How does Montresor trap Fortunato in the story The Cask of Amontillado?

Answer 1

Montresor lures Fortunato into the catacombs with the promise of sampling a rare wine, Amontillado. Once they reach a secluded and dark part of the catacombs where Montresor claims to have stored the wine, he chains Fortunato to the wall, bricks him in, and leaves him there to die.

Answer 2

Not knowing what Fortunato did to Montresor heightens the Horror of the story because the reader is never certain if Fortunato ever did anything wrong against Montresor that was deserving of such revenge. If Fortunato's so-called injuries and insults had been laid out for the reader to see, the reader would either sympathize with Montresor or with Fortunato depending on the reader's own point of view. Not knowing what was ever done, in deed if anything had even been done, leaves every reader wondering if Fortunato's death is just a terrible mistake by a madman.

Answer 3

Montresor says he feels ill at heart after completing the brick wall to entomb Fortunato; however he feels this way only because of the dampness of the catacombs, not because he has just sealed Fortunato in the niche of the catacomb. Killing Fortunato doesn't bother him, but the dampness does.

Answer 4

Yes, he does. Although Fortunato does not die before he is sealed in the crypt chained to the wall, Montresor states that the wall has remained undisturbed for a half century and that Fortunato rests in peace behind it,

Answer 5

The word "succumb" makes this a difficult question to answer. There are several places in the story where that word can be used.

He succumbs to being enticed down into the cellar to his death by his vanity in his expertise on the matter of wine. He is especially vain enough to think that the Luchesi is any match for his ability.

He succumbs to being sealed in the room behind the brick wall only because he is chained to the wall and has no choice. In that sense he does not succumb to it as much as he is forced to accept it. In fact he yells and begs Montresor to let him go. Then when that doesn't work, he tries to laugh it off as a big joke.

Then Fortunato becomes quiet, perhaps succumbing now to his eerie death. Montresor pokes around in the room with his rapier but does not feel anything. He only hears the rattling of the chains. It is likely that he did not stab Fortunato to death. If this is where Fortunato succumbs to his now certain death it is most likely that he knows that his last chance at being saved disappeared when the last brick was placed in the wall. His fate as well as his life are now sealed.

Answer 6

One evening during the carnival season, Montresor finds Fortunato and invites him to try out a sample of sherry, which he has recently acquired and wishes to confirm as Amontillado. Fortunato is surprised and excited, so when Montresor suggests that Fortunato might be too busy and that Montresor might have Luchesi taste it instead, Fortunato insults Luchesi's skill with wines and insists on accompanying Montresor to the vaults to taste the Amontillado. Montresor offers a token protest, saying that the vaults are full of nitre and will aggravate Fortunato's cold, but the latter insists. Montresor puts on a mask of black silk and a cloak and leads Fortunato to his home.

Montresor previously told the servants that he would be gone all night and forbade them to leave, knowing that they would all disappear to join the carnival as soon as he left, so no one is home when they arrive. He takes two torches and, handing one to Fortunato, leads Fortunato into the Montresor catacombs. The passageway is damp and full of nitre, causing Fortunato to cough, but the dissembling Montresor shows false concern for Fortunato's health and offers him a sip of Medoc wine. Montresor offers to call for Luchesi, knowing that Fortunato will be insulted and insist on continuing. Fortunato drinks to the dead, and Montresor drinks to Fortunato's long life.

Fortunato notes the size of the vaults, and Montresor replies that the Montresors were a large family. They discuss the Montresor arms, which consist of a golden foot crushing a serpent that bites the foot against a field of blue; the Montresor motto is "Nemo me impune lacessit," the Latin phrase for "No one attacks me with impunity." As they walk deeper into the catacombs, Fortunato remains drunk and the bells on his costume jingle.

Montresor notes that the level of damp and of nitre is increasing since they are under the riverbed and offers to return to the surface, but Fortunato drinks more wine and throws away the bottle with a peculiar gesture. Montresor does not understand the gesture, causing Fortunato to realize that he is not a member of the Masons. Montresor insists that he is, although Fortunato is now incredulous, and he shows Fortunato the trowel that is in his cloak. Fortunato exclaims that Montresor jests but insists that they continue to the Amontillado. Montresor leads him to a deep crypt, at the end of which is a smaller crypt lined with human remains. In the fourth wall of the crypt is a small niche backed by walls of granite.

Fortunato tries to look into the recess, but because of the foulness of the air, the light from the torch is dim and he cannot see. Montresor claims the niche to be the location of the Amontillado and once again mentions Luchesi, which prompts Fortunato to insult Luchesi and walk drunkenly into the niche. Quickly, Montresor chains him to the granite while he is too surprised to resist. Montresor mocks Fortunato, asking him with false solicitousness about the nitre. Fortunato asks about the Amontillado, and Montresor agrees before he reveals a pile of building stone and mortar that has been hidden by bones. Montresor then begins to wall up the niche, with Fortunato inside.

Montresor lays the first tier of the wall before Fortunato revives with a moan from his drunken state. He then lays three more tiers before he hears another sound. Fortunato begins shaking his chain, during which time Montresor waits and listens, pleased. When Fortunato ceases clanking, Montresor lays three more layers of stone and uses his torch to look inside the niche. Fortunato screams, causing Montresor to hesitate, but after a moment he joins in the screaming until Fortunato stops. By midnight, only one stone remains, and before Montresor can complete the wall, Fortunato laughs weakly and asks Montresor to end the joke and free him, shouting, "For the love of God, Montresor!" but the latter mocks him, and Fortunato ceases to speak, despite Montresor's calls. The only thing Montresor can hear as he lays the last brick is the jingling of Fortunato's costume. Montresor's heart grows sick, which he blames on the damp catacombs, and he reconstructs the pile of bones, which no one disturbs for the next fifty years. Montresor ends his tale by wishing Fortunato a peaceful rest.