Irony is also found in Fortunato’s clothing. The two characters share a common taste for fine wines and that is the bait that Montresor uses to reel his victim in. Amontillado seems impossible for anyone to have received in the middle of the festivities and the drunken Fortunato finds such an accomplishment to be incredulous. Montresor, prepared for such a response, plays on Fortunato’s arrogance: “He says “As you are engaged, I am on my way to Luchresi. If any one has a critical turn it is he. He will tell me --” Fortunato, argues that Luchresi is terrible in the knowledge of wines, and demands that he must come and taste it for himself. Ironically Fortunato is dressed in a fool’s costume and plays the part of the fool.
More Irony is found when the reader finds out Fortunato is a member of the freemasons from the lines
"Then you are not of the brotherhood."
"How ?"
"You are not of the masons."
Montresor is asked to display a sign of his membership he is unable to do it. He takes a trowel from beneath his cloak and displays the tool instead. Fortunato, thinks it’s a joke and assumes that Montresor is a member. The irony here is that Fortunato, a Freemason, will eventually be bricked up behind a wall with the use of this trowel. The narrator is a fake mason who puts the Freemason to death by masonry.
Montresor has Fortunato follow him down into the cavern to taste the wine. Ironically he appears to be especially concerned about Fortunato’s health. The catacombs are damp and chilly and Fortunato is ill with a cold. At one point the narrator argues that it is not in Fortunato’s best health to follow him to the wine. He says “Come,” I said, with decision, “we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed” Little does Fortunato know that his health means nothing to Montresor and that he will be missed for a very long time because he will be dead. The Narrator again attempts to convince Fortunato to turn back from the unhealthy surroundings, and Fortunato says, “I shall not die of a cough.” “True - true,” I replied” was Montresor’s answer. It is ironic because reader and Montresor are aware that Fortunato won’t die of a cough. Montresor also toasts to Fortunato’s long life.
At the end of the story Fortunato says “For the love of God, Montresor!” This is the most ironic part of the story because Fortunato is about to die through the use of a trowel; a symbol which means so much to him as a freemason. In the end he cries God who he left in favor of the man-made group of freemasons.
Now that we have seen the irony lets move on to the symbolism of the Amontillado in the story. Not as major as the symbolism but important none the less. The amontillado symbolizes 2 very different things for Fortunato and Montresor. Amontillado for Fortunato is a fine wine. Something to be enjoyed. Something that only the upper class and the people with the finest tastes in wine may enjoy. For Montresor the Amontillado symbolizes his desire to kill his victim. Amontillado is his revenge for the insult he received. Though the reader never knows what this insult is.
Throughout “The Cask of Amontillado” the reader sees examples of multiple ironies that are put together very well. The naming of Fortunato is one such example and so is his costume. The conversations that occur between the two characters are also examples of this in that Fortunato never truly understands the meanings of them. Even the setting is an example of irony as the victim literally walks further and further into the cavern until he reaches his own grave. All in all, this story represents the definition of the word irony and is very well written bringing the authors point across very well.