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Research Paper on "The Cask of Amontillado"

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Research Paper on "The Cask of Amontillado"
Pedro Pileta 10/16/2014 Research Paper on “The Cask of Amontillado”
"The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe is an enchanting work that allows readers to witness the premeditated murder deep in the catacombs alongside the great tense added by the great horror writer Poe. This is primordially due to the tragic events of his life that influenced his works, such as the death of his loved ones and the abuse received by his foster father, reflecting senses of irony, tragedy, and horror in his stories. “Since personal tragedy was a recurring theme in Edgar Allan Poe’s life, his work reflected the darkness instilled by such continuous sorrow.” (Jordan). The irony Poe skillfully employed, often dominant in his works, dominates the story from the introduction of the characters to the bone chilling end, revealing that when someone is unable to overlook minor infractions, it can turn into deep hatred.

Told in first person by Montresor, Poe thrusts the reader into a believable tale, though the narrator is not necessarily be reliable or trusted because of his actions. The participant approach by the narrator plunges the reader directly into the story, effectively making it more interesting because the readers feels as though they are in the story rather than reading it. "Montresor tells the story to a presumably appreciative listener, someone capable of relishing its many ironies" (Kishel).

Poe instantly develops the characters. Montresor is the antagonist. He is round and static throughout the development of the story. He is arrogant and does not feel sorry for his actions, the opposite, he is extremely satisfied with what he has done. The reader gets the sense that Montresor simply applies what he believes is justice upon Fortunato. Fortunato is the protagonist, and never sees what is coming until the very end of the story. In comparison to

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