What literary elements are in Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado"?

From the opening hyperbole, Edgar Allan Poe employs
several literary elements in his macabre short story, "The Cask of
Amontillado."

Hyperbole

• The
  unreliable narrator, Montesor, opens the narrative discussing the "thousand injuries of
  Fortunato" that he has had to bear.  Yet, he never enumerates any of these
  injuries.

Foreshadowing

• This
  opening paragraph certainly has the suggestion of Montesor's intentions to be avenged
  against Fortunato as he discusses how he will be
  avenged.


• In the third paragraph, Montesor mentions that
  Fortunato has a weakness of considering himself a connoisseur of wine, thus hinting at
  the means that Montesor may use to lure Fortunato.


• The
  setting is dusk in the time of the "supreme madness."  This approaching darkness
  foreshadows the darkness to which Fortunato will be subjected.  And, the noise of the
  celebration can cover any noise that might draw
  attention.


• Fortunato's name is an ironic foreshadowing of
  his unfortunate end. 


• Montesor's mention of Fortunato's
  drunkenness foreshadows the method Montesor will use to lure Fortunato into the
  catacombs.


• Montesor has made plans for the servants to be
  gone by telling them that he will not return to his house until the morrow.  So, with
  the house abandoned, there can be no
  witnesses.

Mood

• As
  a Gothic story, Poe's tale is dark and foreboding. 
  


• Nevertheless, the mood changes from this darkness to
  comical at times as Montesor describes Fortunato in his tight-fitting harlequin outfit,
  with his cap jingling, tettering in the doorways sputtering "Ugh! Ugh!ugh!ugh!--ugh!
  ugh! ugh!"  He also appears foolish when he ask Montesor if he is not a
  mason.


• Certainly, there is a terrifying mood at thend. 
  Interestingly, Poe subverts the Gothic convention by using human beings for terrible
  deeds.  The horror lies in what they are capable
  of.

Imagery

• There
  is sound imagery with the jingling of Fortunato's fool's bells, as well as his coughing
  from the niter and the foulness of the air.  His screaming of "For the love of God,
  Montresor" is horrifying.


• Sight imagery occurs with the
  costume of Fortunato, the niter-covered catacombs, the bones scattered about, the
  flambeaux, the Montresor coat of arms, and the wall to which Fortunato is
  tettered.

Double
entendre

Montresor makes a play upon the
word mason as he will lay the bricks to imprison Fortunato (bricklayer), but Fortunato
means the Freemason, a secret fraternal
order.

Arabesque

• This
  is a technique that Poe himself named as he has a motif to which focuses upon the
  psychological aspect of a character.  Returning and returning to the illness of the mind
  in the character, certain expressions and attitudes of the character are reiterated. 
  For instance, Fortunato continues to berate Luchesi, he refuses to admit to the affect
  of the niter upon him, and he fails to perceive any
  threats.


• Arabesque also refers to Poe's returning to
  certain characteristics or actions that are
  repeated.


• Montesor returns repeatedly to the idea of not
  going forward because of Fortunato's
  health.

Irony

Dramatic
Irony -

• Fortunato mitigates his
  cough, saying it will not kill him "I shall not die of a cough." Also, Fortunato calls
  Luchesi "an ignoramus."


• Fortunato believes he is safe
  when Montesor plans to kill him.


• Fortunato says, "I
  drink...to the
  buried...."

Verbal Irony

• So
  often Montresor expresses concern for the health of
  Fortunato


• Montresor tells Fortunato he is a
  mason


• Montresor says, "In pace
  requiescat!" meaning really "Good
  riddance!"