Is Poe a mason himself, or does Poe just know about masonic knowledge? (pointed out in "The Cask of Amontillado")

-- Anonymous, June 17, 2003

Answers

Just enough for a cruel pun. Real masons are not supposed to poke fun or discuss the mumbo jumbo which the populace knew about indirectly. This evidence to the contrary and Poe never had the kind of friendly connections the organization would have provided.

-- Anonymous, June 17, 2003

Hmmm.....if Poe were to have "revealed" anything, he certainly would not have been the first. Both the Webb and the Mackey rituals were in print long before Poe set pen to parchment. As a matter of fact, printed versions of the ritual (including all the "secrets") were available from the fraternity's humble beginnings in 1703.

However, nothing is "revealed" at all, just some loose play between the literal meaning of the word "Mason," (stonemason) and the allegorical reference(s) of the trowel. Other great writers like Kipling ("The Man Who Would Be King," great movie!) and Robert Burns were "revealing" in their Masonic metaphors and, of course, Mozart blabbed away in the Masonic Opera "Die Zauberflote."

There were never any real "secrets" in the fraternity, rather the lesson taught then and now was to keep the confidences of your fellow brethren and respect their privacy and the dignity of their personal lives. Sure wish people would pick up on that principle today!

Yours,

Steve Kujawa, Past Master Arthur M. Retif Lodge # 473, F&AM New Orleans, LA www.geocities.com/amretif

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2003

Well put, Bro. Kujawa!!!

Ryan Jones, PM of Valley Lodge #516 F&AM, Valley, AL

-- Anonymous, January 20, 2004