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The importance of revenge as a theme
Edgar allan poe gothic literature stories
Edgar allan poe gothic literature stories
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Murder is no way to get back at someone. Even if somebody is mad, they can find another way to cope with it. One may think that murder is the only option but if they just take time to calm down and think, then they will realize that doing that kind of thing to someone isn't worth the consequences. In Edgar Allan Poe's story “The Cask Of Amontillado,” Montresor has been wronged by Fortunato too many times, and he finally has had enough. Everything that he says to Fortunato the reader knows that he means the complete opposite. Poe uses Montresor’s use of irony to foreshadow Fortunato’s not so fortunate death.
Despite the fact that Fortunato's name sounds like fortunate, ironically he is murder by someone that he believed was his friend. Now that not so fortunate. Montresor begins by directly telling the reader how mad he is at Fortunato, and that he has had enough. This quote foreshadows the death of Fortunato because from the beginning the reader knows that
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He told them one thing when he very well knew that they wouldn't listen, and they would do the complete opposite. “There were no attendants at home; I had told them that I should not return until the morning and had given them explicit order not to stir from the house. These orders were sufficient, I well knew, to insure their immediate disappearance.” This quote shows how detailed Montresor planned his revenge. It’s like reverse phycology on a child, you tell them the opposite of what you really want them to do so they do it. Throughout the book, Montresor is giving hints which foreshadows that he is planning to kill Fortunato. This quote proves that Montresor wanted nobody home so he could kill Fortunato without anybody knowing. Along with foreshadowing Fortunato's death, it is ironic because he told them when he was leaving and when he would return. He knew that if they knew this information they could leave and be back without him
Montresor must trick and manipulate Fortunato to accomplish his goal of revenge. He tells Fortunato the reason he is at the ...
He gives very little information about Fortunato, past that he is a wine connoisseur. There is no mention of what Fortunato does for leisure, his family, or even his job. In fact, the only details the reader receives on Fortunato paint him as a fool, with his costume, his drunken attitude, and obliviousness Montresor is focuses on the facts that make Fortunato look bad; he not only wants Fortunato dead but he also wants Fortunato’s name discredited. Montresor tells the reader even less about himself because there is no background to who Montresor is, what he does, or even what kind of contact he has with Fortunato. The only true details of Montresor that are given must be implied and give a sense of intelligence. In addition, he gives little to no details about the carnival, such as where it was, why the carnival was happening, or even why he chose this particular day to enact his plan. From these details, or lack of details, it seems Montresor doesn’t want his audience to know this information. The audience is supposed to simply look at Fortunato a fool and Montresor a genius, the harbinger of death. The facts such as who these people were, the time, or the setting are not important to Montresor’s focus in the
Irony is the expression of ones meaning by using language that usually signifies the opposite. There are three different types of irony; verbal, dramatic, and situational. Edgar Allen Poe uses verbal and dramatic irony in The Cask of Amontillado to depict a deeper meaning of Montresor’s hate towards Fortunato.
Montresor proves not to mess with someone's feeling. He explains, “I must not only punish, but punish with impunity” (Poe 372). Fortunato does not know that he is going to die, yet Montresor and the reader do know, making the situation dramatic irony. By punishing him with impunity he is going to get revenge that he has wanted now for years ever since he did wrong to Montresor and now that he finally gets the chance of course he will seek revenge on Fortunato. And it is dramatic irony because Fortunato is oblivious to the situation. Montresor proves that one should be careful on what they say. He speaks, “I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation” (Poe 372). Montresor is saying
While Montresor has become fatally involved in his plan of revenge he still has not forgotten that Fortunato is a friend. When they are ready to go to the vaults, Montresor shows concern for Fortunato’s health.
