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The Cask Of Amontillado Irony Essay

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“Evil is always devising more corrosive misery through man's restless need to exact revenge out of his hate.” This quote by Ralph Steadman, exemplifies the heart of the character, Montresor, in Edgar Allen Poe's short story “The Cask of Amontillado.” Poe, a compelling writer, weaves together a story in such a way that it captivates and entices the reader to want more, even if it leads to mounting horror. He is an author that develops characters and reveals their complex personalities through descriptive language and imagery. The reader is able to imagine, in their mind's eye, the plot being played out. One very effective technique Poe employs in his story is the rich use of irony. “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe uses, dramatic, verbal, and situational irony to foreshadow the unfortunate death of Fortunato. One type of irony Poe uses is dramatic irony. It is a literary technique, originally used in Greek tragedies. The reader or character knows something that another character does not, creating situations that have a different outcome from the character's expectations. It is evident in the story. In “The Cask of Amontillado”, a scorned Montresor, plots a terrifying revenge for Fortunato. He lures his “friend” into the catacombs of his family by playing on Fortunato's ego. Fortunato prides himself on being an excellent …show more content…

Situational irony involves a situation in which actions have an effect that is opposite from what was intended, so that the outcome is contrary to what was expected. It is also known as irony of situations that generally includes sharp contrasts and contradictions. One example of this is in the meaning of Fortunato's name and his destiny. In Italian, Fortunato means “lucky” or “good fortune”. As the reader well knows, Fortunato is anything but fortunate, and he ends up buried alive behind the wall of the

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