Getting to Know a Madman's Brain

GETTING TO KNOW A MADMAN’S BRAIN

People have always been trying to explore human mentality, to figure out how the brain works. They have been particularly interested in psyche of madmen. Many writers also share that interest and one of them is Edgar Allan Poe, who, in his “The Cask of Amontillado”, presents a character, whose insanity leads to a murder. His name is Montresor. Vowing revenge, because of some insult, which one of his acquaintances, Fortunato, ventured upon, he tells him, that he has bought a cask of what passes to be Amontillado, but, not being sure, whether it is really it, he wants his advice. He leads drunken Fortunato, who does not suspect anything, to his vaults where he fetters him to the wall and then bricks him up in that niche. After fifty years, unpunished and probably not even suspected to be able to do such a thing, he tells this story. Montresor’s insanity is cause, by his inability to control emotions, which results in excessive sensitivity, cruelty and irony. However, his behavior seems to be normal in the process of killing Fortunato.

Montresor’s madness is a result of his problems with emotions. He easily gets angry and is very sensitive about other’s people opinion about him. He is vain and proud, as a result unable to stand an insult, which, to his mind, damages his reputation. Because of his vanity and pride, he treats a supposed insult, coming from Fortunato to him, as a serious hurt, although Fortunato does not even suspect, that Montresor can want revenge for something he has done. On the other hand, for Montresor, this murder is something quite natural. He says at the beginning of the story: “It is equally unrepressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him, who has done wrong” (p.1). Montresor admits that, in his opinion, his revenge is equally painful for Fortunato as the insult is for him.

Montresor also takes pleasure in others suffering. His murder is very cruel. Fortunato is imprisoned to the wall, without food and water, and with an illness, which makes him sensitive for the dampness of the vaults. During the whole story, Montresor is very ironical, too. For example, he says: “And I to your long life” (p.3) and also “We will go back; you will be ill and I cannot be responsible” (p.3). Truly, he means exactly the opposite of what he is saying. He enjoys giving clues about his plan to Fortunato, who does not understand them. This is exactly how a brain of a madman operates. On the outside he behaves as normal person but on the inside he is creating and making double meaning movements and phrases which his victims cannot understand and unfortunately trust him until it is too late.

Despite his madness, hate, and anger overwhelming him, Montresor’s logical brain still works properly. His is not impulsive and his murder is carefully

planned. He says in the first few lines: “At length I would be avenged. I must