Montresor, the story's main protagonist, plots his revenge on his friend Fortunato. Taking him away during a festive Carnival when Fortunato is drunk and wearing a jester's outfit, he lures him away with the promise of a rare cask of wine called Amontillado. He claims to want his friend's opinion on it and furthur baits him when suggesting he could just go to some other guy that Fortunato thinks is a fool. Montresor leads him into a series of catocombs and then warns Fortunato of the damp, feigning concern over Fortunato's cough. Montresor chains Fortunato into a niche in the catacombs and then walls up the niche. Fortunato tries to escape and calls out to Montresor, who mocks his cries. The story is ended by Montresor saying "Rest in Peace", seemingly unperturbed by his friend's murder.The only reason Montresor gives for killing Fortunato is some unspecified insult.
Montresor is an unreliable narrator, he kills his friend over some insult that he doesn't even mention. It seemed to me that Montresor was envious of Fortunato, having everything he wanted, including a position in the masons and a "Lady Fortunato". Montresor gives his family coat of arms and motto "No one insults me with impunity". Fortunato was said before to have been a nice guy: could he have helped Montresor out and that kindness have gotten him killed? It seems like the main question of the story is why Montresor killed Fortunato. The rest is pretty simple and not other real questions are as prevalent. The part I liked least in the story was how Fortunato got away with the murder and how Fortunato was undiscovered for fifty years. I enjoyed the story all in all, especially trying to figure out Montresor's motive.
