Image of Death in Poe's Stories

" Within this room the completion of the story takes place and the theme is revealed. Death is inevitable. Poe illustrates that, no national what precautions or steps are taken, everybody must die at some point. He emphasizes his point through the use of horror.

hatred can be an effective tool in illustrating a theme. In "The Cask of Amontillado," Poe uses a classic revenge performance plot as the major theme. Montresor is out for revenge a realizest Fortunado: "The mebibyte injuries of Fortunado I had borne as best I could; barely when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge." Montresor tells Fortunado that he needs him to taste some impertinently purchased wine to see if it is Amontillado. Fortunato prides himself on his knowledge of wines and immediately agrees to help. The twain venture mastered into the vaults where the wines are kept. The beauty of the story is non in the theme, but in the method of operation. Montresor not save plans to kill Fortunado, but to torture him by walling him in pig in the catacombs. This way Fortunado will have plenty of clock to contemplate his death and regret his behavior.

Irony besides plays a significant role in the story. Throughout the journey down the catacombs, Montresor talks about Fortunado's cough. He points out the nitre on the walls and comments on how unhealthy the atmoshere is for his condition. Fortunado does not know yet that Montresor is a worse threat than the nitre: "'The Nitre!' I express; 'see, it increases . . . Come, we will

. "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar." In works ofEdgar Allan Poe. Edited by Edmund Clarence Stedman and George Edward Woodberry. Vol. 1. Freeport, NY: Books for Libraries Press, [1984], rep. 1971.

Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Cask of Amontillado." In Works of Edgar Allan Poe. Edited by Edmund Clarence Stedman and George Edward Woodberry. Vol. 2. Freeport, NY: Books for Libraries Press, [1984], rep. 1971.

. "The Sphinx." In Works of Edgar Allan Poe. Edited by Edmund Clarence Stedman and George Edward Woodberry. Vol. 3. Freeport, NY: Books for Libraries Press, [1984], rep. 1971.

. "the Masque of the Red Death." In Works of EdgarAllan Poe. Edited by Edmund Clarence Stedman and George Edward Woodberry.

Vol. 1. Freeport, NY: Books for Libraries Press, [1984], rep. 1971.

The madness of the fibber is confirmed on the final paginate of the story as an unbearable sound drives him to his breaking point, and he reveals his crime. The unbearable noise is an illusion that became a reality to the cashier: "It grew louder--louder--louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard it not? churchman God!--no, no! They heard!--they suspected!--they knew!--they were making a mockery of my horror!--this I thought, and this I think." Poe creates two obsessions for the narrator: first the eye, which causes him to murder so that he can gain peace; and second, the heart, which drives him to admit his crime. Ironically, the madness that drove him to kill also drove him to his own doom.

Poe's ability to maintain the reader's suspense is the final result of his delivery of intriguing details that keep the reader's attention. Just when the reader thinks the situation is under control, Poe adds more horrific details to focalize the situation. For example, the reader not only finds that M. Valdemar's soul has been inhabiting his dead body, but also the body instantly decomposes when M. Valdemar
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