The Cask Of Amontillado Literary Analysis Essay
The catacombs of Paris are a place void of life. The walls are lined with the bones of the dead. The floors are dusty and rocky. Natural light cannot shine through. In Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado,” he takes his audience down to these very catacombs. Poe’s masterful way of storytelling sets the scene for a horror-filled tale. His engaging story utilizes literary devices such as dialogue, symbolism, and irony to fully engross his readers’ attentions.
First of all, the careful choice of dialogue in the narrative has a gripping effect on the reader. Primarily, the dialogue helps the reader get more involved in the story, due to it speeding up the pace. For example, there is this conversation between Montresor and Fortunato: “‘Amontillado!’ …show more content…
The narrator of the story, Montresor, intends to bring Fortunato deep into the catacombs, but he continuously argues that it’s best for Fortunato to stay out of them. As the two men advance further into the catacombs, Montresor says to Fortunato, “‘...we will go back; your health is precious’” (Poe 61). His reverse psychological tactic is ironic since he is telling Fortunato the exact opposite of he really wants. This helps show that Montresor is clever and deceitful, character traits that will galvanize the audience. Additionally, the verbal irony reveals aspects of Fortunato's personality. Upon Montresor claiming that he could simply ask Luchesi to come to the catacombs with him, Fortunato claims that, “‘Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry’” (Poe 59). Like Fortunato, Montresor did not want Luchesi to come with him at all, adding on to the verbal irony. The fact that only mentioning Luchesi, whom he does not view as a man of equal skill, makes Fortunato change his mind about entering the catacombs shows that his pride is very important to him. Understanding the motivations and feelings of the characters is a prime tactic in engaging a reader. Lastly, the use of dramatic irony adds suspense and keeps the audience interested. The first line in the whole story is, ”The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge” (Poe 58). Because the audience knows that Montresor is getting revenge on an unsuspecting Fortunato, they are interested in what will happen to him. To conclude, Poe’s brilliant uses of irony help create a story that serves as a supreme example of great
First of all, the careful choice of dialogue in the narrative has a gripping effect on the reader. Primarily, the dialogue helps the reader get more involved in the story, due to it speeding up the pace. For example, there is this conversation between Montresor and Fortunato: “‘Amontillado!’ …show more content…
The narrator of the story, Montresor, intends to bring Fortunato deep into the catacombs, but he continuously argues that it’s best for Fortunato to stay out of them. As the two men advance further into the catacombs, Montresor says to Fortunato, “‘...we will go back; your health is precious’” (Poe 61). His reverse psychological tactic is ironic since he is telling Fortunato the exact opposite of he really wants. This helps show that Montresor is clever and deceitful, character traits that will galvanize the audience. Additionally, the verbal irony reveals aspects of Fortunato's personality. Upon Montresor claiming that he could simply ask Luchesi to come to the catacombs with him, Fortunato claims that, “‘Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry’” (Poe 59). Like Fortunato, Montresor did not want Luchesi to come with him at all, adding on to the verbal irony. The fact that only mentioning Luchesi, whom he does not view as a man of equal skill, makes Fortunato change his mind about entering the catacombs shows that his pride is very important to him. Understanding the motivations and feelings of the characters is a prime tactic in engaging a reader. Lastly, the use of dramatic irony adds suspense and keeps the audience interested. The first line in the whole story is, ”The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge” (Poe 58). Because the audience knows that Montresor is getting revenge on an unsuspecting Fortunato, they are interested in what will happen to him. To conclude, Poe’s brilliant uses of irony help create a story that serves as a supreme example of great