"The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge... at length I would be avenged; this was a point definitely settled... I must not only punish, but punish with impunity." Poe's story is a case of premeditated murder; a powerful tale of revenge. In reading this story, it becomes quickly apparent that this tale has been carefully crafted to create a desired effect. In fact, it seems that almost every detail of this tightly woven story contributes to the desired deception of reality. Through the use of irony, point of view, and symbolism, Poe manipulates the thoughts of the reader, just as Montresor manipulates his victim, Fortunato.
             Irony, both dramatic and verbal, play a crucial role in this short story. Fortunato's name itself is ironic, for the poor man is anything but fortunate. In addition, he is dressed in " a cap and bells," resembling the outfit of a clown or a fool. This could possibly be because Montresor intends to fool him as part of his evil plan. There are numerous examples of verbal irony throughout the story. Perhaps the most obvious is when Montresor insists that he is a mason, even daring to pull out his trowel that he would use to seal Fortunato's fate. At one point, Fortunato insists that he will not die of a cough when Montresor inquires about his health. While researching this short story and Poe, I learned that there is symbolism in Montresor's final statement to Fortunato. He says "in pace reqiescat" which means "rest in peace" but according to Martha Womack, "in pace" also refers to a very secure prison.
             Montresor can definitely be considered to be an unreliable narrator. Therefore, point of view plays a crucial role in this story. Montresor tells his tale of revenge smugly, as if he invites the reader to applaud his cleverness. Poe's intent of telling th...