20 SEPT. 2014
Luscious and Bitter Revenge In The Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allen Poe uses verbal irony to reinforce revenge.
Edgar Allen Poe uses this title to briefly tell us what this story is about. Usually, a friend is someone who is trusted and is a great supporter, but what happens when this is broken?
Montresor is about to give an answer to Fortunato later on in the story. The title of "The Cask of
Amontillado" is also a verbal irony. Amontillado is a rare wine that Montressor used to lure in
Fortunato since he wants to desperately taste it. Due to Fortunato 's pride and curiosity, he ends up being buried alive where his body will be stored. The cask is where Fortunatos body is buried and the word cask could mean similar to the word 'casket '.
Montresor explains "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge." (1.1.653) Montresor has shrugged many comments that Fortunato has made towards him but it changed when he was insulted. On the outside, Montresor seems very friendly with Fortunato, but deep down he feels absolutely nothing but hatred towards him. Montresors hatred is hidden from Fortunato to"..cause doubt my good will...to smile in his face.."(2.1-2.653). Fortunato and Montresor are wealthy and are proud men but they have downfalls that are easily identified. They to want the same thing, to desire from a great satisfaction to something that they have been waiting a long time for. Fortunato is well known for his wine tasting and how to distinguish from different wines. Montresor knows
Fortunato 's weak point, "although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared.
He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine"(3.1.654). This gives Montresor many opportunities to make his thought of revenge a reality. Montresor had many different scenarios to make sure Fortunato gets what he deserves. Montresor
Cited: Johnson, Greg., Arp, R. Thomas Perrine 's Literature Structure, Sound, & Sense. 2014. Print. Poe. Edgar Allen. "The Cask of Amontillado", Pg 653-659. Johnson, Greg., Arp, R. Thomas Perrine 's Literature Structure, Sound, & Sense. 2014. Print. Chopin, Kate "The Story of an Hour" Pg. 532-534.