Symbolism and Irony Used in Edgar Allan Poes The Cask of...

Edgar Allan Poe uses symbolism and irony in unison throughout â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† to demonstrate Montresor’s villainous intentions. As the narrator, Montresor explains that although a friend named Fortunato has insulted him and deserves to be avenged. However, he has hidden his goal from Fortunato, giving no â€Å"cause to doubt [his] good will.† Montresor, aware of Fortunato’s influence, knows he must â€Å"not only punish, but punish with impunity.† Instead, he lures Fortunato to his grave with the promise of fine wine. The victim’s name, Fortunato, meaning â€Å"fortunate,† is ironic as he proves to be an unsuspecting and quite unfortunate character. Fortunato’s apparel, a motley outfit and bells on his head, ironically portrays the fool Montresor ultimately makes of him in his wicked plan. Upon meeting at the carnival, symbolic of a joyous and lively event, Montresor finds himself gleaming with delight at Fortunato’s intoxication, saying â€Å"my dear Fortunato, you are luckily met.† To this Fortunato assumed friendship and acceptance. Rather, Montresor is merely excited only because he can now accomplish his murderous revenge on his unsuspecting victim. Additionally, the word â€Å"lucky† refers to the meaning of Fortunato’s name, but also ironically to the man’s eventual horrific fate. When the two pushed further into the vaults, Fortunato had reoccurring cough attacks, one of which Montresor warns â€Å"go back; your health is precious. You are respected, admired, beloved; you areShow MoreRelatedThe Theme of Revenge in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† Essay1629 Words   |  7 PagesEdgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† is a frightening and entertaining short story about the severe consequences that result from persistent mockery and an unforgiving heart. Poe’s excellent use of Gothicism within the story sets the perfect tone for a dark and sinister plot of murder to unfold. â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† simply overflows with various themes and other literary elements that result from Poe’s Gothic style of writing. Of these various themes, one that tends to dominant the storyRead MoreThe Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe836 Words   |  3 Pages Symbolism is the use of objects to represent ideas or quali ties in the story. In the story many things are used as symbols such as the actual cask of amontillado, the trowel, the jester costume and the setting in which there is two in the story. Another literary technique used significantly in the story is irony. Irony is the expression of ones meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite. In the short story â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† Montresor a very troubled manRead MoreThe Casket Of Amontillado . Edgar Allan Poe’S â€Å"The Cask1680 Words   |  7 PagesThe 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 whichRead MoreHow The Cask of Amontillado Uses Symbolism and Irony1291 Words   |  6 Pages Often, writers use symbolism to describe an object with more clarity to the reader. It provides additional layers of meaning to a text. Symbolism is not only important in literature but is also important in everyday life. For instance, symbolism is found in colors, objects, and on flowers. For example a rose can represent love and romance. Symbolism is used in literature, movies, and even on street signs. Such as the colors in the street light: red means stop, yellow means slow down, and the greenRead MoreRole of Realism in Edagar Allan Poe ´s The Tell Tale Heart and The Cask of Amortillado1014 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† written by Edgar Allan Poe are dark short stories relevant to murder, revenge, and mystery. Poe writes both stories in a Gothic style in order to deal with ideas of realism. One may ask were the murders and punishments justifiable in either short story? One may also ask did Poe accurately depict realism in each story? Realism, defined as a technique in literature that accurately represents everyday life, is questioned in Poe’s works: â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart† and â€Å"The Cask ofRead MoreExamples of Irony and Symbolism in The Cask of Amontillado1334 Words   |  6 PagesWriters often use symbolism in the story to give a more vivid description rather than just saying, pictures are a perfect example. S ymbolism is the art of using any object, place, name or anything that represents something rather than its original meaning. A good example can be a roller coaster because it indicates that there will be ups in downs in life. Another example is the color Red this color can symbolize blood, passion or danger. Irony is another technique used in the story to give it a betterRead MoreGothic Literature : The Dark Side Of Romanticism1518 Words   |  7 PagesGothic literature is the dark side of Romanticism. The theme of Gothic stories is either mysterious, horror, or even death. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Allan Poe are authors that demonstrate Gothic literature. Some of their work include, â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† written by Edgar Allan Poe and â€Å"The Birthmark† by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Cask of Amontillado tells how the narrator Montresor seeks revenge on his acquaintance, Fortunato. Montresor to desperate measures and did not catch. However, in â€Å"TheRead MoreSymbolism and Irony in Cask of Amontillado866 Words   |  3 Pages In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†, the author, Edgar Allen Poe, uses symbolism and irony to connect to the readers. Symbolism is an object or word that has two meanings. Poe uses this device when he writes, â€Å"Fortunado is dressed as a fool†(20). It is symbolic representation of what Fortunado is. Irony is a twist in a situation that creates tension between the two conflicts. Poe uses irony throughout his story as a way of enticing readers. The narrator, Montresor, tells about how he got revenge 50Read MoreThe Fall Of The House Of Usher Edgar Allan Poe Analysis1184 Words   |  5 PagesEdgar Allan Poe is a well known author and poet whose style is characterized with the usage of a wide range of literary elements that convey a dark mood. Due to Poe’s experiences of poverty and tragedies throughout his life, he became depressed, which affected his writing greatly. Along with his experiences, Poe incorporated many literary elements to enhance the mood of his stories like The Cask of Amontillado and The Fall of The House of Usher. Poe used foreshadowing in both the Fall of the HouseRead MoreThe Masque of the Red Death vs. the Cask of Amontillado1564 Words   |  7 PagesLester Small LITR 220 24 February 2013 The Masque of the Red Death vs. The Cask of Amontillado â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† and â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† written by Edgar Allan Poe are somewhat different. The major themes of these stories differ significantly, as does the emphasis placed on each character which dealt more to The Cask of Amontillado† than to â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† Regardless of this, the stories are similar in many ways. For instance, both belong to the literacy of the