“The Cask of Amontillado” Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe (1809 –1849) American writer, poet and literary critic. Created the genre of the detective story (character Auguste Dupin). Contributed to the development of such genres as Gothic horror and science-fiction.

Edgar Allan Poe Belongs to the literary movement of Romanticism. Author of critical works, including “The Philosophy of Composition,” an influential essay on writing. Among his major themes are madness, death, especially death of a young beautiful woman, and premature burial, all prompted by his short dramatic life.

“The Cask of Amontillado” “The Raven” Poe’s aesthetics: example of influence More of Nevermore… Horror and mystery Horror meets irony “The Cask of Amontillado”

IRONY Irony is created when a writer says one thing but really means something else. Literature and Language: English and World Literature.  Evanston, Illinois: McDougal, Little & Co., 1992, 901.

IRONY Irony involves a difference or contrast between appearance and reality - that is a discrepancy between what appears to be true and what really is true.     I. Irony exposes and underscores a contrast between:   A. what is and what seems to be   B. what is and what ought to be   C. what is and what one wishes to be   D. what is and what one expects to be II. There are three common types of irony in literature.  http://serc.sogang.ac.kr/erc/Literature/Irony.htm

IRONY Verbal irony occurs when people say the opposite of what they mean. This is perhaps the most common type of irony.     The reader knows that a statement is ironic because of familiarity with the situation or a description of voice, facial, or bodily expressions which show the discrepancy. http://serc.sogang.ac.kr/erc/Literature/Irony.htm

IRONY There are two kinds of verbal irony : Understatement occurs when one minimizes the nature of something. Overstatement occurs when one exaggerates the nature of something.     Irony is often more emphatic than a point-blank statement of the truth. The opposite is shown as a point of comparison. Verbal irony in its most bitter and destructive form becomes sarcasm . Someone is condemned by a speaker pretending to praise him or her. http://serc.sogang.ac.kr/erc/Literature/Irony.htm

IRONY B.  In situational irony , the situation is different from what common sense indicates it is, will be, or ought to be.     Situational irony is often used to expose hypocrisy and injustice. http://serc.sogang.ac.kr/erc/Literature/Irony.ht m

IRONY C. Dramatic irony occurs when a character states something that they believe to be true but that the reader knows is not true. The key to dramatic irony is the reader's foreknowledge of coming events. Second readings of stories often increase dramatic irony because of knowledge that was not present in the first reading. http://serc.sogang.ac.kr/erc/Literature/Irony.htm

Unreliable Narrator Creates an ironic distance between the narrator’s perspective and that of the readers. First-person narrators can be unreliable due to their lack of knowledge or experience, by being childish, or insane, or evil, etc. Perceptive readers have an advantage in understanding and can interpret the events for themselves and see dramatic irony.

“The Cask of Amontillado” Is Montresor a reliable narrator? Why? Who is the “you” Montresor addresses? Do we as readers connect to him? When does the conflict of the story occur? Why does Montesor tell the story half a century later?

“The Cask of Amontillado” 6. Where can you see instances of irony in the story? 7. What is the significance of the characters’ names? 8. What is the meaning of the setting? 9. What symbolism does the characters’ clothes hold? 10. How is the motif of masonry developed? 11. What are Montresor’s strategies of manipulation? 12. What possible meanings of the ending can you see?