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Edgar Allan Poes frightening stories have not lost their power of impact since their first publication. They resonate in every new generation and still seem terrifyingly genuine. Most readers may not be aware that real incidents inspired multiple essays as Poe incorporated scandals and sensational murder trials into his literature. Thus, almost all of his novellas are based on actual events, making them even shadier and more frightening. The Cask of Amontillado is a mystical story about a cold-blooded murder that raises numerous questions for every reader. The central characters actions are unreasonable and illogical, suggesting that he is mentally disturbed. Montresor is a character whose heartless behavior can be attributed to a man with a mental disorder, which is the primary way to explain cold-blooded murder.
The conflict between Fortunato and Montresor is the central theme of The Cask of Amontillado. Edgar Allen Poe has determined that there is no necessity to explain precisely what grave issue happened between the major characters that made Montresor crave revenge (Poe 22). Nevertheless, it is evident that the cause of the strife and all the followed events are incredibly severe. Even the most terrible event could hardly have forced a healthy man to kill his comrade while choosing a horrific way to execute the murder. It leads every reader to consider that only a mentally disturbed person would commit such a crime. Montresors actions are typical of a mentally ill patient, which does not excuse, but can be the explanation of the protagonists actions.
Schizophrenia is the most common of the mental disorders involving psychotic symptoms. It is generally described as a split personality illness that affects a persons thinking, emotions, and behavior to such an extent that sufferers experience difficulties in many vital areas of daily activities (Francisco 129). Symptoms of schizophrenia include psychotic hallucinations and delusions, incoherent speech and disordered behavior, and an absence or distortion of emotions. The disease is usually diagnosed at a young age, but it can manifest as early as childhood or in middle age. The condition may begin quite acutely with psychosis, but sometimes the symptoms develop gradually over many weeks or months (Francisco 129). If one does not recognize the signs in time, the consequences will be fatal, as occurred in the novel.
Moreover, schizophrenia is characterized by an inability to think usually or behave appropriately. This illness has driven many serial killers such as Ed Gein, Richard Chase, and David Gonzalez (Büyükkarc1 36). Some of the initial symptoms of schizophrenia are chaotic and obsessive conduct, aggression and irritation, fear, paranoia, and the idea that a regular event has exceptional and personal significance. It is apparent in the novella that Montresor has several of these signs, as his aggression and confidence that every familiar person has a personal motive to harm are obvious. It may signify that Fortunato has accomplished something insignificant. Still, even such a tiny conflict can anger Montresor enough to convince himself that murder is the only option that can resolve the trouble.
Furthermore, it can be suggested that Montresor suffers from bipolar disorder. According to medical research, it is a mental illness that provokes severe mood swings involving high and low moods and leads to sleep, energy, thinking, and behavior modifications (Büyükkarc1 36). The latter two are particularly notable in Montresors behavior, as his actions and reasoning are terrifying. Such thoughts would bring fear for every healthy individual, but the novel describes an entirely distinct, transcendent character behavior. The protagonist has begun to smile at the mere thought of Fortunatos self-immolation, and his death became a significant source of joy and merriment.
However, psychotic symptoms in bipolar disorder tend to reflect an ongoing extreme mood episode. During obsession, psychotic misconceptions may contain grandiosity, such as the premise that one has certain powers of flight or extraordinary monetary wealth (Büyükkarc1 36). While experiencing depressive episodes, fiction may consist of paranoid anxieties of being poisoned or considering that the person has committed a horrible crime. These are precisely the traits that every reader can mark in the main characters behavior.
What is more, Montresor may have suffered from an antisocial personality disorder, comprehended as APD. It is a mental illness known because most serial killers have committed crimes and most brutal murders because of its condition. It is a disorder in which a person has long-term habits of manipulating, exploiting, or violating the rights of others, which also represents the main characters actions (Ibrahim 875). His behavior can be depicted as criminal, as he perfectly plans his methods to kill Fortunato. It is challenging to determine with certainty what disease caused Montresors horrible acts, but the fact of its presence is indisputable.
Montresor reasoned that he must not only murder but also be rewarded rather than punished for what he has committed. Moreover, his crime can be considered perfect as he has planned everything in a way that no one except him was a witness. Montresor already had in mind the place where he desired to chain up Fortunato and wall him up. He had also considered in detail all the crimes and was convinced that God himself had chosen him to administer justice (Ibrahim 875). He felt that Fortunato had committed something which one cannot forgive, and now it has been the time for him to pay with his life. Fortunatos joke or ordinary gesture was accepted seriously.
Montresor, sick at the level of insanity, considered that he has left with no choice but to murder. Montresors insanity argument is based on the premise that insults must be differentiated, and they are offensive enough to be called murder. He was convinced that Fortunatos abuses were insulting enough to kill him, but he could have dealt with the concern more civilly if he had been balanced (Ibrahim 876). This confirms that he was mentally ill; Montresor completely ignored the possibility of civilized behavior.
In conclusion, Montresors character in The Cask of Amontillado has the symptoms of the mental illnesses of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and antisocial personality condition. He brutally kills his old mate Fortunato because of something minor that occurred between them. His diabolical behavior in the piece, when he lures his friend into the underground catacombs and brutally murders him, horrifies everyone. Everything that Montresor has committed in the novel is something that even a serial killer with a severe mental condition cannot imagine. Edgar Allen Poe has developed Montresors character in a manner that it is evident from the beginning that he is the epitome of evil, which can only be characteristic of a mentally ill man.
Works Cited
Büyükkarc1, Orhun. Is it the door through death what scares us? An analysis of the Cask of Amontillado between semiotics and narratology interface. Journal of Narrative and Language Studies, vol. 9, no. 16, 2021, pp. 34-56.
Francisco, Jesusa C. To Live but Die Inside: A Lamentable State of Montressor in The Cask of Amontillado . OKARA: Jurnal Bahasa dan Sastra, vol. 15, no. 2, 2021, pp. 126-140.
Ibrahim, Abdul. The Gothic Aesthetic and Morality in Edgar Allans Poes The Cask of Amontillado . Opción: Revista de Ciencias Humanas y Sociales, vol. 21, 2019, pp. 861-881.
Poe, Edgar Allan. The cask of Amontillado. The Creative Company, 2008.
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