Setting and Meaning in "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allen Poe and "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin
The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the short stories "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allen Poe and "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin. Specifically it will discuss the relationship between setting and meaning in the two works. Disquieting to the reader describes these two works. Each uses setting and meaning to indicate troubled relationships and dark secrets. Poe's work concerns vengeance and murder, while Chopin's concerns the hope and freedom of a woman too long dominated by a man. Each work suggests ills in society and with the characters, and each uses these themes to create a work that is memorable and disturbing at the same time.In "The Story of an Hour," most of the action takes place in an upstairs bedroom where Mrs. Mallard contemplates the news of the death of her husband and her impending freedom. Chopin writes, "But she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome" (Chopin 260).
The setting adds to the insane qualities of the narrator as well. Chopin's meaning is that marriage is an institution infused with male dominance and opinion, and that women of the time had little freedom or ability to assert their own independence. The meaning of this story is quite clear, and the stark setting of the bedroom gives it extra depth. Fortunato trusts his "friend" far too much, and takes him at face value. The meaning of this story is more convoluted than Chopin's. Poe's is a dark look at the underbelly of humanity, and so is Chopin's, to an extent. It is clear the narrator is insane, no other character could conceive of such a punishment for "revenge" of some insults from another. This helps add to the disturbing qualities of this story, and make the reader very aware that something awful is going to happen in such a dark, frightening setting. In conclusion, both of these stories are disturbing, but for very different reasons. His characters are opposite, one is too trusting and the other is too vengeful, and they meet to create a volatile situation. The narrator's scheme is as crazy as he is, to wall up his "friend" and leave him to die deep underground. Mallard is sorry her husband has died, but she is absolutely giddy in her feeling of joy that accompanies the news. It is a terrible fate, made even more terrible by the setting and the way the narrator lures Fortunato to his doom. One should never trust anyone too much, or take too much for granted seems to be Poe's ultimate message here.
Common topics in this essay:
Chopin Specifically,
Cask Amontillado,
Chopin's Poe,
,
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