"The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe, is a short story inspired by true events that took place on Castle Island, a former military fort off of Boston Harbor, in Massachusetts. When Poe was stationed there as young cadet in the Army, he found a peculiar gravestone. After some inquiry, he learned a story of a man who had been walled up alive. Forbidden by his commander to ever repeat the particulars, Poe took the plot line and changed the setting and characters.
During Carnival in Italy, Montresor runs into Fortunato, and offers to share a very nice bottle of Amontillado wine with him. However, this bottle is in his catacombs. It is late at night and Fortunato seems ill.
CLIMAX
The narrator, Montresor, claims that Fortunato has gravely insulted him, and is plotting to get his revenge. Although, he doesn't tell the reader what Fortunato has done, he makes it known that it was unforgivable.
FALLING ACTION
Montresor lures Fortunato down into the dark and eerie wine vault. As suspense builds, Montresor keeps asking if Fortunato would like to turn back because he seems ill. Fortunato continues to drink wine to ease his cough.
RESOLUTION
When they reach their destination, there is no Amontillado, but there is a hole in the wall. Montresor shackles Fortunato inside, and begins to seal up the wall with bricks.
As the last few bricks are laid, Fortunato screams for Montresor to stop, but it is too late. Montresor has enacted his revenge.
Montresor walks away with only the sound of Fortunato’s jingling jester bells echoing in the tomb. He replaces the bones of the crypt. In the end, he claims that no one has disturbed them for 50 years; he has gotten away with his plot!