What does Montresor's definition of 'successful' revenge reveal before the plot even begins?
The Cask of Amontillado
30 minutes total
ByEdgar Allan Poe
Grade9-10
Time30 minutes
Essential question
What does Montresor's definition of 'successful' revenge reveal before the plot even begins?
Marked passage
Passage location
Short story - opening two paragraphs
Start anchor
The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could
End anchor
I suffered him to hurry me to my palazzo.
Passage focus
Montresor defines successful revenge
Ways to teach it
Listening
Listen to the exact passage; visual following is optional. Same question and evidence demand.
Solo
Read the exact passage independently.
Supported
Use narration and sentence highlighting while reading the same passage.
Teacher guide
Close
Name the single detail that most changed or sharpened your interpretation, and explain why.
Evidence
Use both conditions of successful revenge—impunity and recognition—and note what kind of ethical consideration is absent from the rule.
Mark
Underline each condition Montresor says revenge must satisfy. Label one condition PUNISHMENT and the other SELF-PROTECTION. Then circle any word that treats revenge like a problem to be solved efficiently.
Instructional move
Test a narrator's rule against moral language
Notice
• What would count as failure according to Montresor’s own rule? • What moral question is missing from his definition of successful revenge? • How does this opening rule prepare you to judge everything Montresor does afterward?
Strong answer
Montresor defines successful revenge as punishment delivered with no cost to the avenger and with the victim knowing who has punished him. The definition reveals a technical, self-protective view of revenge that omits any moral question about whether revenge is justified.
Think
Answer provisionally: What does Montresor's definition of 'successful' revenge reveal before the plot even begins? Choose the strongest interpretation you can defend from this passage alone.
Watch for
Do not answer simply that Montresor is evil. The lesson asks what his rule reveals about how he evaluates actions.
Why this passage
Before the revenge plot begins, Montresor defines success in a way that requires both punishment and total immunity for the avenger. His rule reveals that he is judging revenge as a technical achievement, not as a moral act.
Write
Write a short evidence-based response to: What does Montresor's definition of 'successful' revenge reveal before the plot even begins? Use at least two details from the assigned passage and explain how they support your interpretation.
Student tasks
Mark
Underline each condition Montresor says revenge must satisfy. Label one condition PUNISHMENT and the other SELF-PROTECTION. Then circle any word that treats revenge like a problem to be solved efficiently.
Notice
What would count as failure according to Montresor’s own rule? What moral question is missing from his definition of successful revenge? How does this opening rule prepare you to judge everything Montresor does afterward?
Think
Answer provisionally: What does Montresor's definition of 'successful' revenge reveal before the plot even begins?
Write
Write a short response using at least two pieces of evidence from this passage. Use evidence from the assigned passage. Show what you noticed and how the text supports your interpretation.
Ready-to-teach lesson
TumbleTA 6-12 · TEXT-BASED LESSON
BATCH 01 · 9-10 · LESSON 27
The Cask of Amontillado
Edgar Allan Poe
What does Montresor's definition of 'successful' revenge reveal before
the plot even begins?
TOTAL TIME
PASSAGE
30 minutes
Montresor defines successful revenge
FIND THE ANCHOR TEXT
Use the Anchor Text Table of Contents in the Enhanced Reader to open the START anchor. Then use the dropdown to select the END anchor.
SECTION / LOCATION
Short story - opening two paragraphs
START
The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could
END
I suffered him to hurry me to my palazzo.
PASSAGE ID
sec-cask-01
THE MOVE
Test a narrator's rule against moral language
WHY THIS PASSAGE
Before the revenge plot begins, Montresor defines success in a way that requires both punishment and total immunity for the avenger. His rule reveals that he is judging revenge as a technical achievement, not as a moral act.
MARK
Underline each condition Montresor says revenge must satisfy. Label one condition PUNISHMENT and the other SELF-PROTECTION. Then circle any word that treats revenge like a problem to be solved efficiently.
page 1
NOTICE
What would count as failure according to Montresor’s own rule?
What moral question is missing from his definition of successful revenge?
How does this opening rule prepare you to judge everything Montresor does afterward?
THINK
Answer provisionally: What does Montresor's definition of 'successful' revenge reveal before the plot even begins? Choose the strongest interpretation you can defend from this passage alone.
WRITE
Write a short evidence-based response to: What does Montresor's definition of 'successful' revenge reveal before the plot even begins? Use at least two details from the assigned passage and explain how they support your interpretation.
CLOSE
Name the single detail that most changed or sharpened your interpretation, and explain why.
STRONG ANSWER
Montresor defines successful revenge as punishment delivered with no cost to the avenger and with the victim knowing who has punished him. The definition reveals a technical, self-protective view of revenge that omits any moral question about whether revenge is justified.
EVIDENCE
Use both conditions of successful revenge—impunity and recognition—and note what kind of ethical consideration is absent from the rule.
WATCH FOR
Do not answer simply that Montresor is evil. The lesson asks what his rule reveals about how he evaluates actions.
SOLO
Read the exact passage independently.
SUPPORTED
Use narration and sentence highlighting while reading the same passage.
LISTENING
Listen to the exact passage; visual following is optional. Same question and evidence demand.
page 2
STUDENT PAGE · SAME PASSAGE, SAME THINKING
The Cask of Amontillado
Edgar Allan Poe
What does Montresor's definition of 'successful' revenge reveal before
the plot even begins?
START ANCHOR
The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could
END ANCHOR
I suffered him to hurry me to my palazzo.
Use the Anchor Text Table of Contents in the Enhanced Reader to open the START anchor. Then use the dropdown to select the END anchor.
OPEN THE MARKED PASSAGE IN TUMBLELIT
SOLO: read independently. SUPPORTED: use narration + highlighting. LISTENING: listen to the exact passage. The question and evidence task stay the same.
1.MARK - Underline each condition Montresor says revenge must satisfy. Label one condition
PUNISHMENT and the other SELF-PROTECTION. Then circle any word that treats revenge like a problem to be solved efficiently.
2.NOTICE - What would count as failure according to Montresor’s own rule? What moral question
is missing from his definition of successful revenge? How does this opening rule prepare you to judge everything Montresor does afterward?
3.THINK - Answer provisionally: What does Montresor's definition of 'successful' revenge reveal
before the plot even begins?
4.WRITE - Write a short response using at least two pieces of evidence from this passage.
Use evidence from the assigned passage. Show what you noticed and how the text supports your interpretation.
page 3
Original printable PDF
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