Foreshadowing In The Cask Of Amontillado

In the book Clash of Kings, George R.R. Martin declaimed, “I will hurt you for this. I don’t know how yet, but give me time. A day will come when you think yourself safe and happy and suddenly your joy will turn to ashes in your mouth, and you’ll know the debt is paid.” Revenge is a dangerous act and can lead to death and injury. Edgar Allan Poe wrote an eerie and sinister piece of work called “The Cask of Amontillado.” The tale is told by a narrator named Montresor, who was insulted multiple times by a man named Fortunato. Montresor goes to great lengths in order to seize revenge against his enemy. In pursuance of luring Fortunato into Montresor’s catacombs, Montresor misleads Fortunato into believing an expensive wine called Amontillado is

Poe cleverly uses foreshadowing to contribute to his menacing tragedy. Poe delivers countless hints that provide readers the ability to predict what will happen next. Montresor is disconcerted that Fortunato imposes so much pain on Montresor’s life, but justice has not been served. In the short story, Montresor conveys his coat of arms and his family motto, “‘the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel… Nemo me impune lacessit’” (375-376). This expresses that a foot crushes a snake whose fangs are in the foot’s heel and his family motto means “no one injures me with impunity.” The snake closely resembles Fortunato, who is inflicting pain on Montresor by “biting” him. The foot can be expressed as Montresor because he is arranging to crush Fortunato. Montresor will not allow someone to hurt him without their punishment. This hint establishes an eerie feel on the readers because they are enlightened that Montresor is going to murder Fortunato, but they do not know how, at least not yet. Another time Poe signals to the reader that Montresor has a trowel—used to apply and spread mortar and plaster—and he will use this trowel to achieve his retaliation. Montresor produces a trowel from his coat pocket after Fortunato does not believe Montresor to be a mason (376). This clues to the reader that Montresor will act on Fortunato by cementing him into the catacombs. This foreshadowing contributes to the mood by creating a disturbing crime scene that no

Irony occurs when a character or reader expects one situation to occur, but the opposite happens. It also takes place when a character says something, but the readers know he is suggesting another concept. Fortunato forms an increasingly dangerous cough in the catacombs and Montresor tells Fortunato, “You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed” (375). Montresor says all cordial comments about Fortunato making him believe Montresor cares about his health. Montresor is actually going to kill Fortunato and Montresor will be overjoyed when Fortunato is dead. Another time irony provides the reader with more than the character’s knowledge is when Fortunato is dressed up for the carnival: he wears a parti-striped clown suit covered with bells (372). This is ironic considering that Fortunato is dressed up as a literal fool. However, he does not know that Montresor is actually treating him as a fool and that he is agreeing to follow Montresor to his death. Irony contributes to Poe’s horrifying mood by forcing the reader’s mind to wander as they evaluate the sinister double-meaning behind his elaborate