In a literary work, situational irony refers to a gap between what is expected to happen and what actually does happen. There are a number of examples of this literary device in "The Cask of Amontillado." For one thing, the very name Fortunato is highly ironic. In Italian fortunato means fortunate, or lucky. And yet Fortunato is anything but, being walled alive inside the palazzo wine cellar.
Earlier on, when Montresor meets with the unfortunate...
In a literary work, situational irony refers to a gap between what is expected to happen and what actually does happen. There are a number of examples of this literary device in "The Cask of Amontillado." For one thing, the very name Fortunato is highly ironic. In Italian fortunato means fortunate, or lucky. And yet Fortunato is anything but, being walled alive inside the palazzo wine cellar.
Earlier on, when Montresor meets with the unfortunate Fortunato he hails him with the words
My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met.
What Montresor means by this is that it's fortunate he has met Fortunato during the carnival and when his friend is in a state of complete intoxication. Fortunato's condition, and the backdrop of the carnival where everyone will be busy having fun, will make it so much easier for Montresor to carry out his dastardly plan. This is Montresor's lucky day, not Fortunato's.
But perhaps Montresor has a conscience; perhaps he instantly regrets his appalling act of murder:
My heart grew sick.
Not a bit of it. Montresor is actually feeling a tad queasy due to the dampness of the catacombs.
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