...In literature, irony comes in a variety of different forms, but the underlying definition of irony is doing or saying something that contradicts the expectations of the reader. The three types of irony, Verbal, Situational, and Dramatic irony, are used heavily in a variety of short stories to give the story flavor and make it more appealing to the reader. In The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe, The Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst, and My Oedipus Complex by Frank O’Connor, all types of irony are used to create foreshadowing, justify the action of characters, and create humor. In The Cask of Amontillado, Montresor seeks to get revenge on Fortunato, since Fortunato has supposedly wronged Montresor in some way. Throughout Montresor’s quest...
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...The cask of Amontillado is short story written by the famous American writer Edgar Allan Poe. He was poet, editor, and literary critic and considered part of the American Romantic Movement best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre. The cask of Amontillado is one of his well-known work. In the story Montressor had this belief that Fortunato is trying to insult him and his relatives. Montressor found his chance to take revenge against Fortunato during a carnival. Montressor knew that Fortunato loves wine and other liquor. Montressor made Fortunato believe that they were just going to see an Amontillado but in fact, he is going to lead Fortunato to his death. He led him to the catacombs of the Montressors and there, he buried Fortunato alive with "in pace requiescat" as his last words. Edger Allan Poe was famous for the use of Irony and Symbolism in his stories and this story is one of his masterpiece where he showed his talent. The cask of Amontillado have many Irony and Symbolism in it threw out the whole story. In this paper I am going to discuss about the irony in the story setting, the symbolism which shows the reverse physiology used by Montressor in his speech and other irony and symbolism in the story. The setting of the story have several ironic meaning which describe the faith which Fortunato will face at the end of the story. The story began at dusk which gives an ironic meaning because the beginning of the story marks the end of Fortunato’s life. The...
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...Anxious is the way a person feels before taking a big test or waiting for someone to scare them at a haunted house. The short story “Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe leaves the reader anxious about what may happen. On the celebratory day of Carnival, Montresor leads drunken Fortunato through a dirty catacomb with the promise of giving him the precious wine, amontillado. Fortunato is chained to the wall and trapped in the catacombs by Montresor. He builds a wall of bricks around Fortunato and leaves him to die. Montresor does this because Fortunato has insulted him. The mood of the story is anxiety because the reader has a feeling that something bad is going to happen from the beginning of the story. This story makes the reader anxious by use of irony and the choice of setting....
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...Douglas Horton once said, “While seeking revenge, dig two graves - one for yourself”. Montresor decides to seek revenge from Fortunato in the worst way possible - by death because Fortunato insults his name. When Montresor sought revenge he thought that he was going to get away without a consequence, but he did suffer a consequence, his grave - guilt and regret. In "The Cask of Amontillado,” Poe utilizes situational irony and tone to express the theme that revenge is sometimes a fruitless and damaging experience. For example, Poe uses situational irony to convey Montresor’s feelings about taking revenge on Fortunato. Before Fortunato’s murder, Montresor couldn’t wait to kill him and to get the satisfaction he desires. Just thinking about killing Fortunato made him “smile ... at the thought of [Fortunato’s] ” ultimate death (Poe 61). Leading up to the death, he planned a lot for the murder. He deceives Fortunato and works hard to get him drunk and when Montresor does kill Fortunato he does not feel the satisfaction and fulfillment that he expects. He assumed Fortunato’s death was going to erase any feelings connected to him, but instead he built more feelings from killing him which was the complete opposite of what he wanted. Moreover, Montresor believed that by killing Fortunato he will feel pleased...
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...wrote several critiques of Hawthorne’s work. On a personal level, Poe often disagreed with how often Hawthorne used allegory. As a literary element that many people use, Poe was not a fan. He once stated that: “I allude to the strain of allegory which completely overwhelms the greater number of his subjects, and which in some measure interferes with the direct conduct of absolutely all.” (Poe, 1847) It seems as though Poe regarded Hawthorne’s work as works of allegory. To say that this was the only literary element he employed, however, would be false. Throughout history, authors have endeavoured to master other forms of literary elements, to become the master of those elements, and equal to none in them. By comparing “The Cask of Amontillado” with “Young Goodman Brown”, is to study two masters, at odds with their specific forms of writing, but each a master in his own right. Each story shows how two people that can be so far apart on a scale, can use the same literary elements in similar and different ways without compromising their work as a whole. Foreshadowing Foreshadowing is vital in the world of literature. Foreshadowing is always about being subtle. How can an author slip in a clue or help build a story to a dramatic, yet unforeseen conclusion? Foreshadowing in the hands of a master seems to be a piece of elegance and can be so subtle that the reader wonders how he or she missed...
