Understanding "Cask of Amontillado"

A college prof explains the story and the creepy narrator
Want to cite this video? MLA style: Balcarcel, Rebecca. "Understanding 'Cask of Amontillado'." Online video clip. Sixminutescholar. KZbin, 12 Sep. 2013. Web. DayMonthYearYouWatchedTheVideo.

[@erine7601]

God bless you for practically doing my homework 😂

[@erine7601]

and good luck to me on the quiz tomorrow

[@hibalee8457]

erin e where are you now one year later😂

[@EDISONTECH]

NOOO i have a quiz tomorrow!

[@hibalee8457]

EDISONTECH awwww shit good luckkkkkk you can do it

[@maddielukasiak9838]

erin e SAME!

[@hanninhaifa8957]

THANKKKK UUUUU im so terrible at understanding old literature

[@marycampbell8762]

Hannin Haifa same here

[@AbyaaJones]

SAME LOL!

[@MintBlondeVevo]

You are the teacher that we need but do not deserve. Thanks a million

[@drjewcumber]

We need AND deserve her lol American education system needs improvement.

[@pigjuice6499]

My teacher doesn't know how to explain shit. THANK YOU

[@SixMinuteScholar]

SuperGalaxyMedia Glad to help!

[@soslothful]

What needed explanation? The story is a tale of insult and revenge.

[@tcatking9761]

My teacher literally explains the exact same way

[@tcatking9761]

@@soslothful if you just read the story it is VERY hard to understand, he's Edgar Allan poe, he is always hard to understand

[@jamiesvlogs1729]

SuperGalaxyMedia RT

[@AidanJMerriman]

lesson learned: treat everybody extremely well with respect or else I will get killed in an underground burial with toxic mold.

[@AlwaysBonpoint]

Wise words.

[@megatophat9200]

Ah yes

[@alocasvlogs7031]

lmao

[@samanthafeliz3451]

Basically, yes.

[@karenpeterson4922]

Wow, this was so helpful! Our school is closed to the pandemic and my son was reading this story and struggling--so was I. You explained this so well. Many thanks!

[@SixMinuteScholar]

I'm so glad! Wishing you and your family well.

[@kennethlipford7899]

I am in English-102 and your videos have been extremely useful. You have had a video for most every story I have had to read. Thank you sincerely.

[@zVeLoProdigy]

This video helped me understand the story way better thank you!!

[@SixMinuteScholar]

You're welcome!

[@anayelimogoyan9514]

what does the trowel represent to montressor?

[@Chriscarter6669]

Idiot

[@Chriscarter6669]

She told you the same story. She gives nothing new.

[@shaimawh9212]

chris carter he said that it helped him to understand it better ..you’re the idiot here 😒

[@juandrayo]

I believe you are wrong in 1:50-1:58 Montresor is not an easy man to insult. With the opening sentence, Montresor tells the audience he could handle the thousand "injuries" that Fortunato had given to him. He says when he ventured upon insult, he vowed revenge. One has to put oneself back in that time period. What was the insult that made him so mad? What was the biggest insult one can provide in the nineteenth century? The mockery of your family's name. Montresor is not a bad evil man. He is the head of a household who has been "injured" by Fortunato and who is ultimately put in shame because of the insults Fortunato provides. Several clues are given when he says to Fortunato "You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was." It is possible that Fortunato did something which brought the wealth class of his family down.

[@narminhajizada]

Juan Rayo Your statement is in a way better that hers. I'm likely to believe that his revenge has had solid roots.

