comparison of " the necklace" and " the cask of amontillado"
...Throughout the story, obviously there is going to be dialogue; after all, the characters need to interact to make something interesting happen. During conversations between characters, one may say one thing and mean something completely different. Verbal irony is just that. Knowing his wife is obviously upset with her wardrobe options for the party, M. Loisel offers to allow Mathilde to buy a dress. She ponders what a nice dress would be priced at, making a point to herself not to speak an amount that her husband would surely go cross over. “I’m not sure exactly" she says, "but I think with four hundred francs I could manage it (31,2,3)." Mathilde knew this amount would make her husband upset, yet she suggested it anyway. Unlike " The Necklace", Poe's short story is feverishly laced with verbal irony. For starters, Montressor's enemy who he is attempting to kill is named "Fortunato." Almost every word Montressor speaks is ironic. The way he says the correct words to lure Fortunato, by his own will, into the catacombs is genius. When Fortunato profusely begins to cough, Montressor suggests"...[they] go back, [because Fortunato's] health is precious (36,1,6)." At another point in the story the two drink. Fortunato drinks to " the buried that repose around [them]." Montressor drinks "...to Fortunato's] long life (36,1,9)." There are times in literature where the reader knows something that a character does not. This concept is referred to as dramatic irony. It is not until the end of " The Necklace" that the reader finds out the whole short story was based on dramatic irony, however "The Cask of Amontillado" is a different case. From the beginning of the story the reader is told what Montressor's plan is. He tells the audience that "...[his] smile now was at the thought of [Fortunato's] immolation (35,1,2)," clearly stating his plan. Fortunato has no idea he is being led to his death, while the reader knows exactly what is going on. Plainly the two short stories are more alike then first believed. In addition to irony, both stories are alike in another way. Both Mathilde from "The Necklace" and Montressor from "The Cask of Amontillado" share several traits. The nature of these traits however, is far from the same. Mathilde is an innocent dreamer, and Montressor is a cold-blooded murderer. All Mathilde wants is to have riches and look beautiful, a request any person would want. She however lets this idea get to her head. Selfishly, Mathilde makes her husband look for the lost necklace and spend years paying off its replacement. “He compromised the rest of his life…(33,1,10)" for Mathilde and she showed no appreciation or gratitude. Montressor was even more selfish than Mathilde. "The Cask of Amontillado" begins with Montressor telling the reader what is going on: "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge (35,1,1)" Montessor was selfish enough to kill a man, not taking anything but himself into consideration. Given these characters were selfish, the tasks that were done for them were done without a fight, simply and easily. Another trait that they both share is being manipulative. Although not nearly as good as Montressor, Mathilde has that same ...