Fortunado is a man who is being blindly led to his death by someone who he feels is an admiring friend all the while; Montresor is a deranged man, eager to deliver his plot to do away with Fortunado. Poe describes the setting in great detail to reveal its true horror, and to convey atmosphere. He builds up the climax as he uses Montresor to lead Fortunado into the Amontillado. He uses a lot of adjectives to describe the place and the cries made out.
Irony: The irony of this story is that Fortunado doesn't know what is to come, and goes looking for a cask, which to me, is implied as a casket.Poe uses irony and foreshadowing through out story to allow the reader a little inside and humor. He also uses verbal irony in naming the character of Fortunato. Another way Poe gives the reader some inside to the story is by the way he present the characters. Theme: Revenge. Never be so trusting.
Don't go looking for horror, it may find you. There is no clear theme in this story, it is only left to imagine. Evil makes Montresor to ommit the horrible murder of Fortunato is his powerful desire for revenge.The terms of the revenge are quite clear in Montresor's beginning entry of The Cask of Amontillado.
Symbols: The pipe, which is the cask. Referred in this story as a casket. Fortunado's casket in this case. In the case of Luchresi, not knowing the wine from sherry. The underground caverns are symbolic of a grave. The wall is symbolic of the dividing of their friendship and relationship in general.
The bells are the only known sound left other than the voice of Fortunado, and the amontillado was a significant symbol ecause it is what is used to lure Fortunato and represents a rare attitude.Evaluation: Overly enjoyable for someone who likes a suspenseful horror. Though the plot seems unknown if he actually leaves Fortunado for death of simply Journeys to the Amontillado and back, it's rather interesting. I felt as I read this short story a creepy, desperate feeling. I could imagine being lured down into this cavern, and being tricked to my death.
Though Poe does not say, Montresor left him to death, I felt it, and the screaming and Fortunado's bells really creeped me out. Overall - great horror!
