What Is The Mood In The Cask Of Amontillado

Edgar Allen Poe has been crowned a writing genius for his poetry and short stories. Some of his most notable works have been tales of mystery and the macabre. Even today, numerous of Poe’s literary works remain iconic pieces of American writing. Of his many works, “The Cask of Amontillado” is a prime example of tales of macabre. In order to be a true grim tale, Poe needed to create the mood of the short story. Edgar Allen Poe decisively conveyed an ghastly, ominous mood in “The Cask of Amontillado” through the use of dark imagery, eerie tone, and suspense. Poe decisively uses dark imagery in “The Cask of Amontillado” to effectively convey the mood. In order to do so, Poe describes the catacombs the narrator and fortunato are dwelling in. For example, the narrator states, “Its walls had been lined with human remains...pile of bones of which I have before spoken.” After the reader visualizes the narrator surrounded by decayed corpses of humans, the reader would likely feel unsettled by the gory scene. As a result, the reader endures an eerie mood. The mood is driven from Poe’s effective use of tone that is achieved through his diction in “The Cask of Amontillado.” For instance, the narrator states, “Uplifting his dull torch, endeavored to pry into the depths...termination the feeble light.” Generally, light is a symbol …show more content…
In “The Cask of Amontillado”’s case, Edgar Allan Poe effectively conveyed the short story’s dark mood through the usage of imagery, tone, and suspense. Particular scenes are crucial in developing the atmosphere of the story. Furthermore, an author who gives the narration a desired tone will likely achieve a desired mood. Finally, suspense is an essential aspect of many cryptic stories perfect for Poe. Regardless of what devices are used, it is important for a writer to effectively incorporate the devices to work in accordance to the desired