The Cask of Amontillado Free Essays

Literary Devices â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† by Edgar Allen Poe is a great example of usage of literary devices. Literary devices help the author portray his point. Readers use these devices to analyze and interpret the story. We will write a custom essay sample on The Cask of Amontillado or any similar topic only for you Order Now The use of a literary device provides a punch to the story and gets the reader’s full attention. Literary devices help express a particular idea in a meaningful way. Poe uses irony, symbolism, and foreshadowing to enhance the mind of readers. Irony is usually defined as the difference between what is said and what is really meant. Poe uses extensive irony throughout the story. James Gargano suggests that Poe’s tale presents an ironic vision of the two men. They are surrogates of mankind who enter upon a venture that really exposes their psychological isolation. An example of irony early in the story can be seen when Montresor says, â€Å"My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met† (Poe 2). The irony here is Montresor planned to meet him at the carnival and Fortunato does not know he is not really luckily met. Montresor’s plans are to murder him. Another use of irony is Fortunato’s clothes. Fortunato is known to be a man who is â€Å"rich, respected, and admired† (Poe 3). His clothes are representative of a clown or jester, not the up-standing man he portrays himself to be. James Gargano also states that Montresor, the stalker of Fortunato, is both a compulsive and pursued man; for in committing a flawless crime against another human being, he really commits the worst of crimes against himself. Another way Poe uses literary devices is his use of symbolism. Montresor’s family motto is, â€Å"Nemo me impune lacessit,† means, â€Å"No one insults me with impunity† (Poe 4). The motto suggests that they tolerate no insult and will punish anyone who does so. The punishment is symbolic of Montrsor’s ultimate intention. Also, the use of the Amontillado is a sign of symbolism. The Amontillado is basically the bait. Montresor knows Fortunato takes pride in his knowledge of wine. Montresor says â€Å"I was silly enough to pay the full Amontillado price without consulting you in the matter† (Poe 2). Montresor knows Fortunato’s weakness and uses his knowledge of wine to his advantage. Another use of symbolism is the carnival. The lights sound, and people that surround the carnival make the atmosphere a mad house. The carnival atomsphere is symbolic of the mind frame of Montresor. He is a mad man out solely for revenge. The name Montresor is another use of symbolism. In French Montresor means â€Å"My Treasure. † The crime Montresor plans to commit is his treasure. It almost seems he takes much pride in his plans. The name Fortunato means â€Å"Fortunate. † As we all know, Fortunato is far from fortunate. He fell into the hands of the man who controls his life, and his life is eventually taken from him. Poe also uses foreshadowing in the story. Foreshadowing is when an element in a story is used to suggest that an event will occur. Foreshadowing can be seen in the title, â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado. â€Å"Cask† is known to stand for casket, which refers to where a person lies after he/she pass. In the end of the story, Fortunato is buried alive. Another foreshadowing event occurs in the opening statement â€Å"The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge† (Poe 1) . Montressor let the readers know the entire plot of the story basically. This statement foreshadows the death of Fortunato. Also, a foreshadowing event occurs when Fortunato starts coughing and states, â€Å"The cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough. â€Å"True-true,† replied Montresor (Poe 3). Montresor reveals early on that Fortunato has a weak point for wine. Montresor using his knowledge of Fortuanto’s love for wine is a example of foreshadowing. Literary devices in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† help readers get a better understanding of important facts. The plot, characters, themes, and conclusion are just some of the main points literary devices reveal. Knowing how to read the story, while understanding the literary devices is important. Poe did a remarkable job at providing readers with different ways to