Amontillado is a suspense story rather than a horror tale.

Readers know that Fortunato will die, because we know that oath of Montresor. Death will be frithtening and cruel. Revenge given by Montresor is going to be terrible, but also the crime was done without anyone suspected of Montresor, so also is assumed that the death will be witty, some cruel but subtle. We know that it will happen but do not know how. Poe lets us to discover the way that the crime occurs. Joining our emotion to discover the kind of death. Evidences from the text: I must not only had to punish, but punish with impunity [] And he could not perceive that my smile how had in me as the source of his information.

We can also see some black humor by Poe, which makes the horrible comic situations Fortunato dressing and showing up drunk jester. The drunken character is unaware of the plans of his partner and he is convinced that only has to prove wines. While revenge is done, he does not aware of anything and like a clown is falling into the traps that will put Montresor. When he sees that his friend is trying to make their dark plans takes it as a joke, and he believes that Montresor is laughing at him. Evidences from the text: Ha! Ha! Ha! A very good joke indeed We will have many rich laugh about it at the palazzo. Two perpectives: We might consider this story from two different perspectives. On the one hand, as a suspense story with three moments in which the tension rises its higher point.

On the other hand, we may regard the story as a non suspense story, except for those three concret moments. Three parts: The first moment of suspense cames when Montresor offers wine to Fortunato. Here, I knocked off the neck of the bottle which I drew from row of its fellows that lay upon the mould. Evidences from the text: Drink, I said, presenting him the wine. The second one, takes place when Montresor tells Fortunato to go home due to his continued cough. Then suspense is broken down when Fortunato refuses because he thinks that he wont die for it. Evidences from the text: The nitre! I said; []See , it increases. It hangs loke moss upon the vaults. Come, we will go back it is too late. Your cough. The last one takes place when Montresor insists in the same reason to leave the vaults. Fortunato answers the same again. Evindences from the text: Pass your hand I said, over the wall; you cannot help feeling the nitre. Indeed it is very damp. Once more let me implore your return. No? Then I must positively leave you. But I must first render you all the little attentions in my power.

Bibliography
Poe, Edgar Allan. The Cask of Amontillado. From: Nina Baym, ed. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York: Norton, 2007. Bressler, Charles E. Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Englewood Cliffs,1994. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Allan_Poe