Essay on Revenge In Two Literary Works - 1593 Words

Revenge as a theme is cleverly built upon throughout Hamlet; with it being the driving force behind three of the key characters in the play. Revenge is a frighteningly vicious emotion, which causes people to act blindly and without reason. In Poe’s, â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†, Montresor enacts revenge for reasons unknown. Hamlet in contrast, has all the motive in the world to complete his task; yet he constantly hesitates. The text reveals that the need for revenge creates a stranglehold on the genuine emotions, thoughts, and actions of three characters: Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Laertes; son of Polonius, and Fortinbras; Prince of Norway. This hold makes the characters act beyond their standard ethical positions and makes them helpless to†¦show more content†¦He is obstructed from his genuine rational moral view and if he were morally coherent, he would have seen that taking such drastic action removes himself from his genuine thoughts. In â€Å"The Caskà ¢â‚¬ , the perspective we are given on the story is limited; which allows for an open interpretation of what his true motives for revenge are. As Baraban states â€Å"Montresor elaborates a sophisticated philosophy of revenge: I must not only punish, but punish with impunity† (48) presenting the reader with a vibrant view of what he intends to do. The question one begs is, for what reason? Most readers would finish this story and assert that mentally, Montresor is insane. As Baraban states, â€Å"Poes intriguing silence about the nature of the insult that made Montresor murder Fortunato has given rise to explanations of Montresors deed through insanity. Richard M. Fletcher, for example, maintains that Montresors actions are irrational and that therefore he is mad.† (50) Montresor states at the opening of the story, â€Å"you,who so well know the nature of my soul†( are words likely said on his death bed to his confessor; being that he committed this deed fifty years prior, it would make sense that he is finally coming clean. Moreover, since he is commenting on the nature of his soul, it is plausible to assume that Montresor has been deemed crazyShow MoreRelatedRevenge Of Hamlet By William Shakespeare892 Words   |  4 PagesThe theme of Revenge has been utilized in numerous works of art throughout history, including books, plays, movies, etc. Revenge is the result of one’s desire for vengeance, however, revenge is known to be implied under high emotions of anger thus not with reason concluding with a horrible outcome. Shakespeare’s play ‘Hamlet’ is no doubt a play about a tragedy caused by revenge; Prince Hamlet’s retribution for his father, King Hamlet’s murder and Laertes vengeance for his father, Polonius’ murderRead MoreAnalysis Of Edgar Allan Poe s The Cask Of Amontillado 945 Words   |  4 PagesDenita Kumar Michael Frangos ENG 112 September 3, 2014 Revenge and Irony A friendship is based on trust, but do we truly know anyone in the way we think? In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† written by Edgar Allan Poe, a man named Fortunato is about to find out what kind of ‘friend’ Montresor really is. Montresor shows himself to be friendly with Fortunato, but deep down he feels nothing but hate for him. In different ways, both of these men are proud and appear upper class, yet both have faults whichRead MoreDeath theme In the play Hamlet by Shakespeare1418 Words   |  6 Pagesappearance of King Hamlets ghost. 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In the intriguing short story â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† two wealthy gentlemen from an Italian, wine-loving village go off to find a barrel of expensive medium-dry sherry to share amidst a happy carnival, and the stakes rise when oneRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe1334 Words   |  6 Pagessee coming which makes it unique and one of a kind. Throughout this fairy tale of darkness there are many literary devices used to help give the reader a better illustration of what is going on. Just like the rest of Poe’s work, it is also known for its darkness but also st ands out amongst the rest because of its popularity and shocking ending. This short story is filled with various literary devices that help the readers understand what is going on. Poe writes this tale with a grotesque style thatRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet Essay1324 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s famously philosophical play Hamlet epitomizes the revenge tragedy; the play’s characters are forced to act vengefully only to result in a bloody, dismal ending. The most obvious instance of revenge in the play is that of Hamlet against Claudius whom corruptly becomes the king of Denmark after he murders Hamlet’s father. Spurred by the ghost of the deceased king, Hamlet sways between moods of adamancy and half-hearted uncertainty in his quest to repay his father’s life, aRead MoreEdgar Allan Poes The Cask of the Amontillado Essay1520 Words   |  7 Pagesby Edgar Allan Poe is a story of revenge on the outside, but when on the inside, it is something deeper. His stories are dark and sometimes, like in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† deadly. Poe’s main focus in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† is revenge, but if examined more closely, the irony that is present foreshadows the end result for Fortunato. In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† the Montresor is planning to seek revenge on Fortunato for â€Å"the thousand injuries.† The revenge results in the live burial of Fortunato