Irony in the Cask of Amontillado In Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” Montresor is wants revenge on his friend Fortunato. Though Montresor never explains what is motivating him to seek revenge in the first place, the only clue Montresor offers is by stating that Fortunato has caused “a thousand injuries” upon him. As a result of this wrong doing, Montresor plans to kill Fortunato. Montresor carries out his plan with a great smile on his face and without causing any suspicion of his true intentions or feelings toward Fortunato. Montresor doesn’t smile at the thought of Fortunato’s demise because he is evil, though the reader may believe that to be true. Montresor smiles because he believes killing Fortunato will bring him justice.
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The meaning of Fortunato’s name, which is Italian for “fortunate” though it seems that given the circumstances of his death he was not quite so fortunate after all. Montresor’s name translations parallel Fortunato’s. In French, Montresor’s name is a combination of the words montrer (to show) and sort (fate). Montresor’s name literally means “to show fate”, a suggestion that he will soon show Fortunato his fate. Ironically, Fortunato receives no warning about his fate from Montresor “It must be understood that neither by will nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will.” (250) though he does seem to foreshadow his own death several times throughout the story. Though it is carnival season Montresor does not dress in a typical brightly colored costume like his friend Fortunato, this helps the reader to identify the villain in this story. Poe writes that Montresor wears a “black silk mask” symbolizing Montresor hiding his true motives when speaking to Fortunato who is said to be wearing “a tight-fitting parti-striped dress, and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells.” (250). Fortunato’s costume is an ironic suggestion at Fortunato’s naive innocence. he is dress as a literal Fool, who later willing descends to his own death as he and Montresor travel through the catacombs in search of Amontillado. Later, while in the vaults under Montresor’s home Fortunato states to Montresor
The meaning of Fortunato’s name, which is Italian for “fortunate” though it seems that given the circumstances of his death he was not quite so fortunate after all. Montresor’s name translations parallel Fortunato’s. In French, Montresor’s name is a combination of the words montrer (to show) and sort (fate). Montresor’s name literally means “to show fate”, a suggestion that he will soon show Fortunato his fate. Ironically, Fortunato receives no warning about his fate from Montresor “It must be understood that neither by will nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will.” (250) though he does seem to foreshadow his own death several times throughout the story. Though it is carnival season Montresor does not dress in a typical brightly colored costume like his friend Fortunato, this helps the reader to identify the villain in this story. Poe writes that Montresor wears a “black silk mask” symbolizing Montresor hiding his true motives when speaking to Fortunato who is said to be wearing “a tight-fitting parti-striped dress, and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells.” (250). Fortunato’s costume is an ironic suggestion at Fortunato’s naive innocence. he is dress as a literal Fool, who later willing descends to his own death as he and Montresor travel through the catacombs in search of Amontillado. Later, while in the vaults under Montresor’s home Fortunato states to Montresor