In the short story “Cast of Amontillado”, by Edgar Allan Poe, the author emphasizes through the use of irony the idea that revenge can consume an individual. In the text it states that the main character, Montresor, had a desire for revenge. During the night of Carnival, Montresor lures Fortunato into these catacombs by telling him about a certain wine. Fortunato, being a wine enthusiast, takes the bait ultimately leading to detrimental outcomes. Through the use of irony, the reader fully comprehends the evil intentions of Montresor. During the journey, Montresor seemed concerned of the extent of Fortunato’s condition and says, “ ‘We will go back, your health is precious…’ ” (Poe 393). The sudden caring nature of Montresor reveals a sense of suspicion, therefore helping the reader indicate the use of verbal irony. Although he is saying this, in reality he had no intention of turning around and disregarded the fact he was indeed ill. His use of reverse psychology is deceiving and manipulative leading back to the theme that the desire of revenge can become obsessive. …show more content…
As Fortunato is struggling from the harsh nitre he states, “ ‘Enough,’ he said; ‘the cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me, I shall not die of a cough,’ ‘True-true,’ ” (Poe 392). Montresor reassurance that Fortunato will not die of a cough helps prove the fact that Montresor knows he will die, yet tells Fortunato this to eliminate suspicion. The use of verbal irony makes it seem like the cough is inconsequential, when in reality he knows the magnitude of Fortunato’s situation . It also demonstrates how devious Montresor is and how he was willing to lie in order to carry out his plan. Montresor goes to the furthest extremes causing it to ravage his moral virtues and
t Montresor is insane.Such interpretation, however, seems to make certain details in the elaborate structure of the story unnecessary and this, in turn, goes against Poe's approach to composition."¹ rightly states Baraban.In addition,the dialogues including foxy implications help reader making guesses about Montresor's inner man.For instance,when Fortunado asks The Montressors' motto Montresor replies him,"Nemo me impune lacessit" or in translation, "Nobody provokes me without punishment" and with using that expression he reflects his intention in an almost friendly manner.These signals indicates about his insane and untrustworthy nature.It's nearly clear that the protagonist is insane.Besides,psychological occurances have many types and the Montresor's mental illness has the characteristics of obsession.This obsession's degree is so high that it drives him killing the one who insults upon him with a quite extreme method and without hesitation - except from the session in the end that he feels worried for a moment when he becomes aware of the thing he has done.Obsession has the same kinds of motivation argued by criminals in any terrene crime (envy,revenge,prejudice,sadism).In the highest degree of obsession,the person does some actions unconciously to his/her victim during the crisis of mind.After the job is done,he/she doesn't remember anything or remembers it with great regret².The readers watch the portrait of old Montresor confessing his action after half of a
Fortunato,” ‘I should like your opinion. But if you are too busy, I will get Luchesi’s advice. If anyone is a good judge, he is’”(Poe 68). The citation shows Montresor's deceitfulness since he is trying to guilt Fortunato to come with him. By saying he would like Fortunato's advice, it’s guilting Fortunato to come into the catacombs; only a brilliant and deceitful man could come up with this proposal. I can deduce that without Montresor's deviance, he would’ve never been able to trick Fortunato into the catacombs and to his death. Montresor's deceitfulness also fooled Fortunato to help him in carrying out his own death. Montresor tricks Fortunato into drinking for his cough, intoxicating him more and more with each sip. “I do not wish to alarm you-but you should take care of yourself. A drink of this Medoc will defend you from the damp”( Poe 69). This cite reveals how Montresor is tricking Fortunato into killing himself practically, and helping Montresor succeed. I can summarize that Montresor planned from the beginning to fool Fortunato into helping him by
