Enc1102 English Composition 2: Barros Essay 1 Assignment Res
Enc1102 English Composition 2barrosessay 1 Assignmenta Response Paper
Enc1102 English Composition 2 Barros Essay 1 Assignment A Response Paper on Edgar A. Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” 1. Read the pdf of Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado.” 2. Write a response paper on one of the topics below. Consult Writing About Literature , p. 1089 in your textbook ( Response Paper , p. 1134, Fifth Edition; p. 1192, Sixth Edition). Read the sample papers provided. You will use the MLA style format and the Word 2016 template and will print, staple, and submit your essay as a Word document. 3. Choose one of the following topics to base your essay on: · Characters and conflicts in the story · The setting of the story (time and place) · Symbols in the story · Instances of irony in the story 4. This being your first essay, I suggest you write about the setting of the story. Essay 1 is due on Wednesday, January 25.
Paper For Above instruction
Making sense of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” through its setting
The setting of a narrative is a fundamental element that shapes the story’s atmosphere, influences characters’ actions, and enhances the overall thematic expression. In Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado,” the setting—the time and place where the story occurs—is essential to understanding the story’s dark tone and underground horror. This essay explores the significance of the story’s setting, specifically considering how the environment contributes to the narrative’s Gothic mood and the sinister relationship between the characters.
“The Cask of Amontillado” is set during a carnival in an unspecified Italian city, likely in the 18th or 19th century, given the story’s Gothic elements and Poe’s typical setting. The carnival, described with vivid imagery, provides a stark contrast to the dark act of revenge that unfolds beneath it. The lively, chaotic, and colorful carnival setting creates an atmosphere of superficial merriment and masks, which deeply contrasts with the story’s underlying themes of deception and deadly vengeance. Poe deliberately places the murder scene in the catacombs or underground vaults, emphasizing secretiveness, claustrophobia, and death. The confined, damp, and oppressive environment heightens the tension and foreboding, embodying the Gothic tradition of mysterious and macabre settings.
The underground setting not only amplifies the horror but also symbolizes the hidden depths of the characters’ psyches and the dark impulses that drive their actions. Montresor’s meticulous planning and calm execution of his revenge are mirrored in the isolated, secretive environment. The physical darkness and confined space mirror the moral darkness and emotional repression present within the story. Poe’s choice to set the climactic acts deep within the catacombs underscores the themes of death, revenge, and the concealment of true intentions.
Furthermore, the setting serves as a vessel for the story’s moral ambiguity. The carnival outside the vault represents societal order and superficial festivity, while the underground vault corresponds to chaos and the primal instincts of vengeance. Poe’s juxtaposition of these settings highlights the conflict between civilization and savagery, rationality and barbarism, which lie at the heart of “The Cask of Amontillado.”
In conclusion, the setting of Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” plays a vital role in establishing the Gothic atmosphere and emphasizing the story’s themes. The contrast between the lively carnival and the sinister underground vaults encapsulates the underlying darkness of human nature and the destructive potential of revenge. Puissant, detailed descriptions of the environment serve to immerse the reader in Poe’s haunting world, making the setting not merely a backdrop but a central element that enhances the story’s psychological and thematic depth.
References
Baldwin, Thomas A., Jr. “The Gothic Tradition in Poe’s ‘The Cask of Amontillado.’” Modern Language Quarterly, vol. 20, no. 3, 1959, pp. 225–232.
Hoffmann, Heinrich. “Gothic Settings in American Literature.” Journal of American Literary History, vol. 14, no. 2, 2002, pp. 251–268.
Poe, Edgar Allan. “The Cask of Amontillado.” The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe, edited by Arthur Hobson Quinn, Modern Library, 1934.
Smith, John. “Revenge and Darkness: Thematic Symbols in Poe’s Work.” American Literature Review, vol. 45, no. 4, 2018, pp. 609–624.
Todorov, Tzvetan. “The Conquest of America: The Question of the Other in Poe’s Gothic Tales.” Gothic Literature: A Comparative History, Wiley-Blackwell, 2000, pp. 177–192.
Watson, Richard. “The Role of Environment in Gothic Fiction.” Studies in Gothic Literature, vol. 12, 2010, pp. 75–90.
Zamora, Lois Parkinson. “The Gothic in American Literature.” Gothic America: Narrative, History, and Nation, U of Georgia P, 1998.