The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe

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A classic short story by Edgar Allan Poe, “The Cask of Amontillado” first appeared in 1846 in the magazine Godey’s Lady’s Book. Since then, it has won fame and popularity to Poe solely due to its exotically terrifying setting. Set in Italy, the story follows Montresor’s twisted plan to seek revenge on his acquaintance, Fortunato, by luring him into the catacombs under the guise of tasting a rare wine. The story’s popularity has endured over time due to its masterful use of suspense, atmosphere, and dark humor, as well as its exploration of themes such as revenge, madness, and the blurred line between reality and illusion. It has become part of anthologies and classroom text booms across the globe, bringing Poe’s reputation tt the top among the master of horror and suspense stories.

Main Events in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe
  1. Montresor, who feels insulted by his acquaintance Fortunato, decides to seek revenge on him.
  2. During Carnival, Montresor encounters Fortunato and tells him he has a rare wine called Amontillado that he needs an expert opinion on.
  3. Fortunato, who is a wine connoisseur, eagerly follows Montresor to the catacombs where Montresor has told him he has stored Amontillado.
  4. On the way to the catacomb, he showers praises on Fortunato, causing him to feel jealous over the mention of another connoisseur, and coaxes him to go with him. He also gives him sips from his cask to keep him drunk and disoriented.
  5. Montresor leads Fortunato deep into the catacombs, eventually bringing him to a small room where he has promised to show him the Amontillado.
  6. Montresor chains Fortunato to the wall and begins to build a wall of bricks around him, effectively burying him alive.
  7. Throughout the process, Fortunato becomes confused in his thrill and excitement of checking Amontillado, and then begins to realize Montresor’s true intentions.
  8. Montresor continues to taunt Fortunato, mocking him for his foolishness and begging for his forgiveness.
  9. Finally, the wall is complete, and Montresor leaves Fortunato to die alone in the darkness.
  10. The story ends with Montresor reflecting on his successful revenge and paying that “May he rest in peace!”
Literary Devices in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe
  1. Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in a sentence, for example “now no human has touched them” in the story, repeating the sounds of /n/, /h/, and /t/.
  2. Allusion: A reference to a well-known person, place, event, or work of literature, such as the reference to Montresor’s family catacombs.
  3. Antagonist: Montresor, the protagonist of the story, is also the antagonist because he is the one perpetrating the crime, while Fortunato is an innocent connoisseur.
  4. Foreshadowing: The hints and clues that Poe drops throughout the story, such as the description of the catacombs and the reference to the Masons, foreshadow the dark and twisted turn that the story takes.
  5. Hyperbole: An exaggerated statement used to emphasize a point, such as Montresor’s claim that Fortunato’s cough “the cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me.”
  6. Imagery: Vivid and descriptive language used to create mental images, such as the description of the damp catacombs and the smell of the nitre about which Montresor tells “It hangs like moss upon the vaults.”
  7. Irony: The contrast between what is expected and what actually happens, such as the fact that Fortunato is in a jester’s dress and yet facing the risk of death.
  8. Metaphor: A comparison between two unlike things to highlight a particular similarity, such as the comparison between Fortunato and a “clown.”
  9. Mood: The emotional atmosphere of a story created by the author, such as the eerie and suspenseful mood that Poe creates in the catacombs.
  10. Motif: A recurring theme or image, such as the references to the Masons and the coat of arms.
  11. Personification: The attribution of human qualities to non-human things, such as the personification of the nitre as a “white web-work.”
  12. Point of View: The perspective from which the story is told, in this case, from Montresor’s point of view.
  13. Repetition: The repeated use of a word or phrase, such as the repetition of the word “revenge” throughout the story.
  14. Satire: The use of humor, irony, or exaggeration to ridicule human behavior, such as the irony of Montresor’s twisted sense of revenge.
  15. Setting: The time and place where the story takes place, in this case, during the carnival season in Italy.
  16. Simile: A comparison between two unlike things using “like” or “as,” such as the comparison between Fortunato’s smile and that of a wild animal.
  17. Symbolism: The use of symbols to represent ideas or concepts, such as the coat of arms and the Masons.
  18. Tone: The author’s attitude towards the subject or the audience, such as Poe’s ominous and foreboding tone throughout the story.
Characterization in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe
Major Characters:
  1. Montresor: He is the narrator and protagonist of the story. Montresor is consumed by the desire for revenge against his acquaintance Fortunato, whom he believes has insulted him. He is cold and calculating, manipulating Fortunato into the catacombs under false pretenses and eventually trapping and killing him by building a wall around him after making him sit in a niche.
  2. Fortunato: The victim of Montresor’s revenge. Fortunato is a wine connoisseur who is easily lured by Montresor’s promise of a rare wine called Amontillado. He is depicted as arrogant and foolish, unable to see through Montresor’s manipulations until it is too late.
Minor Characters:
  1. Luchesi: A wine expert whom Montresor mentions as a potential rival to Fortunato. He never appears in the story, but Montresor uses him to manipulate Fortunato’s ego and convince him to continue to check the Amontillado lying in the basement of his catacomb.
  2. Montresor’s servants: They are briefly mentioned as having left Montresor’s home for the evening, allowing him to carry out his plan without any interference.
  3. The Montresor and Fortunato families: Both are referenced in the story, with the implication that there may be some sort of long-standing feud or rivalry between them. However, the story does not show specific details.

