Familiarize yourself with the language and vocabulary used by Poe. The story uses archaic language, for example, which may be unfamiliar to the modern reader. If you are unaware of the meaning of any of Poe's words or phrases, look them up in a dictionary. The copy of the text provided on the PoeStories.com website features links to definitions of words and phrases that may need clarification.
Investigate and understand the use of an unreliable narrator as a literary from. An unreliable narrator is often an anti-hero who is too personally involved in the narrative to provide an accurate retelling of the story. Poe uses the unreliable narrator in many stories, including "The Cask of Amontillado" and "The Tell Tale Heart."
Read a critical essay or interpretation of the story to further your understanding. Like many of Poe's novels and stories, "The Cask of Amontillado" has been commented upon by numerous experts. These commentaries and interpretations can increase your understanding and enjoyment of the text.
Study the life of the author and the society that he lived in to better understand the context of the story. To learn more about how Poe's life impacted his works, refer to the essay "Edgar Allen Poe's Works as Autobiography," published by the Edgar Allen Poe Society of Baltimore. To learn more about the time period, you can study the state of American society, art and science in the early 19th century. As the Gothic romance genre of literature was also popular in this period, familiarize yourself with other well known writers of the era to understand Poe's work in context.