[@marshacreary9771]

Juan Rayo I have to agree

[@jebediahhonker-tonker5901]

And Montresor's coat of arms and motto are kind of hinting to this as well, since they revolve around vengeance. (please ignore my being two years late. Lol I always love a good Poe discussion)

[@dahuka]

I've always told my students to read this story like a religious mobster story - Montresor is a man of former means, his name and honor are all he has left. He is a lingering remnant of an outdated (pre-capitalist) social strata. Fortunato is a new upstart - successful and respected, but unaware of the unspoken social rules. Injuries may be part of the (political/business) game, but insult goes a step beyond and requires "immolation" (a sacrifice) to set right. This is underscored by Fortunado's drunken/reckless behavior contrasted w/ Montresor's cool demeanor, as well as the religious imagery of the foot/serpent coat of arms (Genesis 3:15) contrasted w/ Fortunato's membership in the Masons (a classic foe of the Catholic church). TL;DR Fortunato has broken class rules set in place by God himself, and it's Montresor's duty to right the wrong, as he says explicitly at the end - "For the love of God."

[@kevindavis3234]

I agree that money was involved. I always thought that Montresor had once been wealthy and had the respect of all the people in the town, but Fortunato somehow (either perceived or in actuality) robbed Montresor of his wealth and/or station. I see Montresor as a man who fell from grace and had very little left but his pride and his family estate.

[@ronaldmiller5226]

This explanation was just what I needed. Trying to write a paper about The Cask of Amontillado and having trouble understanding exactly what was being said, proved difficult. Thank you!!

[@hebcole]

In the past, the carnival season was also an opportunity for revenge. I had many associates from the Caribbean who talked about people losing limbs and personal possessions. Enjoyed your commentary, great job.

[@sonbal6793]

hi Ms.Rebeca, I'm from Philippines taking bachelor of secondary education major in english, your videos helped me a lot in my major subjects to aid abstract literary selections. Please continue to inspire people and love Literature. God bless!

[@JoshuaHults]

little add, that image of the heel and the snake it taken right out of Genesis. Genesis 3:15 " And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." "

[@tcatking9761]

Lol ya I noticed that while reading the story

[@kiaralynn854]

I know that this video was posted a long time ago, but my teacher played an audiobook for the class today, and I was so confused when Montressor was killing Fortunato. I didn't really get how he died, but after watching this video, I understand it a little more, so thank you!

[@VoidedMirror]

I read this in high school and I loved it. I was always excited when we got to read any Poe stories as a class.

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Cool! Yes, Poe is great!

[@wennyt1]

I always look for your reviews on short stories before doing my homework! It helps so much to actually understand what I’m reading before writing about it!

[@chipamos]

Have a middle school son whose been reading Poe in class. I took am a post-grad, but really don't understand Brother Poe very well. I'm a numbers guy. Your discussion really put it all into perspective so I can join my son in conversation about the subject. Thank You.

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Chip Amos Glad this gave you a point of connection with your son. Lucky kid to have an involved parent!

[@cindystarkemdphd5433]

I can’t thank you enough as a mom who is naturally good at math and sciences - for helping my kids with honors English! We watched your videos together nightly last year and my daughter got all A’s’ she understood all the stories on a much deeper level, and you saved her and me so so much time!!!!

[@thatredhead7366]

So enjoyable! I love being able to discuss & learn about literature from such an educated source! Thank you!

[@josephgonzalez1902]

omg u have videos for like all the stories i need

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Glad to help!

[@WilliamMurray-lr1bb]

Great job ..... we've long lost touch with the classics and your insights are priceless .....

[@evemaybs]

Your summary/analysis was really helpful for my English class. Thanks!

[@marycampbell8762]

Thank you so much for explaining this story. I stopped reading the story and listened to the audio. I was still confused until you explained it in great detail. I appreciate you explaining this story because I was confused at first. I have to write a paper for my homework assignment.

[@kallenssumague4390]

Can anyone answer my question so i have a hw about this and i need help from u guyss soo plss answer •I NEED THE SYMBOL AND IRONY 2 EACH AND THEIR MEANINGS I really need to pass my hw

[@angelwarf727]

Thank you! This helped me totally understand the story. Before I had no idea what the heck was going on the whole time I was reading it.

[@kalinacore]

Same LMAOO like i read it but i didn't even get whats happening i didn't even know he killed the other dude when i read it by myself.

[@paigehagemann4189]

This was a life saver thank you so much. I did not understand the story at all until I watched this. She is great at explaining.

