Lesson Plan

Criminal Motivations: Irony and Characterization In "The Cask Of Amontillado"

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Cask of Amontillado" is a bit of a puzzle. Critics have long debated Montresor's motives for killing Fortunato. Young scholars examine examples of the three types of irony (verbal, dramatic, and situational) used by Montresor to tell the tale to try to identify his motives. They then take on the role of a forensic psychologist to determine if Montresor is competent to stand trial.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Ideas
  • After class members have completed their assessments, show clips from several versions of the tale and have viewers critic how the directors portray Montresor's state of mind
Classroom Considerations
  • Learners need access to devices with internet
  • Requires a projection device for the slideshow and individual copies of the rubric
Pros
  • Teacher's notes provide suggestions for how to conduct and enrich the lesson
  • The provided rubric details information that must be included in the clinical evaluation
Cons
  • Some readers may need additional scaffolding to make the connection between the video about motivations and Poe's short story
Common Core