Examples Of Verbal Irony In The Cask Of Amontillado

The short story, “The Cask of Amontillado” written by Edgar Allen Poe is about a psychotic man named Montresor who seeks revenge against Fortunato, a man who allegedly committed malice towards him. Poe utilizes verbal irony to establish the story’s events and to create a humorous yet subtle way to show the misfortunes of Fortunato which eventually leads up to his death. For example, “Enough, he said; the cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough” (Poe 241). Fortunato is correct because the cough does not kill him, however his death occurs later in the story because of a totally different reason. This conversation contributes to the story’s mood by adding a bit of humor since readers already know from the beginning