understand and interpret irony, symbolism, and foreshadowing. Works Cited Gargano, James W. â€Å"’ The Cask of Amontillado’: A Masquerade of Motive and Identity† Studies in Short Fiction, Vol, IV, No-2, Winter, 1967 119-26. Rpt. In Short Story Criticism. Ed. Anna Sheets Nesbitt. Vol 35. Gale Group, Detroit: 2000, 311-314. Print. Gargano, James. â€Å"Delusion in the Story. † â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado. † Philadelphia; Chelsea House Publishing, 1998. Blooms Literary Reference Online. Facts on File Inc. Web. 5 March 2013. http://www. fofweb. com Poe, Edgar Allen. â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado. † 40 Short Stories: A Portable Anthology. Ed. Beverly Lawn. 4Th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2013 14-20. Print How to cite The Cask of Amontillado, Essay examples The Cask of Amontillado Free Essays Irony Analysis of â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† by Edgar Allan Poe, the main character named Montresor is set out for revenge. Montresor’s only concern is to get revenge on the man who has wronged him named Fortuanto. Montresor never states why Fortunato deserves to be punished. We will write a custom essay sample on The Cask of Amontillado or any similar topic only for you Order Now The only statement Montresor makes is that Fortunato â€Å"causes him a thousand injuries† until â€Å"venturing upon insult. † (Poe, Online) Montresor plans to take out his revenge by burying Fortunato alive. Montresor carries out each detail while he smiles at his victim. Montresor doesn’t smile at the thought of Fortunato’s â€Å"immolation† but because of viciousness. (Sweet Jr. Online) Montresor smiles because he believes the sacrifice of Fortunato will bring him a great reward. Fortunato is ironically the â€Å"mirror self† of Montresor (Sweet Jr. Online). Montresor’s desire to bury Fortunato alive â€Å"paints the psychological portrait of repression† (Sweet Jr. Online). The burial of Fortunato represses Montresor’s evil nature and puts him at peace. In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† Edgar Allan Poe uses irony to develop his theme of seeking salvation through repression. Poe uses Fortunato’s name ironically to symbolize one personality between Montresor and Fortunato. Though Fortunato means â€Å"the fortunate one† in Italian, Fortuanto meets an unfortunate fate as the victim Montresor’s overall revenge plot. (Stott, Online) Therefore, the Fortunato side of Montresor symbolizes fortune. Montresor’s desire is to repress Fortunato. Since â€Å"the love of money is the root of all evils,† a fortune would â€Å"plunge a man into ruin and destruction† (1Timothy 6:9-10). The Fortunato side of Montresor’s personality wants to have wealth. The wealth Fortunato receives makes him both respected and feared. (Poe, Online) By having wealth, Fortunato causes Montresor â€Å"a thousand injuries†(Poe, Online). When Fortunato’s wealth gains the fear of others, he â€Å"ventures upon insulting God† (Poe, Online). When a â€Å"man seeks greed for gain, he curses and renounces the Lord† (Psalms 10:3). Montresor needs to repress Fortunato to protect his soul from damnation. (Stott, Online) The only way Montresor can protect himself is to get rid of Fortunato. Montresor can repress the aspect of his personality which insults God by burying Fortunato alive. Fortunato, ironically despite his name, faces a very unfortunate fate at the hands of Montresor. Montresor’s name translation similar to Fortunato’s in two ways. In French Montresor’s name â€Å"combines the words montrer and sort meaning to show fate† (Clendenning, Online). Montresor shows Fortunato his fate but Fortunato â€Å"receives no utterance to a threat† about his fate. (Poe, Online) When Montresor shows Fortunato his fate of being buried alive it demonstrates that Fortunato’s live burial is an act of repression. The second French translation for Montersor is â€Å"my treasure†. Through punishing Fortunato Montresor believes he can have the treasure of purity and salvation. Fortunato’s dress is ironic for a man with his stature in society. Fortunato is a man with stature who is â€Å"rich, respected, and admired† (Poe, Online). Fortunato wears a â€Å"tight-fitting parti-striped dress, and his head is surmounted by the conical cap and bells† for the carnival. † (Poe, Online). Instead of the cap representing Christ’s crown of thorns, the cap represents Satan’s role as â€Å"Prince of Fools† (Pittman, Online). Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Christians were able to receive salvation. Through Fortunato’s sacrifice, Montresor will seek salvation. Montresor dresses more like a priest for the carnival season. â€Å"Montresor’s black roquelaire symbolizes a priest’s black cope worn during a funeral mass. † (Cooney, Online) Montresor dresses for the occasion that he is going to bury Fortunato. Montresor’s attire suggests that the repression of Fortunato will have an important spiritual reward. Through the repression of Fortunato, Montresor will reach salvation. The carnival setting ironically suggests a time for sin. â€Å"The carnival season consists of the last indulgences in the pleasures of the flesh† (Pittman, Online). Fortunato’s sin of abundantly drinking makes Montresor‘s plan easy to carry out. â€Å"The word carnival can be translated in Italian meaning to put away the flesh which demonstrates symbolic irony of Montresor’s intent for Fortunato† (Clendenning, Online). Montresor can make himself free of sin and worthy of salvation by repressing the sinfulness of Fortunato. The catacombs are an ironic symbol of the way Montresor thinks. The repression begins when Montresor takes Fortunato into his family catacombs with the promise of Amontillado wine. The catacombs are â€Å"lined with human remains† and that suggests generational family troubles (Poe, Online). Fortunato keeps going farther and farther into the catacombs with only his sinful thoughts of being able to drink more wine, not knowing he is moving closer and closer to his fate of being buried alive. The wall symbolizes the finish of the repression of Fortunato. â€Å"Ironically, the wall forms Fortunato’s burial crypt. (Sweet Jr. , Online) Salvation can only happen when sins are repented. Once Fortunato yells â€Å"For the love of God, Montresor! ,† Montresor says â€Å"Yes, . . . for the love of God! † (Poe, Online). Montresor believes that Fortunato’s repression shows his love for God and demonstrates Montresor reaching salvation. The cask symbolizes a confession. Montresor tells the story fifty years later in a confe ssion tone. â€Å"When Montresor says, â€Å"You, who so well know the nature of my soul,† he implies a priest receives his confession† (Sweet Jr. , Online). Montresor believes that Fortunato’s burial was done in good. Montresor has no remorse as he confesses but, he still confesses. â€Å"Montresor’s conscience knows Fortunato’s burial is an evil deed. † (Sweet Jr. , Online) Montresor ends by saying â€Å"In pace requiescat† (Poe, Online). â€Å"Montresor’s prayer suggests that he desires relief from guilt, not forgiveness for a crime† (Sweet Jr. 11). The feeling of salvation Montresor seeks through his confession doesn‘t happen. â€Å"For a confession to receive absolution, the confessor must demonstrate the conviction of remorse. (Sweet Jr. , Online) Montresor is unable to achieve the salvation he seeks through the repression of Fortunato. The Amontillado symbolizes Christ’s blood in communion. Christ’s blood offers the salvation that Montresor seeks. The Amontillado may lead Fortunato to his burial but it symbolizes the salvation Montresor wants to gain through repr ession. Fortunato wants to drink the wine out of pride and lust while Montresor sees the wine as something that brings him the bond of communion and the reward of salvation. Edgar Allan Poe’s uses ironic symbols throughout â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado. † The ironic symbols helped him develop the theme of seeking salvation through repression. Fortunato’s character was able to represent man’s flesh and how people easily give in to the sins of the flesh while Montresor represents how man seeks salvation through acts of repression. Fortunato represents the side of Montresor that should confess but Montresor chooses to bury Fortunato which leads to the failure of his own salvation. How to cite The Cask of Amontillado, Essay examples The Cask of Amontillado Free Essays The Cask of Amontillado† Unexpected Endings In â€Å"The Cask Of Amontillado† there are several themes shown throughout the short story. There are only two main characters in the story, and each shows their way of betrayal. The entire story is based on betrayal, and lies. We will write a custom essay sample on The Cask of Amontillado