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...quote I am sure Edgar Allen Poe has herd after reading his short story “The Cask of Amontillado”. “The Cask of Amontillado” is the story of man, Montresor, and his brutal revenge against his former friend, Fortunato, who had insulted him. Poe’s story is riddled with examples of dramatic, verbal and situational irony which highlight the brutal revenge and brings humor into the story. Dramatic irony occurs when the reader knows something that one of the characters does not. Such is the case in “The Cask of Amontillado” as the story begins with Montresor stating “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge”(510). This statement sets up dramatic irony throughout the story as the reader knows Montresor has sworn revenge on Forunato, while Fortunato believes they are still friends. This irony is evident through the whole story as Montresor pretends to be friends luring Fortunato to his cellar where he would eventually trap and kill him. The irony enhances the brutality of the murder as the reader knows throughout Montresor is planning some revenge while Fortunato believes he is going to sample his friends wine. Secondly Poe weaves verbal irony, a statement in which the meaning that a speaker employs is sharply different from the meaning that is ostensibly expressed, throughout to add humor to the story. The story is filled with verbal irony as Montresor is planning on killing Fortunato so almost every word he speaks...
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...Answer the questions: 1) What does cask mean in the story the Cask of Amontillado? A cask is a very small barrel in which wines of high value were stored. Sometimes such wines were too expensive or valuable to come in the larger size barrel so they were stored and sold in smaller ones. It is also a variation of "casket" a container for burying a person. 2) What is ironic about Fortunato's name in 'The Cask of Amontillado'? The name Fortunato can mean fortunate one or simply fortunate. It is ironic because he is about to receive a most unfortunate surprise and meet a most u nfortunate end once Montressor kill’s him. 3) What happened in 'The Cask of Amontillado'? The Cask of Amontillado is a story about how Montresor avenged his anger at Fortunato. His family motto contributes a lot to the whole of the story. Montresor's anger towards Fortunato is not only based on a one time happening, he saved up a lot of things that Fortunato did that provoked his anger. Motresor was like a jar, slowly filling up with anguish and when that anguish overflowed, he decided to take action for his revenge. In the beginning of the story, Motresor described his fleeting anger, his undefined emotion, his wish to be an avenger. He slowly created a plan on somewhat called a perfect crime. Having this "crime" planned, he proceeded to do it. He treated Fortunato with irony. We all know what he's planning yet he used sweet words to lure Fortunato into the catacombs. He devised a plan to...
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...The “Cask of Amontillado” is a gothic tale of revenge and horror, the true genius of which lies in Poe’s abundant use of symbolism and irony. * Symbolism in "The Cask of Amontillado" Fortunato's Outfit: Fortunato's carnival garb is described as follows: "The man wore motley. He had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells." In short, Fortunato is dressed as a fool, a symbolic representation of what he is. The Setting: The "supreme madness of carnival season" represents the supreme madness of the narrator's mind. It is the backdrop of carnival season that lends the story its fantastic nature, a nature trumped only by the madness of Montresor's revenge. The Cask of Amontillado: The word cask, a sturdy cylindrical container for storing liquids, and the word casket have the same root. The Amontillado represents two causes of Fortunato's demise: (1) Fortunato is extremely drunk, more than likely drunk on wine. It is probable that his venturing into the catacombs has little to do with his desire to serve Montresor. Fortunato understands that the trip will produce one of two results--free Amontillado or Montresor's humiliation; (2) Fortunato's passion for good wine leaves him susceptible to flattery, flattery which Montresor provides. Montresor: In French, mon tresor means my treasure. The treasure the narrator possesses is the knowledge of the perfect revenge. The Montresor Family Motto, "Nemo me impune lacessit": Fortunato...
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...An Interpretation of Literature Stephen King, a very successful author of contemporary horror and supernatural fiction books, once said, “The trust of the innocent is the liar’s most useful tool”. The liar is able to take advantage of the innocent due to the exchange of trust. In Edgar Allen Poe’s short story “The Cask of Amontillado,” Montresor yearns to wreak vengeance on Fortunato. Montresor utilizes Fortunato’s trust to get what he wants. In “The Cask of Amontillado,” Edgar Allen Poe parallels King’s theme, through dramatic irony and the climax, that once trust has been gained, the bad qualities in a person are much less noticeable. One way Edgar Allen Poe emphasizes that the establishment of trust masks lunacy through the use of dramatic...
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...February 2013 The Masque of the Red Death vs. The Cask of Amontillado “The Masque of the Red Death” and “The Cask of Amontillado” written by Edgar Allan Poe are somewhat different. The major themes of these stories differ significantly, as does the emphasis placed on each character which dealt more to The Cask of Amontillado” than to “The Masque of the Red Death” Regardless of this, the stories are similar in many ways. For instance, both belong to the literacy of the gothic genre, it shared a small theme, and the characters shared a lot of the same characteristics. Poe known as a great writer how was his overall literary style determined for these two short stories? The similarities of both tales belong to the gothic genre. This is true from large number of features presented in either one or both of the stories. The most prominent were the dreary, damp, and decaying catacombs of the “The Cask of Amontillado” and the dark themes such as death and insanity, which was a consistent presence in both stories, in the forms of madness of Montresor and Prince Prospero and death of Fortunato and Prince Prospero, along with his guest who took shelter from the Red Death in Prospero’s palace. Other features common to the gothic literature of the narratives were mysteries in the shape of the mysterious shrouded figure in “The Masques of the Red Death” and how Montresor would avenge himself against Fortunato in “The Mask of Amontillado” and the fact the setting was in a palace; just like...
