The Villains in The Cask of Amontillado and Draculas Guest - Book Report/Review Example

Comparison of the villains in The Cask of Amontillado and Dracula’s guest The cask of Amontillado (1846) by Edgar Poe first featured in a magazine that was known as Godey’s Lady’s which was based in Philadelphia (Espinosa 4-12). It is the story of Montressor’s revenge quest against Fortunato. The reasons for this revenge are only known to the narrator himself, Montressor. Fortunato is a regular drunk and one could even say that the love for liquor is what causes his downfall. The story is so carefully laid out, that the reader is not conscious of the narrator’s name for the better part of it (Stoker 20). Dracula’s guest by Bram Stoker (1914) is the story of Jonathan Haker, who receives an invite to Count Dracula’s castle that is on the borders of Moldavia and Transylvania. He receives various warnings on the way, and when he eventually gets there he realizes, though a little too late, that he is, in fact, a prisoner. The events that unfold within the rest of the novel purely based on Dracula’s superhuman nature, being a vampire and the fight that Jonathan puts up against Dracula (Poe et al 51-62). This paper’s primary focus is to compare the role that Montresor played in the Cask of Amontillado with that of Dracula in Dracula’s guest. The two are the main characters in both stories and despite the fact that the two novels were written during different time frames and different settings. Notably, there are a number of similarities and quite obviously differences that can be drawn from their personas. The following is a layout of their roles and representations, beginning with their similarities Both characters illustrate deceitful tendencies. They use friendship and kindness to lure their victims. Montressor carefully tricks Fortunato into thinking that he has the best wine for him knowing very well that Fortunato happens to have a weakness for the drink. This illustrates that Montressor in his selfish quest is willing to use the weaknesses that he is well aware his friend has against him (Espinosa 34). Dracula, on the other hand, uses his sophisticated appearance and educational appeal to lure Jonathan into feeling at home. It is because of this same appearance that it takes Hacker some time to realize that he has been lured into being Dracula’s slave. To capitalize on the extent of their deceitfulness, both characters only show the true nature of their persona’s after their victims are well into their thresholds and their intentions are clearly only in their own best interests (Stoker 28-32). Montresor depicts himself as being very proud. Despite that he is not in a position of influence, it appears that there are various features that he put into consideration sacred to himself, and that guide him. There is the coat of arms that he talks about in grave detail, the human foot that he talks about crushing and killing a snake and the Latin motto he lives by, “no one injures me with impunity” (Longinovic 45). Dracula demonstrates his own proud nature in a way that he depicts his heritage. He is of boyar heritage, and he proceeds to explain to Haker that his heritage breeds a form of valor and subsequent honor in the modern Era. He states that the memories he has of this upbringing are just about heroic. Both characters are obviously used in portraying pride and are not afraid or do not show any inhibitions towards portraying it (Stoker 46-61). It is evident that, in their operations, they both prey on naivety. Dracula appears to be aware of the reputation that he has cultivated for himself. If this is so, then he is also well aware that Haker must have received many warnings on the way to the castle, which he did. He presents himself as an educated, calm and honorable man and succeeds in blinding Hacker’s notion of him until he deems it fit to act otherwise. Montressor pretends to be on friendly terms with Fortunato, whom he knows will not suspect a thing. Fortunato appears naïve and because he could not suspect that his so called friend had ulterior motives seeing as he was so willing to take him on such a long distance for a simple wine drinking expedition. Both Hacker and Fortunato are depicted as naïve through their feeble reasoning (Longinovic 57-61). Montresor and Dracula depict the high levels of intelligence possessed by criminals. Fortunato tries desperately to convince Montressor to let him go as he is an unexpected guest at the carnival and that they are likely to come seek for him in Montressor’s palazzo, as people have seen the two of them together (Stoker 72-80). Montressor already had figured out that this is a lie and that it would be gullible of him to let Fortunato go as he would come back seeking him and end up killing him. Dracula’s intelligence displays itself in the fact that he has carefully laid out plan from the time he requests for Haker’s assistance to the time he releases him after he is done using him. This illustrates that he is not a person to wait and let things happen, but intends on seeking ways to ensure that they play out to his eventual good, a trait that Montressor similarly embodies (Longinovic 79-81). The most notable aspect of similarity between these two characters is their calculating nature. Montressor’s especially comes out from the first excerpt of the circumstance all the way to the end. For example, Montressor outline that he is very much aware of the fact Fortunato has a weak spot for wine despite his reputable nature (Espinosa 89-91). He states, "He had a weak spot, this Fortunato, although, on the other hand, he was a man to be respected and even feared. He prided himself on his connoisseurship of wine” (Espinosa 92). Dracula’s own extent of calculation and conniving nature is well laid out in the way he welcomes Jonathan to his house, knowing well that he would not be the least suspecting. "Enter freely and of your own free will," He further continues to lure a man, “Welcome to my house. Come freely. Go safely, and leave something of the happiness you bring!” (Stoker 92-102). Just as the two villains have a number of similarities, so wide is the scale of the differences they embody. The first difference is the fact that they