Preview

The Irony In The Cask Of Amontillado

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
576 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Irony In The Cask Of Amontillado
In the “Cask of Amontillado,” Edgar Allen Poe uses irony in setting to foreshadow the downfall of Fortunato. Poe uses the term cask in the title, but little do the readers know cask has a completely different meaning. Throughout the story, verbal irony is shown when Montresor uses different words and phrases that have other implications. Even Fortunato’s name and attire foreshadowed his untimely death. Looking at the title of this story Poe’s irony starts from the beginning. The word Cask is the first thing you read meaning a barrel of wine. However, cask is very similar to casket which would put the title of this story as casket or coffin of Amontillado. Dramatic Irony happens when the reader realizes what will happen to Fortunato despite …show more content…
It’s ironic that his name is Fortunato because he receives the most unfortunate surprise of all. Fortunato in Italian means lucky, but in this story, it just so happens to mean the exact opposite concluding much irony. His costume he has on for the carnival event makes Fortunato’s death a bit more pitiful. He his described to look something like a clown and is wearing a jingle bell hat on his head. Keep in mind, Fortunato is already drunk when Montresor takes him into the catacombs making his plan to kill him that much easier. Fortunato is now all the more eager to follow, less frightened, somewhat murky, and doesn't exactly get what is happening at first. So despite the fact that the festival is much unexpected for the morbid story to unfold at, it goes very much in Montresor's favor for everyone to be occupied celebrating while he takes care of Fortunato. Allowing Montresor to not get caught while bringing Fortunato to his death because there are no witnesses. The irony in the story compresses the mischievous route in which the relationship amongst Montresor and Fortunato is introduced by Poe. Montresor waiting fifty years to come forward with this dark secret is insane perhaps like Poe. He uses dark cleverness in Montresor's discussions with Fortunato, in his indirect suggestion at Fortunato's up and coming homicide, and makes a feeling of irony around death. What at last turns out as its genuine accomplishment

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Another piece of symbolism of foreshadowing in the story is when the character in it named Fortunate which ironically means "fortunate one" in Italian. Is dressed for the carnival their going to as a court jester. “He had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress, and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells.” (Poe). As the court jester costume is used to make a king laugh and fool him. Essentially, Fortunato, the fool, is fooled by Montresor into a tragic death.…

    • 615 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The short story, “The Cask of Amontillado” written by Edgar Allen Poe is about a psychotic man named Montresor who seeks revenge against Fortunato, a man who allegedly committed malice towards him. Poe utilizes verbal irony to establish the story’s events and to create a humorous yet subtle way to show the misfortunes of Fortunato which eventually leads up to his death. For example, “Enough, he said; the cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough” (Poe 241). Fortunato is correct because the cough does not kill him, however his death occurs later in the story because of a totally different reason. This conversation contributes to the story’s mood by adding a bit of humor since readers already know from the beginning…

    • 303 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The short story, “The Cask of Amontillado,” is weighted down with a great amount of irony. Edgar Allen Poe uses multiple types of irony throughout the story, “The Cask of Amontillado.” Irony can be seen in multiple form such dramatic, situational and verbal irony all through this story. Poe uses these types of irony in order to build anticipation and suspense during the story. He also uses these types of irony in order to build a sense of humor within the horror. Irony is a very influential characteristics Poe uses to help the reader to stay entertained throughout this short story. Situational irony is one of the major types of irony Poe uses.…

    • 390 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    There is a lot of dramatic irony. Dramatic irony is when the reader knows something the character does not. Well montresor want to kill fortunato & fortunato doesn't know this. Montresor wants to kill fortunato because fortunato insulted montresor. Montresor has created two elements of dramatic irony here. On one hand, we understand that Fortunato, because of the unidentified "insult," has been fooled into believing that Montresor has not been offended by Fortunato's action. Also Montresor appears unaware that he has disclosed a serious character flaw. He appears to the reader as a man consumed by hatred and whose nature is deceitful--he smiles in the face of his friend even tho he is planning to destroy him. Verbal and dramatic irony combine again when Montresor "broke and reached him [Fortunato] a flagon of De Grave," which Fortunato drinks until it's gone. Poe is, of course, playing with words--the wine has a name that can be translated as "of the grave," another instance of verbal irony but, more important, another signal to the reader that Fortunato is an unaware walking dead…

    • 374 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The first, and arguably the most abundant, use of irony in “The Cask of Amontillado” is verbal irony. Verbal irony is when a character says one thing but means another, or uses words to convey a meaning that is opposite of their literal meaning. When Montresor first greets Fortunado in the streets of the Carnival festival, he says, “My dear Fortunado, you are luckily met.” (5) In…

    • 955 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Also, he is clever when he tricks Fortunato into accompanying him down into the taste the wine, and when he plan to take revenge on Fortunato. He made perfect plan to murdered Fortunato by making him “Drunk more win than was good for him” (page 69). Another personality was heartless, “will not they be a waiting us at the palazzo, the lady Fortunato and the rest let us gone, yes, I said; let us be gone For the Love of God, Montresor There came forth only the jingling of the Bells” (page 72). He listens to the begging of Fortunato to be let go, but he ignores him. Also, he keeps him from pushing in the final brick and sending Fortunato to…

