1. Motivation

The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.  You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat.  At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitely settled--but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved, precluded the idea of risk.  I must not only punish, but punish with impunity.  A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser.  It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong(p. 82/179).

2. Manipulation

"As you are engaged, I am on my way to Luchesi.  If any one has a critical turn, it is he.  He will tell me--" "Luchresi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry." "And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for your own." "Come, let us go(p. 83/180)."

"Let us go, nevertheless.  The cold is merely nothing. Amontillado! You have been imposed upon.  And as for Luchresi, he cannot distinguish Sherry from Amontillado(p.83/180)."

I had told them that I should not return until the morning, and had given them explicit orders not to stir from the house. These orders were sufficient, I well knew, to insure their immediate disappearance, one and all, as soon as my back was turned(p.83/180).

3. Ironies and word-plays revealing the Narrator¡¯s cruel nature

"I drink," he said, "to the buried that repose around us."

"And I to your long life(p.84/181)."

"I forget your arms." "A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel." "And the motto?" "Nemo me impune lacessit." ¡°Good!" he said. The wine sparkled in his eyes and the bells jingled.  My own fancy grew warm with the Medoc(p.84/181).

4. Irony in a little bickering concerning Freemason

"You are not of the masons." "Yes, yes," I said; "yes, yes." "You?  Impossible!  A mason?" "A mason," I replied. "A sign," he said, "a sign." "It is this," I answered, producing a trowel from beneath the folds of my roquelaire a trowel(p.85/182).

5. The Narrator¡¯s deceptive self-justification

"Pass your hand," I said, "over the wall; you cannot help feeling the nitre.  Indeed, it is very damp.  Once more let me implore you to return.  No?  Then I must positively leave you.  But I must first render you all the little attentions in my power(p.85/182)."

6. The Narrator¡¯s vindictive nature expressed without irony

The wall was now nearly upon a level with my breast.  I again paused, and holding the flambeaux over the mason-work, threw a few feeble rays upon the figure within. A succession of loud and shrill screams, bursting suddenly from the throat of the chained form, seemed to thrust me violently back.  For a brief moment I hesitated--I trembled.  Unsheathing my rapier, I began to grope with it about the recess; but the thought of an instant reassured me.  I placed my hand upon the solid fabric of the catacombs, and felt satisfied.  I reapproached the wall; I replied to the yells of him who clamoured.  I re-echoed--I aided--I surpassed them in volume and in strength.  I did this, and the clamourer grew still(p.86/183).

7. Ending without Poetic Justice

For the half of a century no mortal has
disturbed them.  In pace requiescat(p.87/184)!

8. Two Film Adaptations