He did not show even by words that he is going to kill. Also, he did not let Fortunato to know that he intended any grudge against him “..neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will... He did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation (8-10).” One night while Fortunato was drunk, Montresor told him that he bought a barrel of wine called Amontillado “But I have received a pipe of what passes for Amontillado, and I have my doubts (25).” He understood that Fortunato “prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine (12).” He attracted him to going to his house to check the drink by saying that he might invite Luchresi to do it, a seeming rival of Fortunato 's, instead “As you are engaged, I am on my way to Luchresi. If any one has a critical turn it is he. He will tell me (37-38).” When they left, Montresor put on a mask and quickly took the way to his property. He was sure nobody could see them together on Fortunato 's last night. Moreover, Montresor completely knew Fortunato and used the knowledge versus him. He planned his deed carefully and carried it out slowly. It seems that Montresor anticipated his revenge with joy. While they traveled down the cavern, Montresor gives Fortunato many opportunities to leave. Fortunato looks weak against the niter, which is growing on the walls, and repeatedly coughs. Montresor commented on Fortunato 's health and asked
Revenge is the opportunity to retaliate or gain satisfaction for a real or perceived slight ("revenge"). In “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe, Montresor, the narrator, is out for revenge. Montressor seeks revenge against Fortunato and thinks he has developed the perfect plan for “revenge with impunity” (Baym). Montresor never tells the reader why he feels Fortunato deserves punishment. He only says that Fortunato causes him “a thousand injuries”until “[venturing] upon insult” (Baym ?). As a result, Montresor plans to bury Fortunato alive.
Throughout the story, Montresor does not justify his reasons for committing murder. He does not disclose anything about the “thousand injuries” (250) done to him by Fortunato, nor does he even reveal the details of the supposed injuries that drove him to vow revenge. Montresor’s family motto, “nemo me impune lacessit” which means “no one insults me with impunity” (252), indicate that Montresor only killed Fortunato to protect his family’s
...The phrase that Fortunato says, “For the love of God, Montresor!” provoked a great deal of critical arguments. suggest (insert citation here) that Montresor has finally brought Fortunato to the pit of despair, seen through his invocation of a God that has left Montresor behind. Other critics, argue that Fortunato ridicules the “love of God,” thus making use of the identical irony that Montresor has successfully used to attract him to the catacombs. Those were Fortunato’s last words, and in the intense desperation that Montresor displays in response implys that he wants Fortunato more than he is willing to admit. Only when Montresor screams Fortunato name twice loudly, with no reply, does Montresor have a sick heart. The reason why Fortunato is so silent are vague, but maybe his refusal to answer Montresor is a type of desperate victory in otherwise dire situation.
There are many ironic situations in “The Cask of Amontillado”, the first I noticed is that when Montresor approaches Fortunato at the carnival, he remarks that he is “luckily met”. This is irony due to the fact that once they met, Montresor was going to execute his diar plan; killing fortunato making him very unlucky. That also goes along with Fortunato’s name, being also ironic that the end is very unfortunate for him. Another example of irony is when Montresor asks Fortunato what his family motto is. He replies that his family motto is, “Nemo me impune lacessit”, which is translated into “No one provokes me with impunity.”
Due to the fact that Fortunato is foolish he does not realize Montresor is trying to kill him. Fortuanto obviously did something wrong to Montresor. Therefor Fortunato should not have as much trust for Montresor as he does. "I have no engagement;-come" (p. 4, li. 22).
In the story “The Cask of Amontillado”, the author uses lots of verbal irony to emphasize the evil intentions of Montresor.One of the examples of verbal irony in the story that he uses is “The cough’s a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough.” and “true--true, I replied.” The effect of this irony is it that Montresor already knows how Fortunato will die.Another example of verbal irony used in the story was when they did a toast to each other. “I drink”, he said, to the buried that repose around us.”
Fortunato is fortunes favorite- the Lady Fortunato, Lady luck or God's favorite. Montressor is more material in the fact Tresor means storehouse or hoard. Montressor is jealous that Fortunato was so "rich, respected, admired, beloved..." He was not, so everyday was like an insult seeing Fortunato. Montressor invites Fortunato to his vaults where he keeps his wine selection. He told Fortunato of the Amontillado which Luchesi good not appreciate like he could.
When they arrive at the Montresor estate, Montresor leads Fortunato down the stairs into the catacombs. Down here is where the Amontillado Fortunato is going to taste and where the revenge of Montresor is going to take place. As he get closer and closer, the narrator opens up more and more to how he is going to kill his "friend". It sound like it is a premeditated murder. Montresor seems so inconspicuous that he acts like he cares about Fortunato which is still a part of his plan.
Thompson states, “He similarly shows confidence in the rightness of his action in his last words to Fortunato. Fortunato, desperate for his life, pleads, ‘For the love of God, Montresor!’ Montresor, with what must strike Fortunato as biting irony, replies, ‘Yes,... for the love of God!’. He is doing this ... not ‘For God and Country!’but for ..., "For God and family!"(555) This shows the irony of the situation. Fortunato expected this all to be a joke, but he soon realizes that it is not. This also shows the final example of poetic justice. Montresor commits murder for the love and the name of his family which Fortunato has disgraced.