Comparing The Black Cat and The Cask of Amontillado Essay

Edgar Allen Poe. Just the name itself conjures up images of the macabre, of the horrific, and of death. Edgar Allan Poe was a master of suspense and seldom disappoints a reader who is looking for trepidation in his relaxation. Perhaps no other author has been called upon in film as has Mr. Poe, with over 40 films having been adapted based on his works. High praise indeed, but it has been said by his critics (and there have been a considerable number) that many of Mr. Poe's works are similar of character and climax - a crazed mad man, an unwitting, although not necessarily innocent victim, some gratuitous gore, and other aspects of demented storylines. Is that a truthful assertion or another regurgitated statement of the literary condescending? I contend that each of his works stand alone as we look at two of Mr. Poe's tales; "The Black Cat" (TBC) and "The Cask of Amontillado" (TCOA).

In TBC we have an unnamed narrator, in TCOA the narrator is known. Both narrators tell a tale climaxing in the underground; in TBC it is a descent into the basement and in TCOA it is a darker, deeper drop into the family catacombs. Alcohol plays a prominent role in both stories, however, in TBC alcohol is a multiplier to the unstable mind, shoving him into the depth of insanity. In TCOA, alcohol is a player only to the victim, whose drunken mind could not interpret the warnings that he was given leading up to his murder. Ego was also present in both stories and in both they led to the demise of characters. Ego brought down the unnamed narrator in TBC and it also assisted Montresor in the manipulation of Fortuando into the depth of the catacombs. Finally, both victims are entombed, underground, at the hand of their murderer. But I suggest these are only coincidental similarities borne at the hand of the same creator.

The differences are much more than the similarities. In TBC we have an unnamed narrator who professes his sanity and tells the 1st person tale of the insane. TCOA is also presented in the 1st person however the narrator is known - Montresor, and he tells his tale without the slightest hint of insanity; steely resolve, yes - insanity, no. In TBC we see several hints of the supernatural, not stated, only suggested. The second cat with one eye and a morphing white spot on his chest, the impression of the first cat on the lone remaining wall after the fire, and as was inferred to by the victim herself - his wife - black cats are known to be witches in disguise. There is no supernatural tint in TCOA at all. In TCOA, Montresor reflected nothing but satisfaction throughout the entire plotting and carrying out of his murderous revenge; however, in TBC, the narrator was racked with guilt over his behavior in the early stages of his lunacy. In fact, until he killed his wife (who was ever loving and patient - as he once was) he alluded to his guilt over and over again. It was as if killing his wife was like killing any remaining vestige of conscience within himself. In TCOA, there is some funny and ironic taunts that Montresor presented Fortunado with such as one of the most memorable lines of the story, given by Montresor in response to Fortunato saying, "I will not die of a cough." and Montresor says, "True--true...." In fact, the majority of TCOA is a dialog between the two characters. There is no such banter in TBC. In TBC, the murderer is caught and one day from the gallows. That is not the case of TCOA, where the murderer remains, not only free, but guilt free also.

While there are comparisons to be made between these two classic tales, there are more contrasting points. In the mind of a single creator, one would expect to see similarities (style); however, the stories are quite different in setting, flavor, characters, and resolution.