exhibit differences between Humanity and superhuman existence. While Dracula possesses supernatural powers, Montressor has nothing out of the human aspects working for him. For example, Montressor’s urge for vengeance is very human and shows his susceptibility (Poe et al 67-79). He feels very lonely and envious of Fortunato because he has the things that he so desires. For example in his analysis of fortunate he states, “You are rich, respected, admired, and beloved; you are happy as I once was.” Dracula, on the other hand, is not in any way susceptible. His appearance is also not very human like as Haker observes “he has a fixed and cruel looking mouth, long sharpened fingernails nails and peculiarly white teeth” (Stoker 113-24). These differences are objective in defining the outcome that the two antagonists eventually take in the course of their stories. The two men have different motives. Perhaps this is the most notable difference. Montressor’s whole aim is to ensure that he carries out revenge against Fortunato for a wrong that he does not clearly state throughout the entire novel. It is worth noting; however, that Fortunato has almost everything that Montressor desires, and it is possible that his motive is fueled by envy. Dracula, on the other hand, intends to use Jonathan to penetrate London. This is mainly because in order to fit in he would have to polish his English, which is tainted by his German accent. He aims to use Jonathan as his tutor because he is a native Englishman and would be useful in correcting hi conversational English. He ensures that he keeps Jonathan as long as he can in the castle to learn as much as he could say, “I fear that I am but a little way on the road I would travel.” The count appears to have a somewhat obsession with being able to penetrate and hence prey in London (Poe et al 89-112). While Dracula is very secretive, Montressor is, in fact, a braggart. Dracula appears to have planned and laid out the entire scheme on how he would penetrate England. There is no other character that Dracula confides in and even in his quest to learn as much as he could from Jonathan not once did he confide in him about his motives or his supernatural capabilities (Stoker 127-32). Montressor is very proud of his “accomplishments” and speaks very highly of himself. Since he relates the incidents 50 years later, he is relating his escapades with a notable level of pride in the fact that one he left Fortunata for dead no one ever found him. This contrast between the two characters is symbolic of their human and superhuman characteristics. Both characters are meant to represent different settings. Montressor’s story is set in Italy. This is clearly derived from the fact that he constantly refers to a “palazzo” which is English for palace. The fact that he tells the story 50 years later and the book was published in 1846 suggests that the time frame in question was 1796, somewhere between the end of the 18th century and the beginning of th19th century one. Dracula’s character existed in a time where technology was just coming up owing to the mention of trains. Dracula is from South Eastern Europe, specifically Transylvania, in proximity with the Black Sea. It appears that the book aimed at capturing the essence of being up to date and as such the writer wanted to ensure that the readers felt as though the book was taking place” Now." This would mean that since the book was published in 1914 that was its time setting. Both characters are used to represent the trending factors of their time and place settings (Longinovic 102-21). The positions that both men assume about power differentiate them. They illustrate division between power and lack of it. While Montessori is poor and powerless, Dracula, on the other hand, is rich powerful and frightful. Montressor’s state of poverty is illustrated in the fact that he tells Fortunato that his servants constantly look down upon him purely because he cannot pay them. He says that he ordered them not to leave the palazzo, but he is well aware that they would, in fact, do the opposite upon his departure. It almost appears as though he is resentful of the fact that Fortunato is rich and influential. Dracula’s site is well illustrated in that the reason for the invitation of Jonathan Harker is to help him in purchasing an England Estate (Longinovic 139-45). Furthermore, upon his arrival it is evident that the count’s castle, though old is quite immaculate. This is possibly the reason that although both men have malicious intentions the forces that drive them are very different. One only needs to look critically into the Cask of Amontillado to understand that each of the features that Montressor depicts is representative of human strength and weaknesses; it is very obvious that the book is intended to depict human beings in all their glory and shortcoming, and as such each one of them should go through the story. This will not only help in comprehending the nature of complexity that human life embodies, but it will very much ensure that readers understand to a greater depth the importance of culture and the beauty that is time (Longinovic 139). Dracula is one of the most prominent fictitious characters of all time owing purely to the fact that, of the many vampire stories that have been told, this is the longest surviving one. A simple flick through the TV stations to see the content that is being aired will go to prove that the impact of this story is immeasurable. It would be unethical not to commend Edward Poe’s depiction of this character and the work, mystery and intensity which he portrayed in his creation (Longinovic, 152-67). The Cask of Amontillado and Dracula’s guest are by far some of the greatest literature pieces. Works Cited Stoker, B. Dracula’s Guest and other stories .Waiheke Island: Floating Press, 2009. Print. Poe, E. A, Nas,. J. Kirzner, L. G.,& Mandell, S. R. The cask of Amontillado .Boston: Thomson/Wadswoth, 2004. Print. Longinovic, T. Vampires over the ages: a cultural analysis of scientific literary and cinematic representations.San Diego, California: Cognelia Academic Publishing, 2014. Print Espinosa, R., Dunn, W. J. The Cask of Amontillado. Minneapolis: Magic wagon, 2014. Print. Read More