Literary Devices in The Cask of Amontillado

Fortunato thought nothing of seizing Montresor by the arm and dragging him off to find the Amontillado, but Montresor has to “make bold” to use such familiarity with Fortunato. This juxtaposition illustrates the difference in their social positions.

Notice how Montresor uses Luchesi's name to incite Fortunato's ego and pride. When the dark and foreboding setting gives Fortunato a reason to turn back, Montresor's manipulation of his ego urges him to move forward.

These words have also been read as a sign that the hate and pride, which may have caused Montresor to kill Fortunato, have devoured his soul and destroyed his humanity. When read in this way, the final line suggests that Montresor confesses this story as a form of repentance. The "rest in peace" then takes on a double meaning: as he has now told the story, both his conscious and Fortunato can rest in peace.

Poe seems to have created an extended metaphor where the vault represents the cask and Fortunato represents the Amontillado. In the end, Montresor places the final stone to lock Fortunato in the vault forever, just as he would use a keystone to seal Amontillado in a cask. Thus, the figurative Cask of Amontillado becomes the literal tomb of Fortunato.

A roquelaire is an 18th century, knee-length men’s cloak that is worn over the shoulders. Poe juxtaposes Fortunato’s colorful jester’s costume with Montresor’s dark, villainous outfit, turning what could be a macabre story into one that’s slightly humorous.

Fortunato cannot believe that Montresor would be accepted as a Mason, making his accusation another one of Montresor’s “thousand injuries.” Montresor’s reply reveals more of Poe’s dark humor, as the pun foreshadows Montresor’s plan for revenge against Fortunato.

Poe uses dramatic irony to reinforce Montresor’s deceitful nature and provide some dark humor. The reader knows that Fortunato is not in danger of dying from a cold, but rather of being murdered by Montresor. Montresor’s consolation is just a ruse to lead Fortunato closer to his death.

Poe once famously stated that not a single word should be wasted in a short story. Here, then, his repetition is intentional: He uses it to emphasize how seriously the nitre is affecting Fortunato as well as the fact that Fortunato remains determined to sample the Amontillado in spite of his violent cough.

The noun “imposture” refers to the practice of deceiving others by pretending to be someone else. Montresor claims that Italians pretend to be experts in—or show “enthusiasm” for—certain subjects as a means of deceiving wealthy clients. Montresor’s criticism is blatantly hypocritical, given that he deceives Fortunato by luring him to his house under false pretenses.

Notice how Poe abruptly ends one scene and opens another immediately in the next line. The reader is given the impression that the two men arrived at Montresor's palazzo with great haste and without any unforeseen problems such as bumping into a common acquaintance along the way.

Poe sets his story during the carnival season in order to give Montresor the perfect cover for his plan. Like everyone else on the streets of Venice, Fortunato is drunk and in a festive mood, which makes him easier to fool. The carnival also distracts the attention of any bystanders who might otherwise notice Monstresor leading Fortunato to his palazzo.

Fortunato likely knows that Montresor is knowledgeable enough about Italian wines that he would not require expert advice to purchase them. Further, given that Montresor is a French name, Fortunato likely assumes that Montresor does not need his help judging French wines. Therefore, it is plausible that Montresor chooses the Amontillado, a rare Spanish wine, to appeal to Fortunato’s arrogance and lure him into his snare. Fortunato, in turn, does not find it suspicious that Montresor needs his advice about such a rare wine.

Recall the earlier pun regarding Montresor's status as a mason and as a source of dark humor. When the pun is first presented, drunken Fortunato thinks his friend is being a fool. Now the trowel that he thought of as a joke is the instrument of Montresor's ruthless revenge.

Having learned that Montresor intends to take revenge upon Fortunato, we know that this meeting is anything but lucky for Fortunato. Poe's use of situational irony here helps shape Montresor's character by showing the ease with which he misleads the victim of his revenge, whom he calls his friend.

Poe uses alcohol as a plot device throughout the story. In this passage, we learn that Fortunato's obsession with wine allows Montresor the opportunity to take advantage of it. Note how Montresor continues to use wine throughout the rest of the story to achieve his gruesome goal.

Poe has his narrator, Montresor, address his story to someone who already knows him in what seems like a confidential letter. Structuring the story in this way allows Poe to leave out a lot of exposition and to avoid having to explain the nature of the "thousand injuries."

Poe uses a stylistic principle in this paragraph by having the most important words come at the end of sentences. Note how each word adds to the power of the line, the prose, and to the overall mood and tone of the piece.

This movement is an interesting parallel to the earlier moment in which Fortunato "recoiled" from Montresor's gesture in "jest" of membership in the Freemasons.

"You jest," he exclaimed, recoiling a few paces.