Symbols are characters, objects, colors, or figures that an author uses to represent abstract concepts or ideas. Put differently, they are things that stand for something other than the obvious and visible meaning. Symbolism is the most widely used literary device 4in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” as nearly everything and every turn of events in the short story has symbolic meaning attached to it. On this note, the character names, emblem, cask, colors, outfits, and niter among others are important symbols in Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado.” This paper analyzes how symbolism is used and its contribution to the understanding of the story’s central message of revenge. The names of the two primary characters, Fortunato and Montresor, are symbolic. The name Fortunato has a subtle symbolism. It means the fortunate one in Italian. It is symbolic in the sense that Fortunato is fortunate to be renowned as the best judge of wines. This comes out when Montresor, in praise of Fortunato over Luchresi, says 2“and yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for your own” (Poe 867). The implication of this is that due to his experience, Fortunato is fortunate to be the one to savor and judge the authenticity of Montresor’s amontillado. Ironically, this privilege leads to his obliteration. Mon tresor means my treasure in French. From a symbolic perspective, Montresor, the avenger has a treasure – and this treasure is his secret of a perfect plan to have his revenge. The plan is perfect because no one finds out about his atrocity and fifty years down the line, he flashes back to the events that took place on the day he murdered Fortunato – quite an unfortunate end for the fortunate one. The Montresor Coat of Arms is a significant symbol in the story. The emblem is comprised of a shield and motto. Montresor in his explanation of their family arms to Fortunato tells him that the shield is 3“a huge human foot, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel” (868). There is a very profound and crucial meaning from this. The huge human 5foot symbolizes Montresor while the serpent symbolizes Fortunato. The action of the foot crushing the serpent is representative of the Montresor exerting his vengeance and crushing Fortunato who he says rendered him a thousand injuries [depicted by the fangs imbedded in the heel] (866). Therefore, the shield symbolizes the ruthless execution of vengeance. On the same note, the motto takes the symbolism a notch higher. In this case, the 6family motto “Nemo me impune lacessit” translated from Italian means no one attacks me with impunity (868). This symbolizes Montresor’s thoughts. For a long time, Fortunato had provoked him a thousand times and over. He bore it until the attacks went to the next level that Montresor felt was an impunity he could not bear – Fortunato had ventured into insulting the respectable name of the Montresors, and this is an attack that could not go unpunished. The motto, therefore, is an indication of the thoughts that Montresor has had for a long time awaiting the perfect moment to have his vengeance. The “field azure” means a blue field (868). The color azure means sky- blue, and the sky symbolizes freedom. In this sense, Montresor finally gets freedom from his long-time tormentor and thirst for vengeance. In death, Fortunato gains freedom from his wine addiction and failing health. Therefore, the coat of arms is a metaphor for the relationship between Montresor and Fortunato. It is apparent that Fortunato is foolish and oblivious of the impending tragedy that is about to befall him, and his ridiculous outfit is symbolic of this foolishness. The narrator describes that 1“the man [Fortunato] wore motley. He had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress, and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells” (866). In short, he is dressed like a fool – a symbolic representation of what he is. Throughout the story, the reader is aware that whatever Montresor does and says to Fortunato means the exact opposite, but the fool never at any one moment grasps the reality. So, even at this point when Montresor tells Fortunato that he looks good, the reader knows that he means the complete opposite. Therefore, his attire on the evening he dies is symbolic of his character and intellectual flaws. Again, descending the stairs into the catacombs has a triple symbolism attached to it. Once in the Montresor Palace, the avenger, and his victim take a flambeaux each [brightly burning lights] and head “down a long and winding staircase” (867). Given that it is already at night, and the stairs are as described means that the two are descending into a thick and dense darkness. On one hand, this action shows Montresor descending into evil and darkness through the evil act of killing a fellow human being. On the other hand, it symbolizes Fortunato’s descending into the world of the dead from that of the living. The deeper they get, the darker it becomes and the more apparent it becomes that there is no turning back. On the same note, descending down the stairs into the catacombs takes Montresor and Fortunato directly to the niter, which again is symbolic of the trap awaiting the latter. When they reach the foot of the descent [end of the stairs] the narrator, Montresor, asks Fortunato to 2“observe the web-work [niter] which gleams from these cavern walls” (867). This “web” that Montresor refers to is symbolic of the underground vaults of the Montresor family where Fortunato will be trapped and walled up by his nemesis. Montresor tricks Fortunato to go down the stairs and into the web that will trap him for all eternity using the cask of amontillado as the bait. Once, he gets into the web [interior end of the deep crypt], Montresor traps him there by shackling him to a rock. Therefore, the web-work symbolizes the trap which is all Montresor’s work in pursuit of a ruthless vengeance. Symbolism is, therefore, a critical element 4in Edgar Alan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado.” The author uses the names of the two primary characters to show their personal characters and the fate that befalls them. The coat of arms through its shield, motto, and azure [sky-blue] color is a metaphor for the relationship between Montresor and Fortunato. At the same time, the action of descending the stairs into the darkness represents Montresor sinking into evil and darkness because of his inhuman atrocity and also represents Fortunato, descending into the dark world of the dead and cold as well as into an eternal trap from which he cannot escape. Therefore, symbolism is central to the message and to understand and appreciate the narrative requires one to do the same with the symbols presented.