Revenge is the key factor in the story The Cask of Amontillado. The main character, Montresor, sought vengeance on his friend, Fortunato, because he had insulted him. Montresor and his family's pride was hurt, as the foundation of their family would not stand to be insulted and could not let an insult go unpunished. Montresor then begins to carry out a plan to ensure the ultimate revenge, one that would leave him and his pride unthreatened.
             "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best as I could, but when he went upon insult I vowed revenge." This statement from Montresor shows us the relation between his friend Fortunato and himself. It leads us to believe that Fortunato hasn't been the best of friends to Montresor. With all that Montresor had put up with, when Fortunato insulted him it went over the top. This statement also says what Montresor would do about it, which is to carry out with revenge. He then goes on to say "I must not only punish but punish with impunity." This means he wants to punish Fortunato, but in a way that he can't be punished in return. So he planned to kill Fortunato, which would make it impossible for Fortunato to punish him in return. He then talks about his thoughts on revenge. "A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself as such to him who has done the wrong." This is basically saying that revenge is not successful, unless the avenger can make himself felt to the victim as much as the victim has made himself feel to the avenger. This also means that the person who gets punished has to know who punishes him, and why.
             Montresor had not let Fortunato know that he was planing anything against him. "..neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will... He did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation." He meets Fortunato one night while he is...