Functionality of Rhetoric Devices in Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Cask of Amontillado'

Abstract

In his "The Cask of Amontillado", Poe resorts to the use of rhetorical devices to attain various functions associated with persuasion, embellishment, entertainment and criticality. These devices are meant to emphasize their role in establishing a tense atmosphere, enrich character description, and enhance thematic representation to illustrate how these components represent various dimensions of society concerns and human psychology. Thus, this paper aims to detect the rhetorical devices used in “The Cask of Amontillado”, illustrating their behaviours and determining the functions behind their use. The data collection consists of five extracts drawn from “The Cask of Amontillado”; they are selected to be descriptively and qualitatively analysed focusing on the types and behaviours of the figures of speech used. The study concludes that through the use of irony, symbolism, and vivid descriptive language, Poe intricately captivates the reader in the story by establishing an atmosphere of suspense and terror. Overall, these rhetorical elements are integral to the story, enhancing its mood of foreboding and offering profound insights into themes of revenge, decline and deceit.