two filmy orbs that distilled the rheum of intoxication." These details make the setting more than just a mere backdrop; they become the personification of Montresor's looming plot.

As Poe works to guide