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The Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Poe

Good Essays

Newton Oguma.
Eng 102.
Instructor: Iris Barbour.
Date: 2/13/2017.
The Cask of Amontillado. The historical content in Poe’s story correlates with an era between nineteenth and twentieth century during which premature burial and underground cemeteries were ordinary to ancient Rome. According to (Theodore Npg), “one of Poe’s concerns shared by several people of his time was premature burial”. The story happened during Carnival which was a celebration before ancient catholic lent. This celebration included parades, greatly structured costumes and alcohol consumption. In “The Cask of Amontillado,” Edgar Poe writes with the focus of retribution using the following: characterization, irony and symbolism. Irony is when expressions are …show more content…

In general, Poe shows how much Montresor was resolute in bringing his revenge upon Fortunato without remorse or regard for his life. During the festival parade, Fortunato was wearing a multicolored mask, this showed extent of his pride and happiness. However, his delight led him into the trap which had been cleverly set by Montesor who was aware of his desire for wine. He knew that “Fortunato was full of his connoisseurship in wine” (Poe 208). As a result, he described him “as a persistent individual who is susceptible and controlled by egotism” (Gonzalez 88). As they were walking to the graveyard, Fortunato begun to cough. However, as Montresor duly described him, he refused to retreat insisting the "cough could not kill him" (Poe 210). In a separate occasion, when Montresor suggested to ask Luchesi to taste the wine incase Furtunato was busy at the carnival, he rejected the idea saying "he had no engagement"(210). Moreover, in spite of Montesor displaying his family’s insignia which bore "No one bothers me in the slightest with impunity" (White 552) catchphrase, Fortunato did not get the hints. Instead he thoughtlessly turned down the multiple chances Montesor "gave him to evade his doom” (Delaney 34). As a matter of fact, later as Montresor chained him, he laughed believing that he was joking. Even though Fortunato had all the indications of the pending doom, the only thing that was in his mind was the bottle of

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