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The Cask of Amontillado

In: English and Literature

Submitted By siles76
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Edgar Allen Poe uses irony and foreshadowing to develop the theme in the story where a man seeks revenge and salvation. Montresor is driven to seek revenge against the man who has caused him “a thousand injuries”, yet the author never goes into detail about these injuries. Poe is well known for his morbid style of writing and mortality seems to be a theme in many of his works. It is also a theme in the Cask of Amontillado. To begin with, the names Poe chose for the characters are very ironic. Fortunato translates to “the lucky one” or “the fated one”, and as the story pans out the reader discovers that Fortunato is condemned to a slow and miserable fate. He is the sacrificial lamb unwittingly being led to the slaughter. Fortunato is a very wealthy man and it seems that Montresor’s family was once just as wealthy and respected. It’s almost as if Fortunato is a part of Montresor’s personality. It seems that Montresor needs to carry out this evil act against Fortunato in order to be free. It seems to be a burden weighing him down until he finally seals Fortunato into the wall in the catacombs. Montresor’s name combines the two French terms montrer(to show) and sort(fate). The exact French translation of Montresor is “my treasure.” The author’s choice of this character’s name is also ironic and foreshadowing. The setting and time of the story are also ironic. It takes place during carnival which is a time for sins of the flesh. Montresor chooses this time to lure the drunk and foolish Fortunato to his doom. It seems that Montresor is repressing the sinful flesh of Fortunato by entombing him in the catacombs. These catacombs where Fortunato meets his end seem to ironically symbolize Montresor’s mind. The family crest depicts a large foot crushing a serpent biting into its heel and reads “Nemo me impune lacessit” or “No one wounds me with impunity.”

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