“An eye for an eye, but leave the world blind.”-Ms. Wisdom
1. Was Montresor justified in seeking revenge against Fortunato?
* In the cast of amontillado the author didn’t mention about the justification of Montresor for seeking revenge to his friend fortunato, that make us to think base on our personal beliefs and interpretation. For me In the context of the story, Montresor was justified in seeking revenge against in fortunato, since as we all know human as we are, part of our nature is definitely lies on seeking for revenge, somehow in some circ*mstances like in the story we individuals definitely perceived feeling of emotionally hurt or Betrayal Emotions such as anger, and humiliation thus as time goes by it will lead to seek for revenge. But It’s a controversial point; revenge is not generally accepted as an ethical response. For the most part, revenge does more harm than good for people and society because it often leads to an increase in violence and does not allow a person to recover from their feelings.Nearly all positions of ethics and morality consider forgiveness and reconciliation to be gentle and positive reactions to damage or injustice. Nevertheless, all situations and people are different since there is no universal reaction to a stimulus, like in the story itself. In the end, it is often necessary to tell the truth and follow legal channels on the path to justice.
2. Could Fortunato have avoided his fate?*Fortunato’s fate could arguably have been avoided if he been less gullible and more aware of Montresor’s intentions. Because of his trust in Montresor and his own intoxication, it lead him to contribute to his own death. In this sense, Fortunato could have avoided his fate by being more cautious and suspicious of Montresor’s invitation. His fate could be seen as a consequence of his own arrogance. His pride in his connoisseurship of wine led him into Montresor’s trap. It is possible if he had been less woozy or less consumed by the prospect of tasting a rare wine, he can noticed the ominous signs of Montresor’s plan and avoid his tragic end. His blind trust in his own knowledge, that cause to his downfall by believing his friend tale about the Amontillado, despite lacking proof. The pride in his expertise clouds his judgment and makes him susceptible to deception. His own arrogance created vulnerabilities that Montresor exploited. By being more humble, acknowledging his limitations, and showing respect for others, Fortunato might have avoided his tragic end. his blind trust in his own knowledge, that cause to his end. The story will reminds us that the blind trust can lead into danger, as it may make us vulnerable to manipulation, deception and betrayal, and also to be mindful of how our actions it might affect others even a micro-aggression, as what it said human as we are, we have a feelings that need to consider, but seeking revenge isn’t the solution to our problems, learn to forgive as holding onto anger and seeking revenge only perpetuates a cycle of pain and suffering.
3. Discuss the role of irony in “The Cask of Amontillado.” How does Poe use irony to heighten the impact of the story’s resolution?
The irony of “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe is a kind of odd story that is based on the character’s psychology. The three types of irony are used throughout the story, such as dramatic, situational, and verbal including level of desolate of the story’s situation, a sense of unease ironic conclusion that brings the condemned reality and psychological issues. The most apparent pattern of irony in the story is dramatic irony, which established when the reader knows more than the characters. Montresor mentions his revenge plan, the reader is fully aware that there’s no amontillado waiting for Fortunato. At the same time, poor Fortunato is relaxed despite the dangers on horizon.
Furthermore, the third aspect of the author would be the situational irony that exemplified the juxtaposition between the expected and actual outcome . For example, one of the pitiful characters called “Fortunato” has to play one of the most tragic roles of his life. It is well worth mentioning that Fortunato is dominant in the wine sector and he recognized as one of the most respectable wine experts. Importantly, Fortunato has no chance to survive since he was defeated by the strength, which he thought he had possessed for so long, the two characters succumb to the pride battle, which was impertinent to the both side. Thus, situational aspect showed the cruel nature and unpredictable consequences of human behavior.
The author use a verbal irony when a character says something but means the opposite. Montresor’s actions and words are often double-edged and have certain evil hidden meaning. Meeting Fortunato, he expressed his concerns about his enemy’s health, saying “My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met” . This phrase is ironic since, it may really mean that he was unfortunately met, but on the other hand, diplomat Montresor could not say otherwise. Thus, his use of irony emphasizes the sly and cynical nature of the main character and complements the horrific and eerie atmosphere of the plot. Moreover , the author uses multiple types of irony as tactical tools for heightening the impact of the story’s denouement. The factual irony only intensifies us worry at every move of the main characters revealing, and it gives an operative effect on reader’s process of text reception. Resulting, it leaves an emotional mark reaction to the story until its ghastly ending.
To sum up, The Cask of Amontillado successfully employs irony to enrich the effect of its conclusion. The interplay of dramatic, situational, and verbal irony contributes several meaning to the story, making it more suspenseful and more insightful into the characters’ motivations. Poe’s particularly masterful handling of the literary device demonstrates the writer’s intriguing power to surprise, the tendency of pride and blind trust lead to deadly results, and the narrative potency behind the idea of an eye for an eye. Thus it is through the application of this device that Poe definitively leaves a memorable impression for us accustoming to a world where darkness and irony keep just around every corner.
By: Gracezel Masucol-V1C
