Montresor and Fortunato are both Italian gentlemen of high social standing. They are friends, or at least were at some point in the past. Both enjoy wine, and it is this mutual love for the drink that Montresor uses to lure Fortunato into the catacombs. They are also both prideful; an imagined injury to said pride is why Montresor is bent on punishing Fortunato. Fortunato's pride as a wine connoisseur is what keeps him traveling through the catacombs, even when he is unsure of Montresor's intentions. This is where the similarities end.
Montresor is portrayed as cunning and sly, in contrast to Fortunato's rather bumbling drunkenness. He is also obsessed with revenge, revealing a dark side to his nature. Fortunato seems good-natured on the other hand, attempting jokes and seemingly intent on having a good time. He is also guileless and gullible, a bad combination for someone who has crossed Montresor. His jester's costume symbolizes that he will play a fool, while Montresor cape and mask of black silk reveals he will play the executioner.
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