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Examples Of Irony In The Cask Of Amontillado

Decent Essays

Anyone who knows anything about Edgar Allan Poe’s work probably knows that he is a very dark writer. This holds true in his short story, “The Cask of Amontillado.” “The Cask of Amontillado” follows the character Montresor through the Carnival where he meets up with his friend Fortunato, who is a wine connoisseur. Fortunato has recently crossed a line by insulting Montresor and does not quite know what is coming his way that night. Edgar Allan Poe uses the literary element of irony in order to portray the theme of revenge within “The Cask of Amontillado.”

Irony plays a key role in the events that take place within “The Cask of Amontillado.” There are three different types of irony: verbal, situational, and dramatic. Verbal irony is when something has a different intended meaning then what is said. Situational irony is when what is expected to happen is different then what actually happens. Finally, dramatic irony is when the reader/audience knows something that a character in the story does not. Poe uses each of these types of irony in “The Cask of Amontillado.” …show more content…

The first case in which he uses irony is when Montresor comes in contact with Fortunato at the Carnival. In this meeting Montresor says, “My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met." (Poe 80) This is an example of dramatic irony. Although the readers know of Montresor’s plans for revenge, Fortunato has no idea how truly unlucky he is to have come into contact with Montresor at that

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