<br>The way the narrator treats his enemy is one of the clearest examples for ironic elements. When the characters meet, Montresor realises that Fortunato is afflicted with a severe cold, nevertheless he makes a point of him looking "remarkably well". Montresor acts in the most natural and friendly way towards the man object of his revenge, and even praises his "friend's" knowledge in the subject of wines. Also upon their meeting, Montresor begins a psychological manipulation of Fortunato. He claims that he needs his knowledge to ascertain that the wine he has purchased is indeed Amontillado. Furthermore, he acknowledges that Fortunato is engaged in another business (i.e.: the celebration of carnival), so he would go to Luchresi, who, one is made to believe, is a competitor of Fortunato's. To these words, Fortunato is forced by his pride to accompany Montresor to the vaults (where the Amontillado is kept), dissipate his doubts and also to prove his higher status than Luchresi as a connoisseur of wine. In fact, during their way down under in the catacombs, the twisted mind of Montresor, dares to give Fortunato the chance to go back, due to the almost unbearable dampness and foulness rampant in the vaults and Fortunato's state of health. The narrator clearly knows about the stubborn nature of Fortunato, and is
Since we do not have suffice information on how Fortunato insulted him, Montresor may be exaggerating on a few parts and wants to be the hero of his own story. This may have led to the reason why Montresor tells his story years later; Guilt built up because the way he was supposed to kill Fortunato did not end up the way he wanted. He is not satisfied because Fortunato did not suffer when he was supposed to be plastered up without food or water in the catacombs for days before his death, yet he died quicker than Montresor expected (par. 89). When a person seeks revenge, they want to savor every part of it and see the person suffer, but not die…quick. Apart from Fortunato not suffering, Montresor was backing up from his own plan to get his revenge. Montresor was slowed down every time he would ask Fortunato if he wanted to go back. Occasionally, Montresor would command Fortunato, “Come, we will go back; your health is precious (par. 35).” According to his own words, Montresor hesitated whether he wanted to go through with his revenge, and that was against one of the three features that he considered essential for it to be a
Some of the irony used on this story can be seen when Montresor asks Fortunato about how he's feeling with the nitre and Montresor warns him by saying "we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, and beloved. You are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed. For me it is no matter. We will go back; you will be ill and I cannot be responsible." This phrases show all the irony necessary for a story to be ironic: first, Montresor saying that Fortunato's health is precious; second, when he says that Fortunato is a man to be missed; but after that, saying that to him it doesn't matter if he dies; and finally, saying that he will not be responsible.
All of these images of the setting and characters come together with the idea of Montresor’s premeditated demise for Fortunado. From the beginning we know that Montresor is upset with Fortuado and he is seeking revenge. With all of Montresor’s comments we see that this is not just talk but a reality. When the two men are discussing turning around due to Fortunado’s cough, Fortunado says, “I shall not die of a cough” which in reply Montresor says “true.” (Poe page 3) This foreshadows the demise of Fortunado, and what Montresor has in mind for him. Another example of this is when they discuss Montresor’s family crest, that his family moto is “Nemo me impune lacessit” (Poe page 3) which means no one attacks me without paying dearly. Along with this statement, is when he tells Fortunado that his family are of the masons, foreshadowing the way he will kill Fortunado.
Throughout analysis of Edger Alan Poe’s short story “The Cask of Amontillado” the readers are able to infer the intentions of the characters through Poe's use of irony. The character Montresor has been insulted by another character, Fortunato. As a result of Fortunato’s insult, Montresor vows to seek revenge on Fortunato by punishing him with impunity during the carnival season. To carry out his plot of revenge, Montresor creates a plan to sneakily rope Fortunato into examining a pipe of Amontillado because Montresor knows Fortunato prides himself on being a wine connoisseur. The Amontillado is supposedly located deep in Montresor's family vault which is where Montresor plans to bury Fortunato alive. Poe implements various examples of verbal irony throughout his story in order for the readers to see Montresor’s devious plan be carried out in a unique way.