[@HappyMagicalMan]

Your assessment of the family crest is backwards. The foot is the insult, the snake which is being crushed is getting back for this insult by biting the heel that steps on there honor. It also is a point by Poe that Montrasoui is a cold blooded serpent.

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Ah. Thanks for that correction!

[@HappyMagicalMan]

SixMinuteScholar With that exception the post is perfect. And even that is not actually that far off, I only know that point because I have dune much study when it comes to family crests, and there are a number of families that share part of the one at hand. And they all have the same general feeling. Also your other Videos are quite nice as well.

[@rokujones]

William Moore Honestly, it seems like the image can be interpreted in both ways. Either one seems to work in describing the actions of the narrator of the short story.

[@HappyMagicalMan]

Roku Jones Indeed. But the context of the story implies that its the snake that represents the family. Sense the point of the crest is that you can step on the snake, but you will be bitten.

[@DividedLine]

In regards to the bit about Masonry, Montresor must be from a noble family if they have a coat of arms and there is catholic symbolism throughout the story. Freemasons were usually modernizers, an aspiring bourgeoisie or rising middle class that emerged out of feudalism. They were protestant proto-capitalists who opposed the catholic feudal monarchy and the nobility. It was new money vs. old, basically, middle class vs. upper class. The name "Fortunado" refers to the fortune of the aspiring, while Montresor means "my treasure," as in the both social and economic wealth of the old-order aristocracy which stood in the way of the aspiring middle classes. At the end of the story, we learn that the murder took place half a century before, which would have been the period immediately after the ratification of the Constitution. To be anti Catholic in the 19th century in the United States was to be pro republican government and anti monarchy, so it's likely that mid 19th century readers would have understood Montresor as a symbol of a waning patrimonial aristocracy taking revenge on an up and coming republican modernity. In a symbolic and political sense, the "insult" which inspires Montresor to murder Fortunado would have been the republican revolt against monarchy, which took place throughout Europe and the Americas at the end of the 18th century. In another sense, you can read it as the "insult" of up and coming and inferior social classes challenging the role of the nobility and attempting to replace them. As Montresor is laying the bricks, he ironically refers to Fortunado as "noble," meaning that Montresor had now become the mason and it was Fortunado who would be buried with the nobility he aspired to be like. I'm actually related to Mr. Poe on my mom's side of the family. Half of them are proud of it, the other finds it embarrassing. My grandfather called Poe a "drunken cousin fucker."

[@patienceparadox2314]

The last sentence just goes to show that from even the most dissolute and troubled of men can come creativity and genius....

[@1deejayemmm]

His coat of arms is from Genesis when God tells the serpent that he shall bite God's foot, but His heel will crush him (Christ). This is the central focus of good vs. evil in Scripture.

[@soslothful]

I think if you revisit the text you will find the curse is the serpent will bruise the heel of the off spring of Adam and Eve, not God's heel, and they will bruise the serpents head.

[@linccoon]

i really like this work of his, i find that some of poe's work (like the telltale-heart) is overused in schools and being explained over and over. With this story there are new character and i can see why some people like poe's work so much!! Thank you!

[@shreyar4413]

This video was from 2013(A better time) but still helped so much ty!

[@revvy4150]

I was having such a hard time with this and I couldn't understand half of it but this video really helped me visualize what was going on! Thank you so much!

[@caridadbernard5308]

Righttt, I finally understand

[@mariechrisvillamayor6728]

you have no idea how much you helped me with my report. This story was completly confusing until i watched your video. thank you very much

[@amberwatrous3953]

This is the second video I have watched of yours for my American Lit reading, and both have helped me work few some questions I had. Very helpful.

[@PaulDonaldRoy]

The moral of the story: it is better to have true friends, or no companions at all, than to keep the company of "frenemies". In real life, frenemies are commonly saboteurs. Cases of murder by frenemies are less rare than they should be. Fortunato would have been luckier than some of the real life victims of frenemy murder.

[@quqianyu]

How do you define "true friend", how do you control their capricious minds?

