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Examples Of Verbal Irony In The Cask Of Amontillado

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Verbal irony in literature occurs when one thing is said but means something else, situational irony is present when the reader’s expectations of what is going to happen differs from what actually happens, and dramatic irony is when the reader knows more than the characters. Throughout the story “The Cask of Amontillado” Edgar Allen Poe uses irony to prefigure Fortunato’s imminent death. “The Cask of Amontillado” is a dark story involving two men, Montresor and Fortunato, who were at one point friends. Fortunato wronged Montresor many times, but when he made an unknown insult towards him it sets Montresor on a path of revenge and murder (Poe 108). Montresor lures Fortunato to his home with the promise of some Amontillado (Poe 109). Montresor …show more content…

The title of the story begins the irony held within. The word cask, which means wine barrel, is from the same root word used in casket, or a coffin. The cask is a representation of Fortunato being entombed within the crypt (Poe 112-113). Another form of verbal irony happens when Montresor runs into Fortunato and he say’s “[m]y dear Fortunato, you are luckily met” (Poe 108). Fortunato is actually very unlucky to have run into Montresor due to the grisly plans that he has in store for him. Verbal irony is also present when Fortunato says, “Luchresi cannot tell Amontillado from sherry” (Poe 109) due to Amontillado being a type of …show more content…

Montresor sees Fortunato during carnival season and he lets the reader know that Fortunato is wearing motley (Poe 108). Motley was the traditional costume of the court jester, or fool, and Fortunato proves how foolish he is by following Montresor to his fate. During the story Montresor gives his attendants explicit orders not to leave his home, knowing they will do so anyway (Poe 109), thus leaving no witnesses for Fortunato’s demise. Another occurrence is how Montresor gets away with premeditated murder after 50 years (Poe 113). Dramatic irony happens when Fortunato asks Montresor if he is a member of the Free Masons, and Montresor responds that he is. Fortunato asks Montresor for a sign so he shows him a trowel, a tool used by mason workers. Fortunato brushes Montresor having the trowel off, when he should have wondered why he was carrying it with him (Poe 111). Another instance of dramatic irony is when Montresor “broke and reached him a flacon of De Grave” (Poe 111). De Grave can be translated to of the grave so Poe was letting the reader know through irony Fortunato’s soon to be

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