Literary Analysis Essay of Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Cask of Amontillado’
Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Cask of Amontillado’ is a gothic tale that focuses on the intention of a man to get revenge for the actions committed against him. Written from the point of view of Montressor, Poe uses imagery and symbolisms to promote his objective and highlight critical themes that ultimately led to the successful implementation of his plan. Equally, choosing the setting within an underground catacomb, Poe provides the perfect eerie environment for readers to visualize and comprehend. Though the approach to the story remains to be dark, the author uses a more elegant tone to emphasize transitions happening within the story and the corresponding interaction among characters.
Analyzing the text further, one of the most apparent themes that Poe utilizes in the story is betrayal and revenge. In particular, the retribution sought by Montressor remains to be the central point as to why he brought Fortunato to the catacombs. Using revenge as motivation, Montressor carefully planned how he would get back from the humiliation and ill-feelings felt to Fortunato and use his weakness against him. Poe’s ability to mask the intention of revenge and betrayal using different symbolisms and meaning further delineate the story as it unfolds to readers (Mustafa 1). For instance, the approach taken by Montressor focuses on his attempt to build rapport and trust from Fortunato and then give him the betrayal in the end by making him suffer and eventually killing him.
The use of alcohol in this story also helps further and expand Poe’s storyline. Arguably, the inclusion of liquor in the piece expanded character development and opened up ways for readers to appreciate the identity of both Fortunato and Montressor. Based from this perspective, Poe uses alcohol as something that Fortunato wanted. It is through such intention that he is lured by Montressor into his trap and end up dying because he wanted to taste this alcohol so bad (Poe 1). Though this may appear to be exaggerating at some areas, the value of alcohol in this story is its capacity to understand the notion of addiction and how individuals would do anything to satisfy their vices.
Lastly, the use of irony in the story by the author provides justification for the different actions committed by characters. As the story progresses, Poe offers readers multiple instances both explicit and implicit on how irony takes place. For example, Montressor claiming that he is a friend of Fortunato and still pursuing revenge is a good way to show irony (Tibbett 1). Also, the manner there is the obvious irony during the time of Fortunato’s death as he was wearing a jester costume. When he eventually realizes what is happening to him, he begins to laugh despite the fact that he is about to die in the hands of his friend. Moreover, the impression of characters at the moment of death also remains to be ironic. For Fortunato, his words remain to be serious while Montressor tries to make fun of the situation where he is in, and shows no sympathy to what is happening.
Overall, Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Cask of Amontillado’ remains to be one of his dark stories that highlight the use of irony in advancing retribution or revenge. Despite the lack of sufficient background that motivated Montressor to commit such act, Poe’s use of gruesome and vivid narrative enables readers to understand the sinister plot of the protagonist against his friend. Likewise, the use of a dark tone reinforces the ability of readers to visualize the story as it happens and creates the direction towards the culmination of revenge. Altogether, these elements remain to be effective in allowing readers to appreciate the themes presented in the story.
Works Cited
Mustafa, Jamil. ‘Literary Contexts in Short Stories: Edgar Allan Poe’s "The Cask of Amontillado” EBSCO, 2006 Sept. Web. Accessed 25 August 2014.
Poe, Edgar Allan. The Cask of Amontillado,1846. Web. Accessed 25 August 2014.
Tibett, Amelia. ‘Literary Analysis Irony in the Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe’ Humanities 360, 29 Jan. 2008. Web. Accessed 25 August 2014.
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