In his short story, The Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allen Poe produces a macabre tale of pride, revenge, and deceit. The disturbing story is narrated by the vengeful Montresor who tries to make up for the mistakes of his peer, Fortunato. He allows his pride to overcome his humanity and consequently lures Fortunato to his murderous death. His plan: “I must not just punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is not righted when the punishment surpasses its righter. It is equally irreparable when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such by the one who did the evil. (Luciano 68) becomes the driving force behind the whole story. Critics Bill Delaney offers an eloquent analysis of the piece. He argues that the story's central theme is one of closure and writes that "the story proceeds from cold fury to peace of mind" (40). The story captures the essence of revenge in a gothic yet effective way. It undoubtedly leaves the reader in a chaotic mix of bewildering emotions. The reader shares with Montresor feelings of satisfaction, pity and closure; all observational emotions in the context of Poe and in life. The theme of revenge plays a dominant role in this piece of literature. Readers are drawn to the theme which leaves the protagonist vengeful for much of the story. Montresor's plot against his enemy begins with Fortunato's irreparable insult. His quest for revenge strips him of his humanity and becomes a premeditated murderous conspiracy against Fortunato. Montresor strongly desires a feeling of satisfaction. He believes that this satisfaction can be gained through the disappearance of his enemy. First of all he is satisfied by the foolishness of his enemy. It uses Fortunato's pride as well as ... middle of the paper ...... offers nice insights and points of view that help readers understand the themes and interpret their own points of view on the context of the story. The macabre is captivating and produces critical thoughts in the minds of its readers as well as a variety of emotions. I agree with Delaney: “Love can and often does turn to hate; but hatred --- and certainly in Poe's perverse world --- can transform into affection” (41). The feelings that readers share with Montresor are feelings that are common not only in fictional literature, but also in the non-fictional lives we lead. Works Cited Delaney, Bill. "Poe's 'The Cask of Amontillado'." Explainer 64.1 (2005): 33-35. MLA international bibliography. Network. April 9, 2014. Poe, Edgar A. “The Cask of Amontillado.” Introduction to literature. Comp. Professor Luciano. Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2014. 68-74. Press.