[@troodon1096]

There is no "moral" in this story, and we're never given sufficient justification, or really any at all other than he felt insulted, for revenge of this magnitude. It's just a story; Poe wasn't trying to teach anybody anything.

[@aluel3721]

Great explanation, for some reason I cannot grasp the details from these short stories but this helped me a LOT. Wish you were my english teacher!!

[@zoepeters2749]

Have you ever noticed Fortunato's name? It could mean "fortunate". We were talking about this in my ELA class. Think about it, Fortunato is so fortunate of being rich and very respected. In the end, he wasn't so fortunate...

[@MatthewTebb]

which, of course, ties in with Poe's use of irony throughout the story

[@chipamos]

Fortunato = to favor, fortunate. Montresor (or Montreyori) = to learn, to teach

[@reptilianviolinist]

In most of his stories Poe plays into irony and that is infant an example

[@rg360drummer3]

Thank you so much. You helped me with my notes homework and test that I have for my class.

[@DanceThreat]

Thank you so much ma'am I have an essay to do on this short story and I didn't have a single clue what it was about in detail but you helped me so much!!!!!!

[@gregpadilla4334]

Thanks you SixMinuteScholar for doing this video. It helped me so much with my homework!! I would have never been able to intemperate that story without your help. Thank you!

[@AJsingingchic]

Thank you! You really have a gift for making stories come alive and simplifying them for clueless people like myself.:) I'm wondering... Why didn't Montresor describe the "thousand injuries" of Fortunato? Is it possibly because Montresor is over-exaggerating these insults in order to justify his revenge?

[@bhillearanil1305]

Thank you for this! I've always had a hard time understanding it since high school because English is not my first language and we'll have this story for our Literary Criticism midterms but then, I found this! I owe you. Thank you!

[@400cabal]

I graduated uni a few years ago but I recently remembered reading the story back in high school so I went on an internet dive and came across your video. Great explanation!

[@charlesc.mcdonald4545]

very glad to have listened, already knew what the story meant but i could just tell you were going to explain very nicely, charming voice to match a charming face

[@SixMinuteScholar]

:-) Aww, thanks!

[@Trilled499]

God bless you for helping me to understand this short story. Now I can do my homework.

[@magicknight13]

Making me miss my junior high and high school English classes!! I loved reading this story in eleventh grade

[@gabrielolivaresguerrero9783]

I am in English-102 and your videos have been extremely useful. Thank you. You are awesome.

[@kathrynlucia5625]

This was awesome! I have always thought that the line “You who so well know the nature of my soul” coupled with the fifty years might mean that this is a deathbed confession to his priest. He couldn’t die without telling someone, but he does not fear that the priest will reveal his secret to any authorities. Just a theory.

[@demogog3449]

He is speaking to us, the reader, with that line.

[@sarahkaloti8515]

You're better than my teacher, thank you a lot .

[@kamranward1389]

Good looking out we read this in school but I didn't good looking out

[@ixtoc999]

Teacher Balcárcel, I just loved this story, getting back to a guy ther hurt us," Nemo me impune lassecit". I watch it over and over and I keep loving it. Edgar Alan Poe is my hero.

[@nursafitridewi9497]

This is really help me to do my college assignment. It's so clarity to understand the story because i'm really bad at old english. Thanks a lot~

[@annab.8739]

I am writing a paper about symbolism in "The Cask of Amontillado" and this a huge help in explaining the story. I am a sophomore in college and although I have read the story once before in high school I still needed some assistance understanding it, especially since my English class is online! Thank you so much!

[@ElMagno_CR]

Thank you very much. I can't tell how useful this anylisis was for me. Definitely one of the best teachers I've ever payed attention in my entire life.

[@xxcupcakes005xx]

Thank you so much this really helped! You are such a good person helping us even when you do not have to. Some of my current teachers do not even give me the time of day! You made my life just that much better! Thank you I really appreciate it!:)

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Wow, I'm so thankful for your comment! You are so welcome!

[@zshu95]

I love your way of communicating with the audience. Keep making these videos just like this and thanks for the help.

