The Casket Of Amontillado . Edgar Allan Poe’S “The Cask

The Casket of Amontillado Edgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† is a short story illustrating how pride leads to the downfall of two men. At the story’s heart is the tale of Montresor, the protagonist, getting revenge on a former friend, Fortunato. Poe’s characterization of Montresor shows a sinister, proud man, obsessed not only with his revenge but also not getting punished himself. â€Å"It must be a perfect revenge, one in which Fortunato will know fully what is happening to him and in which Montresor will be forever undetected† (Morsberger 334). Poe’s portrayal of Montresor and his revenge depends mainly on his use of three artistic tools: a first-person narrative, dramatic irony, and symbolism. A brief examination of these three†¦show more content†¦At the carnival, when Montresor meets Fortunato and tells him about the amontillado, he states, â€Å"As you are engaged, I am on my way to Luchresi,† referring to Fortunato being inebriated. Fortunato insists that, â€Å"Luchresi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry† (Poe 361). â€Å"Knowing his victim’s vanity, Montresor baits him by saying that some fools argue that Luchresi’s taste is as fine as Fortunato’s† (Morsberger 334). The use of the first-person narrative lets Poe change how readers view the characters. By telling the story through Montresor’s point of view, readers never get the chance to hear Fortunato’s side of the story, meaning one never discovers if Fortunato truly wronged Montresor. This prevents the reader from having sympathy for either character. Charles May says, â€Å"The reader has no way of knowing what these ‘thousand injuries’ and the mysterious insult are and thus can make no judgement about whether Montresor’s revenge is justifiable† (qtd. in Baraban para. 6). Third, and perhaps most importantly, the first-person point of view lets the rea der know ahead of time about Montresor’s plan for revenge, setting up the use of irony in the story. A second tool Poe used in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† is dramatic irony. Poe used irony multiple times in this story, largely due to using the first-person narrator. A â€Å"major plot dynamic of Poe’s great story† is â€Å"Montresor’s menacing irony, andShow MoreRelatedFor the Love of God, Poe! Essay1359 Words   |  6 PagesIt is not at all surprising that so many of Edgar Allan Poe’s works explore such themes as death, eyes, the power of the dead over the power of the living, retribution, the human conscience, and especially death and murder. From his disturbingly morbid short story â€Å"The Telltale Heart† to the mysteriously supernatural poem â€Å"The Raven†, Poe’s tales are a direct byproduct of the mayhem experienced in his life, as well as his (arguably) psychologically-tormented mind. Though all of this au thor’s piecesRead MoreEssay about Foreshadowing Fate in Cask Of Amontillado1508 Words   |  7 PagesForeshadowing the Fate in The Cask of Amontillado In Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allan Poe presents a murderous tale of revenge revealed as the confession of a man who murdered another man over fifty years ago because of an insult. During a carnival festival, the murderer led his companion to the catacombs where he buried the man alive. The charter of Montresor lures his victim, Fortunato with the promise of a fine sherry, amontillado. 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The people and hardships that filled Edgar Allan Poe’s life leave their mark on many of his greatest works such as â€Å"The Oblong Box†, â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†, and The Narrative of ArthurRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe Was A Master Of The Literary Elements And1092 Words   |  5 PagesEdgar Allan Poe was a master of the literary elements and used them greatly in all of his works. In the story, â€Å" The Cask of Amontillado,† Poe uses these literary devices to really grab the audience and keep them wanting more. This skillful building of suspense is what makes this story so interesting and easy to keep reading. Poe drops small hints throughout the story in order to give the reader a little glimpse of how the story will come to an exciting end. With all of these elements coming togetherRead MoreThe Cask of Amontialldo1026 Words   |  5 PagesNever Have Too Much Pride The insult had been done, and Montresor was out for revenge on Fortunato. 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Irony can also add intrigue and excitement to the plot of the story. In Edgar Allen Poe’s story, he uses the literary element of irony to add to the plot and influence how the characters are portrayed throughout his story. One of the first examples of irony Poe utilizes in his