Essay inspired by “The Cask of Amontillado” by E. A. Poe
I don’t like stories about the revenge. But this one has something that attracts me despite the fact that it’s quite terrible. It’s an authors merit; it’s a real talent to write stories with a good plot. I like the author’s writing manner. At first he allows us to be filled with an atmosphere between two friends. Then he suddenly reveals us real intentions of the one of them, while the other didn't suspect of anything. It makes you feel a kind of responsibility for the person being tricked. And finally he cruelly kills one of the characters in a damp vault. What did another person feel? Was he scared or satisfied? The author ends his story as fast that his characters didn’t even have a time to feel something. It’s just a deed. It’s a cold revenge.
Vocabulary test The Cask of Amontillado:
The Cask of Amontillado vocabulary exercise:
Word/Phrase | Transcription | Translation | |
1. | insult, n | [ɪn'sʌlt] | оскорбление |
2. | to vow, v | [vau] | клясться |
3. | revenge, n | [rɪ'venʤ] | месть |
4. | threat, n | [θret] | угроза |
5. | to be avenged, n | быть отмщённым | |
6. | to preclude, v | [prɪ'kluːd] | предотвращать |
7. | to punish, v | ['pʌnɪʃ] | наказывать |
8. | impunity, n | [ɪm'pjuːnətɪ] | безнаказанность |
9. | retribution, n | [ˌretrɪ'bjuːʃ(ə)n] | возмездие |
10. | deed, n | [diːd] | действие |
11. | to doubt, v | [daut] | сомневаться |
12. | goodwill, n | [gud'wɪl] | рвение |
13. | weak point, n | [wiːk pɔɪnt] | слабое место |
14. | connoisseur, n | [ˌkɔnə'sɜː] | знаток |
15. | to differ from, v | отличаться | |
16. | supreme, adj | [s(j)uː'priːm] | величайший |
17. | to encounter, v | [ɪn'kauntə] | сталкиваться |
18. | excessive warmth | [ɪk'sesɪv wɔːmθ] | чрезмерная теплота |
19. | motley, adj | ['mɔtlɪ] | пёстрый |
20. | to consult smb. in the matter | проконсультироваться с к-л. по вопросу | |
21. | to tell from, v | отличать | |
22. | whither? | ['(h)wɪðə] | куда? |
23. | to perceive, v | [pə'siːv] | осознавать, ощущать |
24. | to abscond, v | [əb'skɔnd] | сбегать |
25. | to stir, v | [stɜː] | отходить, шевелиться |
26. | sufficient, adj | [sə'fɪʃ(ə)nt] | достаточный |
27. | sconce, n | [skɔn(t)s] | подсвечник |
28. | winding staircase | ['waɪndɪŋ 'stɛəkeɪs] | извилистая лестница |
29. | to be cautious, v | ['kɔːʃəs] | быть осторожным |
30. | gait, n | [geɪt] | походка |
31. | to gleam, v | [gliːm] | мерцать, светиться |
32. | cavern wall | ['kæv(ə)n wɔːl] | испещрённая стена |
33. | rheum, n | [ruːm] | слёзы |
34. | indeed, adv | [ɪn'diːd] | в самом деле |
35. | fellow, n | ['feləu] | товарищ, коллега |
36. | mould, n | [məuld] | плесень |
37. | with a leer | [lɪə] | плотоядным взглядом |
38. | to nod, v | [nɔd] | кивнуть головой |
39. | extensive, adj | [ɪk'sten(t)sɪv] | громадный, большой |
40. | azure, n | ['æʒə] | лазурь, синева |
41. | serpent, n | ['sɜːp(ə)nt] | змея |
42. | rampant, adj | ['ræmpənt] | стоящий на задних лапах |
43. | fang, n | [fæŋ] | ядовитый зуб змеи |
44. | motto, n | ['mɔtəu] | девиз, лозунг |
45. | ere | [ɛə] | до, перед |
46. | intermingling, n | [ˌɪntə'mɪŋgl] | смешивание |
47. | flagon, n | ['flægən] | графин |
48. | jest, n | [ʤest] | шутить |
49. | to recoil a few paces | отскочить на пару шагов | |
50. | cloak, n | [kləuk] | плащ, мантия |
51. | promiscuously, adv | [prə'mɪskjuəslɪ] | беспорядочно |
52. | to circumscribe, v | ['sɜːkəmskraɪb] | ограничивать |
53. | vain, adj | [veɪn] | напрасный |
54. | to endeavour, v | [ɪn'devə] | пытаться |
55. | to pry, v | [praɪ] | выведывать |
56. | to bewilder, v | [bɪ'wɪldə] | ставить в тупик |
57. | to fetter, v | ['fetə] | заковывать |
58. | iron staples | скоба | |
59. | padlock, n | ['pædlɔk] | висячий замок |
60. | to implore, v | [ɪm'plɔː] | упрашивать, умолять |
61. | moaning cry | жалкий крик | |
62. | to hesitate, v | ['hezɪteɪt] | сомневаться |
63. | to tremble, v | ['trembl] | дрожать, трепетать |
64. | to unsheathe, v | [ʌn'ʃiːð] | вынимать из ножен |
65. | yell, n | [jel] | пронзительный крик |
66. | on account of | из-за, вследствие | |
67. | to disturb, v | [dɪ'stɜːb] | тревожить |

about the revenge - general sense, do we need an article?
ОтветитьУдалитьdidn't suspect of anything - maybe "him" should be extracted, what's your opinion?
Then he suddenly reveals us real intentions of the one of them - something is wrong
as fast that his characters didn’t even have a time to feel something. It’s just a deed. It’s a cold revenge. - a very good sentence!
still what do you mean by "as fast"?
Well done!:)
It's B.