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Thanks and you're welcome. :-) I'll try to keep making good ones!

[@geenadavis4993]

Thank you for your interpretation. I am well out of high school but I am starting to work my way through the classic great American Literature. This one definitely gave me a fright before bed last night. My final thought is perhaps he is telling another victim before they die. He relives his first kill when he tells his next kills. Just a thought. He seemed very much like a serial killer having his first kill.

[@DrewLambright]

Your videos have helped me so much in my first college English class. Thank you!

[@SixMinuteScholar]

I'm glad! Good luck with your class!

[@henluvwitaragerrr4756]

you have my subscription!! you’ve helped me with a huge project, thank you so much! Nobody could have explained it better!!

[@knayacoco2624]

This explanation was very clear. Thank you very much.😊

[@arturorobles6402]

this explanation , offers yet another amazing perspective and clearly solidifies the entire sinister plot! thank you

[@dejalewis5010]

I literally never would have understood this if I never watched this video. GOD BLESS YOU WOMAN!!

[@Isabella-ko7fc]

Amazing review - best one that I could find! Thanks so much, looking forward to many more.

[@PantheonProjects]

Thank you so much! Your analysis clears the story up so much

[@magicknight13]

Thank you for your excellent and insightful analysis! You give such a warm special feeling to your videos

[@henryknoepfle1635]

Thank you for your review of the story. I looked up many words to be sure I fully understood them in the context they were used. I thought I understood the story but your explanation called to my attention things I had not really locked on to. I am going to do an interruptive reading of this story at my Toastmasters Club and you have helped my prepare for that. Thank you, thank you thank you.

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Good luck! You're welcome. Sounds like you already gave this piece a careful reading. Hope you blow their socks off!

[@alyssa_with_an_a]

Started uni and this video is a lifesaver. I struggled to understand the story...but not anymore. Thank you!!!!

[@britzzz82]

thanks :D My fear in reading poems and stories lessen because of your magic in explaining it in detail. I truly understand it now.

[@kierramakayla4497]

as I know this video is quite a few years old it seriously helped me! Currently taking English 102, mainly a lit class and I will definitely be coming back to your page!

[@conorsmith2705]

i tried reading the story for he but i couldn’t understand. This was the best summary on youtube explaining all the small details and keeping it as short as possible

[@PaulKyriazi]

Outstanding. Great info and entertaining. I agree with you. I think the hero of the story wanted to brag and figured he was too old and the deed was to old for anyone to come and arrest him. I like how you compared a cask of that wine to something cool on ebay. Now there's a story: "The Special Ebay Item". (used to lure a transgresser to go bankrupt)

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Haha! That would make an interesting story, all right. :-)

[@Makeup-eo8yj]

Thanks for taking your time to do this helped 100x better!

[@ferrari7108]

i read that book got me thinking about what kinda shit they were smoking back then to be writing this

[@HeidiReinhofer]

Wow.. this was a very in-depth and interesting way of describing "The Cask of Amontillado". I'm glad I found this, because my high school is doing the play, and cast me as Montresor. This video really helps me understand the play more, thank you, I appreciate it. And please, keep making videos! :)

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Wow! Hope the play was awesome!

[@akstalder1]

Thank you! I read this twice before seeking You tube help, to no avail. But hearing your explanation helped me understand it better. I read it a third time- much better! Thank you!!!

[@haifal-gahtani5299]

SixMinuteScholar tahnks so much im a freshman and I took it in literature and didnt understand a thing you helped me a lot keep doing what u do thnx u saved me

[@destiny4548]

I can't thank you enough for this! I couldn't understand it for the life of me but I've got it now.

[@sling247]

That was very helpful. I appreciate your style in the description of the story. Thanks

[@stefanurquidi1492]

8:15 montresor is also using reverse psychology to make Fortunato want to go down even more

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Stefan Urquidi Good point!

[@The420DeLiRiUm]

So not the literary genius of Poe, but rather the lyrical flow of Epic Rap Battles of History led me to this video.

