Rhetorical Analysis on The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Poe - Paper Example

The rhetorical analysis of the story "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Poe focuses on the strategies that gets employed by Poe to appeal and persuade the audience. An analysis of Poe's literary work on the "Cask of Amontillado" features several issues. These includes; aging, death and dying through the featuring of revenge and concealed murder as a means of avoiding legal channels.

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Edgar Poe brings to light two characters who seems not to get along due to their differences. One gets depicted as Montresor and the other as Fortunato. Montresor levels claim about the insults and the many injuries that Fortunato caused him (Poe, and David, 2). He, therefore, insists on taking his revenge and vows that no obstacle will stop him from doing what he has to do to get the revenge. Edgar Poe uses various strategies to bring to light to the audience how Montresor plans to achieve his revenge which also forms the better part of the story.

One of the strategies that the author uses is suspense. Montresor keeps Fortunato in the dark state concerning his hatred. Fortunato gets depicted in the story as ignorant of what Montresor is planning against him. The evidence gets noted where one evening Montresor decides to set his plan into action. The evening was characterized with frivolity and partying. According to Montresor, the time seemed one of the best chances where his intentions may not get noticed (Poe, and David, 3). At this point, Edgar Poe presents the story in a manner which persuades the audience that the atrocity of Montresor will not get noticed in any way.

The depicted aspect in the previous sentence points out the point of rhetoric analysis. Montresor went ahead to use a flattering tongue on his target to cover up on his plans. He asked Fortunato flatteringly about his opinion on the newly acquired devotee of sherry, popularly known as the cask of Amontillado (Poe, 4). The title of the story also gets noted at this particular point. The pretense goes further to where Fortunato gets tantalized with the liquor, and his trust gets won. Ideally, the aspect of aging gets noted on the Fortunato's love for sherry wine, a characteristic of the old. In normal circumstances, those who gets noted as aged usually gets depicted as individuals with the ability to distinguish between fine wine and that which is contrary. The same got bestowed upon Fortunato by Montresor, not knowing the intent.

The next issue gets depicted by Edgar Poe to the audience on the planned murder that will lead to the death of Fortunato due to the insults and thousands of pain which he caused Montresor as portrayed earlier. Edgar Poe applies the concept of foreshadowing the death of Fortunato to the audience at this particular point of the story (Poe, 6). He convinces the audience that despite the good behavior of Montresor to Fortunato, the result will get based on the death of the latter. The situation equally portrays an aspect of irony where the audience gets to know what is going to happen in the future when the character is ignorant of the same.

Poe's issue on the premeditated death of Fortunato also informs the audience that Montresor is not a reliable character, considering his tendency of exaggerating and keeping grudges which he suffered from the insults of his target (Poe, 7). Edgar Poe is, therefore, seen to craft the story of "The Cask of Amontillado," in a manner which connects every detail to a single outcome. The audience can clearly see Fortunato dying progressively in the hands of Montresor as he gets lured step by step until he gets captured.

Another aspect of rhetorical analysis gets founded on the naming of the target character by the author. The naming of Fortunato comes from the word fortune, but in the story, the character gets depicted in an unfortunate manner, and he gets clothed with the costume of a fool. As mentioned earlier, Montresor uses the wine to fool Fortunato and when the health of the latter deteriorates due to the wine which he tasted, the former becomes the first person to make a comment on his health. Edgar Poe uses a verbal irony to persuade the audience of how Montresor was successfully getting away with his revenge through the suggestions which Montresor gives on Fortunato's health (Stobaugh and Jam, 5). He suggests to the people that the situation of Fortunato may worsen due to the coughs from the cold dampness of the catacomb. At the point, Montresor tries to turn the attention of the audience from him getting noted as the possible cause of Fortunato's situation. The story finally ends with him getting away with his revenge as he toasts on Fortunato's long life.

Conclusion

In summary, the rhetorical analysis on Edgar Poe's story "The Cask of Amontillado" mainly focuses on the long term plan by Montresor to take his revenge on Fortunato. The events in the story get analyzed based on the strategies that Edgar Poe Employs to convince the audience on the unfolding and connected events as portrayed in the entire paper till the death of Fortunato.

Works Cited

Poe, Edgar A, and David D. Galloway. The Cask of Amontillado [in, the fall of the House of Usher and Other Writings: Poems, Tales, Essays, and Reviews: Edited with an Introduction and Notes by David Galloway] (Penguin Classics). Cambridge [England: Proquest LLC, 2011. Internet resource.

Poe, Edgar A. The Cask of Amontillado. Auckland: The Floating Press, 2016. Internet resource.

Stobaugh, James P. Skills for Rhetoric (teacher): Developing Persuasive Communication. Green Forest: New Leaf Publishing Group, Inc, 2013. Internet resource.