Edgar Allan Poe and his works influenced literature around the world, as well as specialized fields such as cosmology and cryptography. He and his work appear throughout popular culture in literature, music, films, and television. A number of his homes are dedicated museums today. The Mystery Writers of America present an annual award known as the Edgar Award for distinguished work in the mystery genre. During his lifetime, Poe was mostly recognized as a literary critic. Fellow critic James Russell Lowell called him "the most discriminating, philosophical, and fearless critic upon imaginative works who has written in America". In November of 1846, Edgar Allan Poe published a short story titled The Cask of Amontillado. The story begins with the narrator Montresor explaining that a man called Fortunato has wronged him thousand times over, but his insult is the final blow that has provoked his vow to revenge. He continues to assure us that he has given Fortunato no insight to the fact that he is plotting to kill him, and he plans to use Fortunato's knowledge of wine to lure him to his death. Montresor continues to narrate his encounter with Fortunato at a carnival. He explains that Fortunato is dressed as a jester, in a striped outfit and a jester hat with bells. Fortunato is also very drunk, and he greets Montresor 'with great warmth.' Very quickly, Montresor entices Fortunato to come to his home to see the pipe of Amontillado that he has acquired. You can listen online to free English audiobook “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe on our website.
