Edgar Allen Poe

One need not wonder any longer why Edgar Allen Poe was the master of terror after reading his short story "The Cask of Amontillado". Through the use of tension and ambiguity Poe has succeeded in creating suspense throughout this tale. Poe's writing gives an excellent example of how tension, imagery, and irony combine to create an overwhelming effect of terror. The story begins with Montresor declaring his intention to seek revenge against Fortunato, "At length …

…is creating tension. From beginning to end, we are never quite sure of the outcome. Suspense is created with the use of language, irony, tension, and contradictory images. Through the vague beginnings, as the revenge and injuries are described, we learn the power of creating tension using the cleverly ambiguous information presented. The extreme images, mixed with contradictory characterizations are most successful in creating the effect of terror necessary for Poe's infamous genre of writing.