Edgar Allan Poe’s “A Cask of Amontillado” is one of the most famous tales of horror ever written. Montresor, the story’s narrator, plots revenge on Fortunato. Montresor lures Fortunato into the family catacombs with the promise of fine wine. At the climax of the story, Montresor chains Fortunato to a wall and seals him away behind a brick wall. In all of Poe’s short stories, he attempts to convey a certain unique or single effect. “A Cask of Amontillado” expresses its dark views of human intention by using elements such as irony, foreshadowing, and metaphor. The first person point of view also lends itself to an exploration of the inner thoughts of Montresor.
The major theme of the story is the deep hatred buried within Montresor. This makes it vitally important that the story is told with Montresor’s thoughts known to the reader. The tale would not have the same effect if it was told from Fortunato’s point of view, or from a dramatic/objective angle. An omniscient view could function, but by knowing Montresor’s thoughts, the reader develops trust in him, and this causes the story’s theme to have a more personal effect on the reader.
“A Cask of Amontillado” is full of ironic statements and situations. Fortunato’s very name is very ironic given his horrific fate. At the beginning of the story, when Montresor thinks about his theories on the proper revenge, he says, “A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser.” This is ironic as Montresor is consumed by his hatred of Fortunato. Then, during their descent into the family catacombs, Montresor tries several times to convince Fortunato to turn back. Yet, Fortunato wants to press on and drink some of the fabulous Amontillado wine. Whether Montresor really wants to abort his murderous plan or is just using reverse psychology to make Fortunato go on is open to debate. However, either way, it is ironic that Fortunato is so eager to reach his demise. These ironies get the reader thinking that things are not as they appear. Behind Montresor’s sociable facade lies a vengeful murderer. 334
Poe builds suspense and in “A Cask of Amontillado” by using foreshadowing. When Montresor warns Fortunato of the effects of the damp, Fortunato says, “I shall not die of a cough.” Montresor responds, “True–true.” One can almost see Montresor’s eyebrows rise as he replies, while at the same time pondering his companion’s demise. Another prophetic moment is when the two discuss Montresor’s family motto: “Nemo me impune lacessit (no one wounds me with impunity).” The reader is not specifically told what Fortunato did to incite Montresor, but it involved “injuries” and “insult.” A final bit of foreshadowing occurs when Fortunato questions Montresor’s membership in the masons. Montresor proves himself by showing off his trowel. Fortunato takes it as a joke since he was referring to the organization and not the profession. The scene serves to offer the reader a clue as to Montresor’s plan for Fortunato.
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The major theme in “A Cask of Amontillado” is the darkness that lies behind the friendly facade of men. This idea is symbolized by Montresor’s family home. On the outside, the palazzo yields no indication as to the evil that awaits Fortunato beneath its surface. This metaphor highlights the single effect for which Poe aims with the story. If the superficial appearance represents Montresor’s sociable facade, then the catacombs below symbolize his hate. Poe gives explicit descriptions for the caverns. They are “insufferably damp . . . encrusted with niter.” The “foulness of the air” nearly extinguishes their torches. Poe describes the “white web-work which gleams from these cavern walls.” Clearly Poe’s desired effect is to expose the evil that consumes men from within.
Each of the literary devices used in “A Cask of Amontillado” serves to reinforce Poe’s single effect. As Poe himself says in “The Importance of the Single Effect in a Prose Tale,” an author “invents such incidents–he then combines such events as may best aid him in establishing this preconceived effect.” The use of the first-person perspective along with some irony, foreshadowing, and metaphor aid the delivery of Poe’s single effect in “A Cask of Amontillado.”
