Edgar Allan Poe Is Known As a Master of Terror and Suspense, and These Feelings Prevail

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Montresor’s Ironic Revenge

Edgar Allan Poe is known as a master of terror and suspense, and these feelings prevail in the short story, “The Cask of Amontilado.” Poe utilizes the emotions of the main character, Montressor, to show the theme of revenge between he and Fortunate. Montressor seeks revenge upon Fortunato for an insult that is never revealed to the reader. Throughout the story, Poe focus on the theme of revenge by clever uses of situational, dramatic, and verbal irony that add a twist to the story.

Poe’s use of situational irony, where an actual outcome of a situation is the opposite of what are expected, exists within the setting and the name Fortunato. The author sets the scene “one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season....” (Poe 88). A carnival is a time for celebration but for the fated one, Fortunato, it becomes a celebration of death by Montresor. According to Frank Magill, Montresor takes advantage of Fortunato when he least expects it: “To accomplish it, Montresor waits until carnival season, a time of supreme madness,’ when Fortunato, already half-drunk and costumed as a jester with caps and bells, is particularly vulnerable” (334) In addition to the setting, the reader can see situational irony in Fortunato’s name. The author portrays the character’s name, Fortunato, as someone who feels fortunate, but in actuality, at the end of the story, Fortunato is unfortunate b/c he was killed in the depths of the catacombs (Poe). Montresor tricks Fortunato into believing that he is privileged enough to consume the Amontillado. Bruce Kirkham implies that “Fortunato believes himself to be the ‘fortunate one’ in that he has been selected by Montresor to taste of the rare Spanish sherry” 347. Montresor lures Fortunato away with the implication that Luchesi is the better connoisseur. Because of Fortunato’s pride, he is easily convinced to follow Montresor away from the carnival. Poe utilize situational irony to show the contradictory outcome in the setting and Fortunato’s name.

The reader can see the use of dramatic irony through the narrator’s cunning actions. A vivid example of dramatic irony is illustrated when Montresor produces the trowel. Leading Fortunato farther into the catacombs, the narrator says, It is this, I answered, producing a trowel from beneath the folds of my roguelare” (Poe 90) To Fortunato, the towel represents being a member of the masons. This helps Fortunato feel more at ease with Montresor by having a commonality between the two. Calling the trowel both a “symbol of brotherhood and instrument of death,” Harris indicated the importance by tying all of the pictures together (319). The reader is better able to understand the motive for murder after Fortunato mistakes the trowel as a joke on the idea “mason.” The reader is painfully aware that this “joke” will be used for sinister purposes later in the story. Another example of dramatic irony is the deceitfulness shown by the narrator, Montresor, at the beginning of the story. Montresor shares with the reader, “I continued, as was my want, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation” (Poe 87. Even though Montresor has a friendly disposition toward Fortunato, in reality, he is planning Fortunato death. According to Magill, Montresor takes the reader into his confidence, assuming he or she will approve not only of his revenge but also of the clever and grotesque manner of it, and share his gloating satisfaction” (336) Many readers does not agree with his “gloating satisfaction,” but rather they find Montresor a mentally disturbed individual. As you can see, Poe takes his readers into the mind of a killer. The use of dramatic irony is used to help the readers predict the outcome of the story.

Poe reveals the outcome of the story through a clever use of verbal irony. In the story, Montresor is concerned about Fortunato health. He states, “ ‘We will go back, your health is precious……….I cannot be responsible’ ”(Poe 89). In reality, the reader knows that Montresor is expressing a false concern for Fortunato’s health. Using what kate stewart calls “ironic good will,” Montresor lures Fortunato onward toward the non-existent Amontilado (349). Through Montresor’s crafty words, Fortunato feels he is undoubtedly important to Montresor, but ultimately, Fortunato’s health is of no concern because Montresor plan on murdering him. Similarly, Montressor continues to inquire after Fortunato’s health while they walk deeper into the catacombs. Montresor mentions that Fortunato’s cough is getting worse but Fortunato states, “ ‘the cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough (Poe 89). In truth, Montresor knows “that Fortunato will not die of a cough,” so he deceptively “toasts to his long life,” knowing full well that Fortunato’s life will end in a matter of minutes (Magill 336). Montresor finishes Fortunato off as he buries him alive behind a brick wall. Through the use of verbal irony, the reader can witness the twisted mind of Montresor as everything he states contradict reality.

Poe reveals situational, dramatic, verbal irony as Montresor unleashes his revenge on Fortunato. Poor Fortunato does not realize his fate as Montresor lures him to his death. Poe’s engaging story invites the reader into the mind of a demented killers as Fortunato is left clueless about his destiny.

Works Cited

Harris, Kathryn Montgomery. “Ironic Revenge in Poe’s ‘The Cask of Amontillado.’” Short

Story Criticism 35 Ed. Anna Sheets Nesbitt, Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, 2000. 319-20.

Kirkham, Bruce. “Poe’s Amontillado, One More Time.” Short Story Criticism 35 Ed. Anna

Sheets Nesbitt, Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, 2000. 347.

Magill, Frank N. “The Cask of Amontillado.” Masterplots II: Short Story Series 1 (1986):

334-36.

Poe, Edgar Allan. “The Cask of Amontillado.” Glencoe Literature. New York: Glencoe

McGraw Hill, 2000.

Stewart, Kate. “The Supreme Madness: Revenge and the Bells in ‘The Cask of Amontillado.’”

Short Story Criticism 35 Ed. Anna Sheets Nesbitt, Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group,

2000. 347-50.