Symbolism In Edgar Allan Poe's The Cask Of Amontillado

Edgar Allan Poe, an American born writer and poet during the early 19th century, is known for his dark and twisted diction that continues to captivate readers to this day. Nearly all of Poe’s stories contain hidden symbolism and themes that entice readers to discover the secrets in his writings more than a hundred years later, the “Cask of Amontillado” is no different. Written in November of 1846, nearly three years before Poe’s death, “The Cask of Amontillado” is often regarded as one of Poe’s masterpieces, full of symbolism and dramatic irony. Edgar Allan Poe’s dramatic irony and symbolism in his “The Cask of Amontillado” convey that the feeling of revenge is never truly quenched. Poe’s love of wordplay and symbolism is ever present throughout the story, starting with the names of the characters holding different meanings. For example, the main characters of the story, Fortunato and Montresor. Montresor’s name comes from the French word “Mon Tresor”, meaning my treasure or wealth (Pittman). However, Montresor’s treasure had somehow been diminished by the slandering done by Fortunato (Poe never mentions what happened between them). The character named Fortunato, the Italian word for fortunate, ironically only

Poe reaches out to the reader through Montresor’s feelings, showing that revenge is often not as fulfilling as one would hope and rather will do the opposite through tormenting far past the time of tribulation. As the reader follows Montresor it becomes evident that he is so focused on his revenge that he becomes obsessed with it. Even after achieving revenge Montresor is still tormented, becoming unable to move on from Fortunato. Poe’s masterful writing in “The Cask of Amontillado” integrates symbolism and irony conveying a sense of revenge that can never be fed all the while parodying one of the most revered and respected stories in religious