It is not at all surprising that so many of Edgar Allan Poe's works explore themes such as death, eyes, the power of the dead over the power of the living, punishment, human conscience and above all death and murder. From his disturbingly morbid short story “The Tell-Tale Heart” to the mysteriously supernatural poem “The Raven,” Poe's tales are a direct byproduct of the chaos he experienced in his life, as well as his (arguably) psychologically tormented mind. Although all of this author's pieces are very rich in elaborate themes, motifs and particularly blatant irony, one particularly strikes me: "The Cask of Amontillado". This story tells how a man called Montresor seeks revenge on a "friend" who allegedly insulted him. In “The Cask of Amontillado,” the brilliant use of situational irony and gallows humor creates significant parallels between the plot and the author's strange life. From the first sentence, “The Cask of Amontillado” is absolutely saturated with words and drama. irony. In fact, even the title has an element of irony: the word “cask” (meaning “wine barrel”) shares its root with “casket”, meaning “coffin” (Cummings). Therefore, it is possible that the “barrel” figuratively symbolizes Fortunado's final coffin (death). Another notable ironic device used early in the story is, of course, the name "Fortunado". Although the name means “lucky” in Italian, Fortunado is anything but at the end of the tale, when he becomes the victim of Montresor's (Cummings) brutal revenge. Poe adds irony to the character of Fortunado by dressing him in a playful court jester costume. This outfit not only counteracts the horrible fate that awaits Fortuna...... middle of paper ......d. Michael Mayer. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009. 552.Merriman, "Edgar Allan Poe" CD. The literature network. April 19, 2006. Jalic, Inc., Web. March 6, 2010. Meyer, Michael, ed. Bedford's compact introduction to literature. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009.Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Cask of Amontillado." Bedford's compact introduction to literature. Ed. Michael Mayer. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009. 553-557.Swenson, Tree. "Edgar Allan Poe." POETS. March 16, 1999. The Academy of American Poets, Web. March 6, 2010. Womack, Martha. ""The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe." Poe decoder. 08 April 1997 . Christopher Hallqvist, Web. March 6, 2010. Wood, Kerry Michael. “Literary Analysis: Irony in “The Cask of Amontillado,” by Edgar Allan Poe.” Helium. 09 March 2009. Elio, Inc., Web. 01 March 2010.