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Theme Of Irony In The Cask Of Amontillado

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Theme Of Irony In The Cask Of Amontillado
Those who show empathy are people who want you to live a long, happy life. However, that is not the case when it comes to Montresor in "The Cask of Amontillado". He shows concern and courtesy towards his friend Fortunato, only to kill him in an extremely disturbing manner. Adding irony within the narrative, Montresor is a villain who enhances the story because of his manipulative qualities and lack of remorse.
Montresor is a master of manipulation. He encounters his so called friend, Fortunato, and is extremely kind and warm towards him. Montresor brings him into his home like any gracious friend would do. He proceeds to show Fortunato his caverns where he continues to not only treat Fortunato with kindness, but also shows concern and empathy for Fortunato because of …show more content…
Montresor flatters Fortunato, "You are rich, respected, admired , beloved; you are happy...You are a man to be missed.", (211) which is ironic because Montresor violently murders Fortunato, even though he says Fortunato is such a good man. Montresor also shows a great deal of concern for Fortunato's cough. Fortunato dismisses his concern, "Enough, the cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough" (211). Montresor replies "True - true"(211), adding verbal irony to the story because Montresor does know the cough won't kill Fortunato, as he will. After Montresor kills Fortunato in a violent and sinister way, his "...heart grew sick..."(214). This, of course, is expected of a man who just murdered his friend yet Montresor doesn't care about what he just did. His heart only grew sick "...on account of the dampness of the catacombs" (214), not as a result of his heinous actions, adding more situational and verbal irony to the story. Montresor's villainous qualities are what creates the irony in "The Cask of the Amontillado", molding it into the masterpiece of literature it
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