The Cask Of Amontillado Verbal Irony Analysis

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The Ironic Truth Irony is a complex and important element of literature that can help discover hidden perspectives within characters or hide the truth in plain sight. The story by Edgar Allen Poe, “The Cask of Amontillado” is a great example the dark ironic twist that happen in the story. The main character, Montresor, is hell-bent on getting his revenge on the man who shamed him, Fortunato. The verbal and dramatic irony that is being used in the story “The Cask of Amontillado” helps hide the true intentions that Montresor has planned for Fortunato. Verbal irony happens when one character says one thing but actually means something completely different. The first example of verbal irony occurs when Montresor tells Fortunato “My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met” (237). This is an example of verbal irony because Montresor was looking for Fortunato and it wasn’t luck that brought the two men together. Another reason is because Fortunato is actually unlucky to have met Montresor since he plans on taking his revenge on him for all the humiliation he made Montresor feel. The next example comes when Montresor is asked if he is “A Mason” (239) but Fortunato means if he is part of the freemasons. When …show more content…

Like mentioned earlier the couch of Fortunato is also an example of dramatic irony because Fortunato thinks he will live on and that the couch won’t kill him but the reader has been informed by Montresor that he will get his revenge on him by killing him and Fortunato does not expect anything like that from Montresor. The trowel that was thought of Fortunato as a joke because he stated “you jest” and this is also an example of dramatic irony. The irony is that while he thinks it’s a joke in reality Montresor is showing him the tool that will lead to his death. While Fortunato was laughing at the trowel Montresor knew that he would you that tool to finish his