The Cask Of Amontillado Literary Analysis

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In the Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allen Poe uses different types of literary elements to convey the theme. The use symbolism is used in a way where the author is able to convey the theme, which in this case is, revenge can make people do things that they didn’t know they were capable of doing. In the short story, symbolism is used to the convey the theme of revenge. The protagonist of the story, Montresor, feels as if Fortunato has insulted him, but in the short story it never states what Fortunato said to be considered insulting by Montresor. One way we can find out what caused Montresor’s anger is by looking at the symbols that Poe used. One symbol used to convey the theme was Montresor’s court of arms. In it, it said “Nemo me impune lacessit”, which means “No one insults me with impunity”…show more content…
This could also be foreshadowing what will happen to Fortunato later on in the story. Montresor’s coat of arms is depicted as a huge human foot crushing a serpent whose fangs are are imbedded in the heel (Poe). Montresor is symbolized as the human and Fortunato is symbolized as the snake. Fortunato has “bitten” Montresor and Montresor defends himself by crushing Fortunato. This shows how Montresor wants to get revenge by hurting Fortunato for what he has done. In the story, “Montresor is full of aristocratic pride” (Benton) and gets infuriated if anyone, including Fortunato, insults his ancestors. At the end of the short story Poe writes, “Against the new masonry I re-erected the old rampart of bones”. In the article, Benton writes that “against the new masonry” means against the new freemasonry and “I re-erected the old rampart bones” is referencing the bones of his ancestors. Montresor believes Fortunato has not only insulted him, but

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