or any similar topic only for you Order Now Fortunado is betrayed by Monresor, who in the end, kills this intoxicated man. Montresor was supposedly betrayed by Fortunado, a story of which we are never told. Finally, we as the reader are betrayed by the narrator, because we are given so few details and logic to back up the story. Fortunado, Montresor, and the reader are betrayed throughout the short story, â€Å"The Cask Of Amontillado†. Throughout the story, Montresor betrays Fortunado. He asks Fortunado to come into his catacombs aware that he would be killing him. He taunts Fortunado by asking him if he want to go back, because he is sick. Montresor does so when saying â€Å"‘Come,’ I said, with decision, ‘we will go back; your health is precious†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬  (Poe 535) However, when Fortunado insists he comes to taste the amontillado, he is once again betrayed by Montresor when he drinks more of his wine. He becomes overly intoxicated and once again, is able to be taken advantage of. The entire walk through the catacombs Montresor betrays Fortunado by lying to him and taunting him about being sick. At the end of the story Montresor traps Fortunado by building him into a small shackled space. â€Å"A succession of loud and shrill screams, bursting suddenly from the throat of the chained form, seemed to thrust me back violently† (Poe 536). According to Chad Dyer â€Å"The story is written in the form of confession, its reader learning of Montresour’s vengeful deed fifty years after its execution. † (Dyer). When Montresor kills Fortunando he commits not only a huge crime but a betrayal that is unbelievable to most people. Furtunado is a simpler, less obvious betrayer. He is mentioned in the very beginning cause a â€Å"thousand injuries† (Poe 533) causing Montresor to â€Å"vow upon revenge† (Poe 533). Despite all the wrongdoing of Montresor, Fotunado was the beginning, and cause of it all. â€Å"It must be understood, that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunado cause to doubt my good will† (Poe 533). As the editorial team on Shmoop claims, â€Å"Fortunado betrays himself by not paying enough attention to his surroundings†. Shmoop Editorial Team). Fortunado was so severely intoxicated he didn’t stop to notice the dead bodies surrounding him in the catacombs, not the fact that he was with a man he has never been friendly with. He allowed himself to continually drink from the wine his enemy was providing without even the thought that it could be deadly. In the beginning of the story, Montresor tells us â€Å"The thousand injuries of Furtunado I had borne as best I could†¦ † (Poe 533) We however are never given any type of proof of what Fortunado had done to hurt Montrsor as much as he claims. We are never given an explanation, or even a slight clue of the wrongdoing Fortunado had caused. This leaves one to suggest that maybe the narrator was telling us a complete lie. The story was written to keep us guessing. Throughout the entire walk through the catacombs, we had no clue what they were truly walking through. We were given vague descriptions of the bodies lining the walls. When he describes building the brick wall to trap Furtunado, he describes it in a very undetailed description. Montresor shows betrayal, as well as Fortunado, and the narrator. This proves it to be a common theme throughout the story. It is shown through Montresor when he betrays Fortunado multiple times. When he kills Fortunado, he lies to him throughout the story, and plans to kill him before he even agrees to drink wine with him. Fortunado’s betrayal, although never explained, is the beginning of all the betrayal throughout the story. He has hurt Montresor in a way so badly Montresor feels his only escape it to kill Fortunado. As the reader were betrayed throughout the entire story. We are told multiple things throughout the story, but nothing is ever proven. We have to assume the narrator is telling us the truth. The theme betrayal is shown dramatically through Poe’s eyes. Works Cited Dyer, Chad M. Edgar Allen Poes The Cask Of Amontillado. Diss. Ball State, 1992. N. p. : n. p. , n. d. Web. lt;https://cardinalscholar. bsu. edu/bitstream/handle/190175/1/D94_1991DyerChadM. pdfgt;. Poe, Edgar A. The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003. Print. Riggs, Kait. How to cite The Cask of Amontillado, Papers