    • 451 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Fortunato, was a respected and feared man but even he had a weakness. He was a drunk who enjoyed his wine way too much. Montresor took this weakness to his advantage knowing that Fortunato would have clouded judgement and would not be thinking clearly. When he found Fortunato drunk he shook his hand and acted like everything was okay. Montresor made it look like it was a coincidence that they had bumped into each other. He even casually mentioned the pipe of amontillado…

    • 726 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “The Cask of Amontillado” is a short story about the narrator, Montressor, trying to get revenge for an unknown reason towards a man named Fortunado. Irony is used throughout the story to support the idea of Montressor’s revenge on Fortunado. Poe uses dramatic irony for Montressor’s revenge because the readers know how he is trying to get revenge, but Fortunado does not. “The cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough” (Poe 60). This is another ironic event because Fortunado is telling himself he should not die from a cough, but later on, he is killed by the narrator, Montressor. Also, the name “Fortunado” is an ironic name because it means “fortunate”…

    • 442 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Moreover, Poe uses the literary element of irony to ensure readers can understand the theme. This is shown in multiple parts of the story “The Cask of Amontillado”, such as when the text states, “Once more let me implore you to return. No. Is it a sham? Then I must positively leave you.…

    • 1590 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    An element of symbolism is expressed when the story turns its attention to Fortunato’s and Montresor’s clothes. “He [Fortunato] had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress, and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells.” This symbolizes Fortunato’s foolishness in listening to Montresor, and ignoring the growing danger Montresor was leading him into. The symbolism also reveals how Montresor fools Fortunato into venturing deep in the catacombs by getting him drunk. In addition, Montresor uses Fortunato’s…

    • 547 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    it may be possible that the reason he waited that long to tell anyone was for his own safety, but if that is true, there is no reason he should ever tell anyone. while he tells the story, montresor does not inflate the insults that fortunato causes nor does he omit his own lessor misdeeds. montresor does not try to make himself look better because he is not ashamed by his actions. when his story is finished, montresor says a phrase in latin which translates to “rest in peace.” this acts as a final stab at fortunato and shows that montresor shows no remorse for his past actions.…

    • 535 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout the story, Poe uses countless examples of irony to intensify the unsettling mood that he creates. In the beginning of the story, Fortunato encounters Montresor around dusk at a carnival party. Montresor says to him, “‘My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. How remarkably well you are looking to-day!’” (374). The irony of this statement is that Montresor later goes on to kill Fortunato. He says those eerie words to Fortunato knowing that he will not show a glimpse of health in a mere few hours. An additional…

    • 819 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Cask Of Amontillado

    • 2300 Words
    • 10 Pages

    Edgar Allan Poe writes with a unique grotesque inventive style. Poe also includes a superb plot construction which hooks the reader at the very start because he sets up a situation which the fills the reader with anticipation to see what develops. In the first line of the story The Cask Of Amontillado(1846), he says, "...but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge." The first three paragraphs develops Montresor's thinking and planning of what he intends to do to Fortunato. He informs the reader of many bits of information which develops Montresor's plan, but in reality, the…

    • 2300 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The dramatic irony is when Fortunato, is not aware of his own actions. Montresor entertains himself and the reader as he leads Fortunato into his trap. The setting of the story is ironic, in that Montresor has chosen the cheerful carnival season to facilitate his murder because no one will be around to witness. As they drink the Medoc, Fortunato drinks to the dead and buried, not understanding that he is about to be amongst them, and Montresor amusingly drinks to Fortunato's health. Nonetheless the end of the story reveals Montresor to be both villainous and intelligent. He implies to Fortunato, he comes from a family with a long tradition of revenge, as he secures Fortunato into the burial ground of his avenging family. White suggests, “from his point of view, he is acting patriotically” (551). The story occurs about fifty years after the incident, implying Montresor was never discovered nor has his opinion of the crime unjustified. Whatley propose, “Judge, executioner, and priest Montresor is too sane and wily to be considered mad. Montresor does not have remorse”…

    • 380 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Sympathy For Fortunato

    • 186 Words
    • 1 Page

    I think that the author expects the reader to make an emotional connection to the story, as in the ending of the story Fortunato pleads Montresor, to help him out and to stop the satire, even though that’s not going to happen. This causes, the reader to feel sympathy, as he feels bad for Fortunato, as he might’ve not been the greatest person, but death is a harsh punishment. As stated from the story “The Cask of Amontillado,” by the author Edgar Allan Poe, “‘Ha! ha! ha! —he! he! he! —a very good joke, indeed —an excellent jest. We will have many a rich laugh about it at the palazzo —he! he! he! —over our wine —he! he! he! (Line 60).’” In addition to that, as Fortunato doesn’t respond back to Montresor, they also feel sad, as they know that…

    • 186 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays