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Character analysis Montresor the cask of amontillado
Themes in edgar allan poes writing
Literary analysis of “the cask of amontillado”
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The short story, “The Cask of Amontillado” written by Edgar Allan Poe is about a man named Montresor who is seeking revenge after allegedly being insulted by Fortunato. The revenge Montresor is seeking is death, and after planning for some time, he decided the best time to kill Fortunato would be during carnival time. While Fortunato was in a jester costume and intoxicated Montresor informs Fortunato that he was on his way to ask Lucchesi, a fool who knew nothing about wine, to check if the shipment of Amontillado was indeed Amontillado wine. Montresor told this to Fortunato this because he knew he would get jealous and volunteer to test the wine. Montresor then leads Fortunato to his catacombs and kills him. Poe uses the literary techniques of dramatic and situational irony to demonstrate that Montresor was a malicious person who found Fortunato's pain humorous.
First off, the use of dramatic irony in the story allows the readers to recognize Montresor as a malevolent person who finds Fortunato's pain humorous. As Fortunato starts coughing Montresor suggests, "You will be ill, and I cannot be responsible you are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy as once I was. You are a man to be missed. For me, it is no matter.
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We will go back" ( Poe 176). When Montresor tells this to Fortunato, dramatic irony is presented because the readers and Montresor are aware of Montresor's plan for revenge that awaits Fortunato when they enter the catacombs, but Fortunato is clueless. Poe's use of dramatic irony is important because it allows the readers to identify Montresor as a malevolent person who enjoys seeing Fortunato in pain. Poe uses dramatic irony in the short story to identify Montresor as a malicious person with dark humor. Furthermore, Poe’s use of dramatic irony demonstrates Montresor was a malevolent person. After being told by Montresor that they should return because his health was in danger, Fortunato responds, “The cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough”( Poe 176). This quote demonstrates dramatic irony because Fortunato is unaware of being lead to his death and but the readers are aware of his upcoming death. Poe's use of dramatic irony is essential because it helps the readers recognize how clueless Fortunato is about his death and how much Montresor enjoys his cluelessness. Poe’s use of dramatic irony throughout the story allows the readers to identify that Montresor was a malevolent person who had a dark humor. In addition, symbolism is used in the story so that the readers can identify Montresor as a malevolent person who finds humor in Fortunato's pain.
While at the carnival Montresor lays eyes on Fortunato who, “[H]ad on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress, and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells” (Poe 174). This passage demonstrates symbolism because Montresor is about to make a fool of Fortunato, and Fortunato unaware of this is in the costume of a fool. The use of symbolism is important because it allows the reader to recognize that Fortunato will be a fool and Montresor will kill him while he the costume of a fool. Poe’s use of symbolism allows the readers to identify Montresor as a malevolent person who has a dark
humor. Ultimately, Poe’s uses the literary techniques of dramatic and symbolism throughout the story. Poe's use of these literary devices allows the readers recognize Montresor was a malevolent person who found Fortunato’s pain humorous. Montresor was a malevolent person because a benevolent person who not enjoy neither less find humor in someone else's pain. By allowing the readers to recognize Montresor as a malevolent person the story, Poe creates a story full of tension.
In the story “The Cask of Amontillado”, the author uses lots of verbal irony to emphasize the evil intentions of Montresor.One of the examples of verbal irony in the story that he uses is “The cough’s a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough.” and “true--true, I replied.” The effect of this irony is it that Montresor already knows how Fortunato will die.Another example of verbal irony used in the story was when they did a toast to each other. “I drink”, he said, to the buried that repose around us.”
He gives very little information about Fortunato, past that he is a wine connoisseur. There is no mention of what Fortunato does for leisure, his family, or even his job. In fact, the only details the reader receives on Fortunato paint him as a fool, with his costume, his drunken attitude, and obliviousness Montresor is focuses on the facts that make Fortunato look bad; he not only wants Fortunato dead but he also wants Fortunato’s name discredited. Montresor tells the reader even less about himself because there is no background to who Montresor is, what he does, or even what kind of contact he has with Fortunato. The only true details of Montresor that are given must be implied and give a sense of intelligence. In addition, he gives little to no details about the carnival, such as where it was, why the carnival was happening, or even why he chose this particular day to enact his plan. From these details, or lack of details, it seems Montresor doesn’t want his audience to know this information. The audience is supposed to simply look at Fortunato a fool and Montresor a genius, the harbinger of death. The facts such as who these people were, the time, or the setting are not important to Montresor’s focus in the
Yet, Fortunato decides to wear a “tight- fitting parti-striped dress, and his head [is] surmounted by the conical cap and bells” for the carnival season (Baym ). In comparison, Montresor is darkly dressed as a priest giving a funeral mass.
When they arrive at the Montresor estate, Montresor leads Fortunato down the stairs into the catacombs. Down here is where the Amontillado Fortunato is going to taste and where the revenge of Montresor is going to take place. As he get closer and closer, the narrator opens up more and more to how he is going to kill his "friend". It sound like it is a premeditated murder. Montresor seems so inconspicuous that he acts like he cares about Fortunato which is still a part of his plan.
Montresor explains to Fortunato that he is of the masons. Fortunato asks Montresor for a sign of being a mason. This is an example of dramatic irony because even though the reader knows the truth behind the story, Fortunato does not. In the passage Poe states, “It is this, I answered, producing a towel from beneath the folds of my roquelaure.” (pg. 239). Poe also states in the passage, “You are not of the masons.” (pg. 239). Montresor is trying to put himself on the same level of Fortunato, which Fortunato does not ever let him, and that causes part of the feud that Montresor has for Fortunato. Another example of dramatic irony is Fortunato develops a cough and has become sick which leads him to believe that is what he will die from. This is dramatic irony because the reader fully knows that Fortunato is going to die, but because of a cough. It states in the passage, “the cough is a mere nothing; it will not kiss me. I shall not die of a cough.” (pg. 238). Montresor leads on Fortunato by stating, “we will go back; your health is precious.” (pg. 238). Montresor shows Fortunato that he cares about his health when in reality he wants him dead. Fortunato has no idea that he is going to end up dead, but the reader is fully aware of what is going to happen to
Anything not taken in moderation can be damaging. In one of Edgar Allen Poe's best-known tales of horror, "The Cask of Amontillado," he suggests that pride can be a very dangerous thing, when one is overwhelmed with it. Through the use of foreshadowing, irony, and symbolism, Poe presents a horrific drama of two men. One who will stop at nothing to get the revenge that he deems himself and his family worthy of, and another who's pride will ultimately be the fall of his own death. Fortunato falls prey to Montressor's plans because he is so proud of his connoisseurship of wine, and it is for the sake of his own pride that Montressor takes revenge on Fortunato. Poe utilizes the theme of pride and many other literary techniques such as foreshadowing, revenge, and irony, in order to create a horrific and suspenseful masterpiece.
Edgar Allen Poe uses irony and poetic justice all throughout “The Cask of the Amontillado”. The places where irony and poetic justice hold the most significance are the scenes where, Montresor speaks of the wronging done to him by Fortunato, where Montresor and fortunato speak of the coat of arms, and where at the very end when Montresor traps Fortunato in the catacombs and leaves him to die. These scenes clearly show the use of these two tools that Poe used to tell the story of Montresor and
The major theme in the story is the deep hatred buried within the outwardly congenial Montresor. This makes it vital that the story be told with Montresor's thoughts known to the reader. The tale simply would not work if it were told from Fortunato's point of view, or from a dramatic/objective angle. An omniscient view would function, but by knowing only Montresor's thoughts the reader develops a trust in him, and this causes the story's theme to have a more personal effect on the reader.
In summary Edgar Alan Poe uses “The Cask of Amontillado” as a story to show pride as both a motivator and as a way to achieve revenge. The story starts by telling us that Fortunato has hurt and insulted Montresor so he feels he must get revenge. He then meets Fortunato, who is dressed in jesters’ clothes for a carnival celebration. This makes Montresor more eager to invoke revenge. Montresor feels that the carnival is giving Fortunato too much enjoyment from life and needs to make Fortunato feel like he is not as important as himself which shows that both men are struggling for dominance and personal pride. Montresor then mentions that he has a barrel of “Amontillado” which is in his catacomb underneath the house. Fortunato is a wine enthusiast and wants to go and taste it because he believes he has the best knowledge of wine which shows his pri...
In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado,” Montresor sets out on a vengeful mission that will end Fortunato’s life in an untimely fate. Montresor appeals to Fortunato’s love for wine to tempt the unsuspecting fellow to his impending doom. While Montresor tricks the foolish Fortunato frightfully, it is ultimately Fortunato’s pride that leads to his demise in the crypt. Poe uses several literary devices to foreshadow this murderous exploit of Montresor. Through the use of irony, symbolism, and imagery, the story entices readers to delve into the relationships and differences between Montresor and Fortunato.
To me this clearly is a hint that Montresor is already fed up by Fortunato’s insults and injuries, and clearly is going to seek his revenge later on the story. My second pick will be when Fortunato says "the cough 's a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough”, to which Montresor answers “True, true” (Poe). By saying this Montresor also gives us clue of the fact that there is a plan coming to Fortunato’s
“The Cask of Amontillado” starts out with the narrator, later discovered to be Montresor, positioning himself as a victim of Fortunato. In the opening line, he states, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could” (714). Instantaneously one feels sympathetic towards a person that has withstood a thousand inflictions. Montresor goes on to tell a parable of sorts about vengeance, and “when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong” (715) he has lost. In this instance Poe has set Montresor apart from being at the least an unsuspecting
Montresor actually makes a comment to Fortunato, along the lines of his name. "My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met." This story is what I call dramatic irony. As I previously stated, the readers understand what is going on even when the character does not. Foreshadowing. Another huge literary element. Cask, the first major word in the title of the story, similarly, it almost sounds like casket. Montresor tells Fortunato about the pipe of Amontillado, he has recently purchased. Fortunato 's reply, "How? Amontillado? A pipe? In the middle of a carnival?" The response isn 't necessarily directed at Montresor, as he believed. It was directed towards the fact that wine had been bought while they were in the middle of a carnival. Montresor smiles, all the while he holds thoughts of deception and hatred. He make it seem that Fortunato will have to follow him to prove he is a better option than Luchresi. A man who apparently can 't tell his wines apart. Montresor, has not care for Fortunato, or his health. Yet, he pretends to persuade him to turn back due to a cough. Fortunato denied his request. Fortunato is not aware of anything that is happening to him, because to him Montresor is a friend. Someone who would never hurt him, much less murder
Montresor meets his fake friend Fortunato and tells him about amontillado. Montresor had probably been humiliated or embarrassed by this jest, because he is angered once he lays eyes on him from a distance. Fortunato was wearing a jester outfit which makes him seem that he is not meant to be taken seriously. Once met he then manipulate Fortunato into following him into the catacombs of the montresor’s. Once in the catacomb, Montresor then precedes to tell Fortunato about his cough. Trying to lead Fortunato into thinking that he deeply cares about his health, but Fortunato not wanting Luchresi to come along he keep moving forward. While walking
Edgar Allan Poe is a famous writer in writing detective stories and horror stories. One of his horror stories, “The Cask of Amontillado” was talking about how a man took his revenge to his friend. However, to look deeply in this story, I found that this story was not just simply a horror tale about how a man gets his revenge in the safest way. Instead, it also demonstrates much irony in several areas: the title, the event, the season, the costume, the environment, the characters’ personalities, a man’s dignity and cockiness and at the end, the public order. he are