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...The Cask of Amontillado Edgar Allan Poe provides suspense using irony, foreshadowing and setting in his book The Cask of Amontillado. To begin, irony creates suspense, “’we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed.’” (163). Montresor is thinking the exact opposite of how he is describing Fortunato. This provides suspense for the reader because they know Montresor is up to something. Next, foreshadowing builds suspense, “’we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed.’” (163). This is a hint that something fearful will happen in the future because Montresor is telling Fortunato that he is not happy and that something will happen to Fortunato in the future. Something will happen in the future because Montresor is clueing in that he will be missed. Lastly, the setting creates suspense, “We had passed through long walls of piled bones, with casks and puncheons intermingling, into the inmost recesses of the catacombs.” (164). This setting could be described as dark and eerie and most people would be disturbed by their surroundings. It is not a usual place anyone would want to be and provides suspense to the reader. In conclusion, irony, foreshadowing and setting are being used in the book to provide suspense to the reader. In order to be a suspenseful writer, one must use these elements of...
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...The Cask of Amontillado by: Edgar Allan Poe In The Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allen Poe manipulates the story to be the way he wants it to be by using the point of view of the narrator, the setting, and a common monotonous sentiment throughout the story. Poe is successful in maintaining a spirit of perverseness. The point of view plays a very important role in influencing the reader's perception of the story. The first line of the story is a good example of how the narrator attempts to bring the reader to his side, right from the start. “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge” (101). Montresor, the narrator of the story, immediately tries to win the reader to his side, by telling him/her that Fortunato has “ventured upon insult,” and apparently crossed the line. This attempt is clever, but the reader never gets a sense of what Fortunato has actually done to the narrator, or whether Montresor is creating it in his own mind. The point of view of the story can also affect the emotional attachment that the reader gets, or fails to get, in this case, for a given character. When a reader is involved in a story, the point of view from where the story is being told is crucial to the feelings the reader has. In this story, Montresor dominates the progression of the story in every regard. This being the case, it is difficult for the reader to develop a liking for another character, unless Montresor...
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...story “The Cask of Amontillado” revolves around the vengeful Montresor, who after being insulted by his friend Fortunato one too many times, decides to retaliate. He does so by manipulating Fortunato into following him deep into his underground vaults in order to trap and entomb behind a wall of quickly placed cement. At first glance, this story reads as a straightforward, disturbing tale of revenge. However, when looking deeper at the actions of the character and the ironic undertones of the story, the theme of pride becomes very apparent. In “The Cask of Amontillado” Poe displays how a person’s pride can lead to their ultimate downfall. “The Cask of Amontillado” is shrouded in dramatic and verbal irony. Tension build as the reader, knowing that Montresor is full of bad intention, has no choice but to sit and watch Fortunato’s fate unfold. Throughout the story Montresor, feigning concern for Fortunato’s health,...
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...Examine some of the ways Poe presents horror in ‘The Cask of Amontillado’. Poe presents horror extremely vividly in ‘The Cask of Amontillado’, in variety of ways. One of the ways he does this is through using words such as ‘...revenge...’ This sets a very spooky and unsettling atmosphere right at the beginning of the story, telling readers it will be full of horror. Another way Poe presents horror is through describing how Montresor wants to ‘…punish with impurity.’ This creates an intense feeling of fear and doom, telling us that he has an evil plot in his mind and the worst is yet to happen. The setting also presents horror in ‘The Cask of Amontillado. The fact that it is ‘...dusk...’ adds to the darkness of his intentions and thoughts. It also creates a feeling of fear and suspense as anything could happen in the darkness. Poe presents horror in ‘The Cask of Amontillado’ by describing how Montresor’s smile ‘…now was at the thought of his immolation…’ which again lets us into his evil plans and shows us how insincere and conniving his thoughts are. When Montresor refers to Fortunato as ‘My dear fortunato..’ it indeed presents horror as we know he isn’t sincere at all and it is false kindness, which creates an intense feeling of suspense, of what he is going to do to him for his revenge. There is a sense of irony used here which also presents horror when Montresor states ‘…I was fearful of losing a bargain.’ This is ironic as it is Fortunato that should be fearful and...
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...Critical Essay: Elements of Literature in Poe’s “Cask of Amontillado” Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” Is a well written shorty story filled with many significant literary elements. Firstly we will write about the plot, the overall summary of the story, and the main themes, the central ideas of this tale. The plot of "The Cask of Amontillado" is a great account of vengeance. The assassin promises “revenge” upon Fortunato for an “insult.” The main theme revolves around the assassin plans to pursue vengeance in support of his family motto: "Nemo me impune lacessit. This means “no one cuts (attacks) me with impunity.” On the coat of arms of his family, which bears this motto, looks "a huge human foot d'or, in a field of azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are embedded in the heel.” Thus reflects the theme of vengeance because the assassin’s plan of revenge on Fortunato for an insult. Secondly we have characterization, the personalities of the characters of the characters produced. The true focus lies upon the assassin, the wicked Montresor. Montresor is an evil man who is happy at his chance to murder. The costume that Fortunato donned on the night of his murder was that of a jester, while appropriate...
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