Furthermore, Montresor has a talent of being incredibly manipulative, allowing him to pull through with his arrangement to kill Fortunato without any complications along the way. In the text, Montresor blinds Fortunato with kind words of concern when Fortunato seems to fall ill. Montresor states, “ ‘Come,’ I said firmly, ‘we will go back. Your health is precious’ ” (Poe 69). This quote demonstrates how Montresor diverts any suspicious attention away from himself by asking Fortunato if he’s alright. He pretends to care . . . even seems to care, but in reality, he is the cause of Fortunato’s poor state of health due to the excessive amount of wine he has
While everyone, including Montresor’s attendants at home, is busy enjoying the festivities, Fortunato, a wine connoisseur, is lured back to Montresor’s vaults with the deliberate lie that he has recently acquired a cask of Amontillado, which Montresor seduces his friend to taste. Fortunato, astounded by the idea and none the wiser about Montresor’s intended plans, excitedly goes forth, anxious to get a taste of this wine. In the walk through the vaults, in learning that the walls are filled with the dead bodies of Montresor’s family, and also covered with Nitre, Fortunato begins to cough. Montresor asks if he would like to turn around, but Fortunato declines and accepts wine as a suppressant to his cough. Fortunato assures Montresor that a cough will not kill him, and Montresor quickly replies “True-true,” (pg. 168) which proves significant because he already knows that Fortunato will die, but not from a simple cough, but through his own act of cruelty. They continue on, both consuming the wine, which seems to be getting Fortunato drunk and making Montresor more alert, and it’s indicated when Montresor states that “the wine sparkled in his eyes and the bells jingled. My own fancy grew warm with the Medoc” (pg. 168) As they continue further, Fortunato makes a hand gesture of a Mason and when Montresor does not appear to recognize this
In the short story “The Cask of Amontillado,” it deals with how someone can turn a seemingly nice night into a horrible and tragic ending. Montresor lures an inebriated Fortunato to show him a rich wine. But in a twist, Montresor chains him up and suffocates him. It uses an exceptional amount of irony, verbal, situational, and dramatic irony. Edgar Allan Poe, author of “The Cask of Amontillado,” writes using three different variants of irony to create an eerie and suspenseful atmosphere within the plot.
The Cask of Amontillado is about a man named Montresor who believes this other man named Fortunato insulted him. Montresor’s family motto is “no one insults me with impunity”, he feels justified in taking revenge on Fortunato. In the short story by Edgar Allen Poe, there are many examples of irony to convey Montresor’s crime, while using another layer of irony to undermine his revenge.
In the text montresor says”my heart grew sick on account of the dampness of the catacombs”(poe 67). Montresor is saying he feels bad for what he is doing and he feels sick in his heart To where he doesn't want to go through with it. But he thinks to the fact that he has made fun of him. In that case he continued down the catacombs and on with the murder. He thinks he is going to bring justice to himself but he loves the fact that he is taking Fortunato to his death. James F. Cooney says “ He seems to be unaware but the reader is not ,of the gleeful tone of his confession”(Cooney 15 ). At first Montresor acts as though he does not know what he is doing wrong. Suddenly he feels sick and knows he is wrong but thinks to when fortunato mad fun of him and feels no longer
Montresor wanted to inflict harm on Fortunato for the embarrassment he felt. The narrator of the story believes that Fortunato has insulted him many times. Poe states, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.” (Poe, 238). This reveals that because of these insults, Montresor plans to execute his plan for revenge. Moreover, Montresor’s build up hatred towards Fortunato forced him to take this step. The text states, “I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is undressed when retribution overtakes its redresser.” (Poe, 238). Poe uses this quote to clarify that Montresor takes this matter pretty seriously. This seriousness causes him to not forgive Fortunato. Instead of letting his anger go, he nourished it, so his wrath grew. The significant clash in the story is in between Montresor and Fortunato.
I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.” (Poe, 234) By this point in the story, Montresor is clearly planning to kill Fortunato. While to Fortunato he appears friendly and cheerful, he is secretly thinking of ways to murder his friend. Montresor does not want Fortunato to suspect anything, as is shown in the sentence, “It must be understood that neither by word not deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my goodwill.”
One device which Poe uses to explain his point is irony, which he uses to express how playfully sadistic Montresor is. The reader can infer that Montresor clearly has in his mind throughout the story what he plans to do to Fortunato, and the feelings towards his own plan. He is constantly humoring himself with small remarks, which are all ironic to the event which will take place. For example, when Montresor “[produces] a trowel from beneath the folds of [his] roqulaure” (76), he knows