[@suchie6477]

You are awesome, thank you so much for putting these videos on here, I appreciate it.

[@MarelisaFabrega]

This was a very good analysis. I have one point of disagreement with you. It's at 13:00 when you say that for a while Fortunato thought it was a joke. By this time Fortunato has realized what is happening. He says that they will laugh about this over wine in a sad tone. Fortunato knows he will never drink wine again. He's just trying to deal with the inevitable in the best way he can, and trying to keep his dignity.

[@NeonAtary777]

I'm happy I found your channel! It's a great help!

[@matthewgabbard6415]

Amontillado is Port, which is a fortified wine from Portugal. Similar to Sherry and Madiera

[@lauraclaire9765]

Fantastic breakdown of the story! I now have a complete understanding of it! Thank you so much!

[@ajlendful]

You can read the story in it's details (and i'm sure in a good translation into modern english) in fewer minutes than you'd watch this video, you guys doing school homework out of this are kind of backwards huh?

[@mmbris]

Fortunato was already drunk when the narrator lured him.

[@ryanphillips1278]

Fortunato didn’t think it was a joke.. he was praying it was a joke. He knew what was happening. And I got the vibe that he knew why it was happening because he never asked, “what are you doing?” He must’ve felt he deserved it on some level.

[@socksexe]

This video really helped me get a better understanding of the story. I do enjoy Poe, but I am not the strongest reader, so I have a hard time understanding his writing easily. Thanks for making this video!

[@Petermc95]

thank you so much for being so detailed, and alive in describing this to us, this is much more interesting listening to you explain it in comparison to my profressor

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Monica Caballero Thanks! Glad to help! You are kind.

[@1966gto1000]

Good job Rebecca. Poe's ability at writing was so smacking at genius it was easy for the reader to get lost and lost ability to interpret....even a simple story such as this. What with the vocabulary and such - which is so exquisite - the reader at time needs an interpreter to sort it all out. Again, good interpretation.

[@King-fx7yi]

Thank you for this! Now I'm not confused! :)

[@J-Called]

You are somewhat incorrect in the description of the trowel: it IS one of the symbols used allegorically in the the degree work of the Blue Lodges where the first three degrees, including the supreme degree of Master Mason, are presented. Although the trowel is not as heavily invested with meaning as, say, the square and compasses, it is part of the total symbolism. For years, I kept at my desk, at the office where I was employed, a letter opener in the form of a trowel, on which had been inscribed the standard Masonic emblem of the G enclosed within the square and compasses.

[@tuckerlott4424]

MLA citation: "Understanding 'Cask of Amontillado.'" KZbin, uploaded by SixMinuteScholar, 12 September 2013, kzbin.info/www/bejne/h57Ianhog9apaNU.

[@tasukedate8180]

Thank you you're amazing! This will really help me on my test tomorrow! ^_^

[@ameliabanasiak8782]

At school we watched a audio on it and everything was very confusing at fist, but this video was so helpful! Thank you so much. My big test on Monday will be so much easier now that I understand the concept better.

[@alesiabaranava5959]

Thank you much ! You basically explained to me everything ! The language of this story is so difficult ! Thanks again !

[@aleejandraxoxo]

I have a test tomorrow about understanding the story and this really helped thanks :)

[@SixMinuteScholar]

You're welcome! Good luck!

[@erinshirhall1096]

thank you so much!! this is my first year of high school and with it being online, it’s been hard. This helps a lot!

[@SovietRussia777]

This was so helpful. I read it twice and was so confused on what was happening

[@rawxsa]

Oh my god.! This was super helpful..!.! My English isn't the best see I'm a sophomore in college and I didn't start speaking in English my sophomore year of high school so understanding poetry and literature now that I'm in composition two and we have to read such stories in old fashion English it's well hard for me. This was really great thanks again.! You saved my life.! Keep helping haha :) I just subscribed Btw

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Great to hear it! I'm happy that I could help. My dad learned English at age 30 and then went to college. Very tough! He did it, though, and ended up teaching English -- haha!

[@chrisrivera2666]

Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video! :)