I am confused if Captain Beatty wanted to die and if he was intentionally provoking Montag, because in the rest of the novel, Beatty seems so cool-headed and in control of his emotions.
Beatty was a simmering volcano. If we follow Beatty through the book, he becomes increasingly agitated, restless, an unhinged. His witty quips become more challenging towards Montag: his tone self destructing and futile. Beatty secretly loved literature, which is why he knew so much of it. He knew burning books was a crime against humanity and he was the most perverse. It makes sense that he wanted Montag to end his life.
