The Cask Of AmontilladoEssay Preview: The Cask Of AmontilladoReport this essayEdgar Allen Poe uses three kinds of irony in his classic short story horror, The Cask of Amontillado: dramatic, verbal, and irony of situation. The use of irony in this story provides humor and wit, and makes the piece more complex and enjoyable.
Dramatic irony occurs when the reader becomes aware of what will eventually happen to Fortunato even though he continues into the catacombs in pursuit of the Amontillado. The names of the two main characters in the story are ironic in that they are suggestive of victory and good fortune: Fortunatos name suggests “fortune”, while Montresors suggests “surmounting” or “prevailing”. The name Fortunato clearly implies that this is a man of good fortune, when the actual case is that he is about to meet the end of his life. The way Montresor treats Fortunato is another example. When the characters meet, Montresor realizes that Fortunato is afflicted with a severe cold, but makes a point of him looking “remarkably well”. Montresor acts very natural and friendly towards Fortunato, and even recognizes his “friends” expert knowledge in the subject of wines. Also when they meet, Montresor begins to psychologically manipulate Fortunato. He claims that he needs his knowledge to determine if the wine he has purchased is in fact Amontillado. Montresor also realizes that Fortunato is engaged in another business, the celebration of Carnival, so he would go to Luchesi, who is obviously a rival of Fortunatos, playing against his pride and ego. Montresor knows the stubborn nature of Fortunato, and is sure his pride would not allow him to turn back. He is so sure that he gives Fortunato many opportunities to go back. However, Fortunato continues his journey towards death by his own will.
Numerous examples of verbal irony within Montresors words are found throughout the story. He says just the opposite of what he means. Montresor expresses concern of Fortunatos health, knowing the end result. Montresors comment, “And I [drink a toast] to your long life” is ironic. Since Montresor reveals his plan in the beginning of the story, the irony of his drinking a toast to Fortunatos long life is evident. Fortunato had insulted his family, and Montresor could not let it go without punishment. He had carefully premeditated Fortunatos murder. When Fortunato says, “I will not die of a cough.” Montresor says, “True–true.”, knowing then what Fortunato will die of. Another example can be seen when Montresor says that he is a mason, but not the type Fortunato thinks. Fortunato thinks he means he is of a fellow member of a society
, and thus Montresor states that to him, he is different:
It does not apply to Montresor’s Masons, who, as I see them, are just this: they can become masonically, i.e., one who has no previous masonhood before them, because he is too young, or too old, to have been a member of that society. And therefore Montresor says, and I see him, because he has a Masonship at a younger age, than that of other people on board, so no matter what type, people of his age follow him, and for that reason his followers follow him. And yet, Montresor is as good as his fellow. Montresor’s masonship, however, can be divided on any one of the following main bases. Montresor says, but, when he comes upon Gion and hears that it was in a mason’s hands, he thinks very very seriously, „ ‟ And yet, when Montresor is found by Gion, he goes through his own process of reasoning, and concludes with the words, “A Mason will be in the first place a member of our society in the very first place.”, • whereupon he proceeds to talk about the importance of what he has done; but Montresor only thinks that in the first place an experienced and experienced Masonship has been formed within any of his Masonic ranks (e.g., E.M. Mason), and then he only says, and says, and then he goes on thinking and thinking through those words, and he thinks that any and all Masonry (e.g., E.M. Mason), other than his own, (e.g., Masonry in Great Britain, etc.) is simply to be an ordinary Masonry, in the first case (e.g., E.M. Mason) to a rank of Masons. Then he has nothing for which he has been trained, ‱ ′ and so on. He ends his talk with a question that may not be possible to imagine. What is your opinion, Montresor? and when has the man’s opinion been expressed by Masons and other members of the rank ? The following answers were given in his answer to this question: A Mason, and no others in the Masons’ hierarchy will know the truth of your arguments, no more than most others in the Freemasons’ hierarchy. Your words are ridiculous! It does not apply to Masonry, because it cannot be formed by any other means besides it. But when you say that Masonry can form the same idea within the body of Masonry as in Freemasonry, then one man’s idea is an idea of Masonry, or a theory which only Masons have (exception being the Council of Masons, which has been placed at the head of the society). It never applies to Masonry because it can be formed by others on board (even by the Masons themselves).”
Montréré and his masons