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The Cask of Amontillado

by Edgar Allan Poe

About The Cask of Amontillado

The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe is a easy read in English (horror, short stories). It takes about 12 min at 200 words per minute, a comfortable pace for language learners. The book is in the public domain and comes from Project Gutenberg.

When you open it, the text is downloaded once and saved in your browser, so you can keep reading offline and your progress stays on your device.

Main characters in The Cask of Amontillado

Engraving-style illustration of a man in a jester costume walking through a catacomb of skulls toward a half-built brick wall, followed by a cloaked figure with a torch.
AI-generated illustration

During carnival in an Italian city, Montresor, who says he has been insulted by Fortunato, lures his proud rival into his family's catacombs on the promise of tasting a rare wine, Amontillado. There he seals him alive into a wall.

  • Montresor

    The narrator, who plans and carries out his revenge.

  • Fortunato

    A wine connoisseur who wears a jester's costume and is led to his death.

Questions about The Cask of Amontillado

How many words are in The Cask of Amontillado?
The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe has about 2,000 words. At 200 words per minute, a comfortable pace for language learners, it takes about 12 min to read.
Who are the main characters in The Cask of Amontillado?
The main characters are Montresor and Fortunato.
Can I read The Cask of Amontillado for free?
Yes. The Cask of Amontillado is in the public domain, and you can read it free in English on PolyglotReader with inline translation, word lookup and audio.

The Cask of Amontillado is more than a book: it is a language-learning tool

Most people learn a language from lessons and word lists that have nothing to do with what they enjoy. Here you learn from a real story. You read The Cask of Amontillado in English, and every step that helps you understand and remember it is one tap away. The words you meet in the book are the words you practise.

  1. Read
  2. Look up
  3. Listen
  4. Save
  5. Practise
  • Inline translation

    Stay in the original text and check the meaning only when you need to.

  • Word lookup

    A dictionary entry gives you ten meanings. A contextual lookup gives you the one that fits.

  • Audio narration

    Hear how the text sounds while your eyes follow the words.

  • B1 simplification

    Read the book you want now, at a level you can follow, and move up to the original later.

  • Flashcards

    Practise the words you actually met, in the books you actually chose.

  • Word games

    Test yourself on the exact sentences you just read.

  • My Dictionary

    One searchable list of every word you chose to keep, with the meaning you picked.

  • Daily goal

    A small target you meet every day beats a long session you never get round to.

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Play word games with The Cask of Amontillado

Reading shows you the words, games make you use them. Press Play in the reading toolbar and PolyglotReader builds short games from the English page you are on, so you practise the vocabulary of The Cask of Amontillado itself.

  • Fill the blanks

    One word is hidden in a sentence from the page. Pick the right one from four choices.

  • Type the word

    Type the hidden word. The first letter is shown, and Say it lets you hear the word.

  • Unscramble

    The words of a sentence are shuffled. Tap them back into the right order.

Games are made in your browser from the book text, with points, streaks and stars. How the word games work

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