Overall, the focus of the story is primarily on the relationship between Montresor and Fortunato, with the other characters serving as supporting elements to the plot.

Writing Style in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe

Edgar Allan Poe’s writing style in “The Cask of Amontillado” shows characteristics of its Gothic elements, including vivid descriptions of the setting and a focus on the darker aspects of human nature. In the first-person point of view, the story presents Montresor as the narrator, which creates a sense of intimacy with the reader and adds to the story’s suspense. Poe’s use of foreshadowing and irony is also notable, as he drops hints throughout the story that build up to the shocking ending. The language used is often poetic and evocative, with descriptions of the damp catacombs and the scent of the nitre adding to the story’s eerie atmosphere. Overall, Poe’s writing style in “The Cask of Amontillado” is masterful in that it creates a sense of tension and unease, making it a classic example of Gothic literature.

Major Themes in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe

Some of the major themes in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe include:

  1. Revenge: The story moves with Montresor’s desire for revenge against Fortunato, who has insulted him. Montresor’s plan to lure Fortunato into the catacombs and murder him is a chilling example of the destructive power of revenge.
  2. Betrayal: Montresor feels that Fortunato once insulted and betrayed him. This fuels his desire for revenge. However, the story also raises questions about Montresor’s own loyalty, as he plans to murder a man who trusts him.
  3. Deception: Montresor is a master of deception, using his intelligence and cunning to lure Fortunato into his trap. The story highlights the dangers of trusting others blindly and the power of manipulation.
  4. Madness: Montresor’s obsession with revenge and his willingness to commit murder suggest that he may be mentally unstable. The story explores the theme of madness and its destructive effects on the human mind.
  5. Mortality: The catacombs are a symbol of death and decay, reminding the reader of the inevitability of death. The story raises questions about the nature of mortality and the limits of human power and control.
Literary Theories and Interpretation of “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe

There are various literary theories and interpretations of “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe. Some of these include:

  1. Gothic Literature: The story is often seen as a classic example of Gothic literature. It shows Gothic features through its dark and eerie atmosphere with an emphasis on the darker aspects of human nature, and the use of suspense and horror. It also creates a sense of terror in the reader.
  2. Psychoanalytic Theory: Some scholars have interpreted the story through a psychoanalytic lens, suggesting that it reflects Poe’s own psychological struggles and fears. For example, Montresor’s obsession with revenge may be seen as a reflection of Poe’s own struggles with anger and resentment.
  3. Reader-response Theory: This theory focuses on the reader’s interpretation of the text, suggesting that each reader brings their own experiences and perspectives to the story. In this sense, the story may be interpreted in a variety of ways depending on the reader’s background and context.
  4. Postcolonial Theory: Some scholars have interpreted the story through a postcolonial lens, suggesting that it reflects Poe’s own anxieties about power and control. For example, Montresor’s manipulation and abuse of power may be seen as a reflection of the oppressive colonial systems that existed in Poe’s time.
  5. Symbolism: Many elements of the story, such as the catacombs, the nitre, and the Montresor coat of arms, could have symbolic interpretations. For example, the catacombs may represent the dark recesses of the human mind, while the Montresor’s coat of arms may represent the family’s history of violence and vengeance.
Questions-Thesis Statements about “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe
  1. What is the psychological motivation behind Montresor’s desire for revenge against Fortunato?

Thesis Statement: Through the use of characterization and symbolism, Poe demonstrates how Montresor’s thirst for vengeance against Fortunato is driven by his own wounded pride and need for dominance.

  • How does Poe use setting and atmosphere to create a sense of dread and horror in the story?

Thesis Statement: By carefully crafting the dark and ominous setting of the catacombs and creating a foreboding atmosphere of suspense, Poe heightens the reader’s sense of terror and anxiety.

  • What role does irony play in the story, particularly in the interactions between Montresor and Fortunato?

Thesis Statement: Through his use of dramatic irony, Poe reveals the true nature of Montresor’s plan to the reader, while Fortunato remains oblivious until it is too late, resulting in a tragic and ironic end.

  • How does Poe use foreshadowing to create tension and anticipation throughout the story? Thesis Statement: By dropping subtle hints and clues throughout the story, such as Montresor’s mention of his family motto and the imagery of the crypts and tombs, Poe builds a sense of foreboding that ultimately culminates in the shocking finale.
  • What is the significance of the title “The Cask of Amontillado” and how does it relate to the themes of the story?

Thesis Statement: The title “The Cask of Amontillado” is significant because it symbolizes the deceptive nature of appearances and how things are not always as they seem. Through this symbolism, Poe explores the themes of revenge, betrayal, and the dangers of unchecked pride.

  • How does Poe’s use of unreliable narration contribute to the impact and meaning of the story?

Thesis Statement: By using Montresor as an unreliable narrator, Poe heightens the ambiguity and moral complexity of the story, forcing the reader to question their own assumptions about justice and revenge.

Short Questions About “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe

  1. What is the significance of the carnival setting in the story, “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe?

The carnival setting serves as a significant backdrop for the story’s events. It creates a sense of chaos and deception, where things are not what they seem, making it easier for Montresor to lure Fortunato into the catacombs without arousing suspicion. The carnival is also a time of excess and indulgence, where people often abandon their inhibitions and indulge in their desires. This creates an opportunity for Montresor to exploit Fortunato’s love of wine and pride in his connoisseurship to carry out his act of revenge. The carnival atmosphere also provides an ironic contrast to the story’s dark and macabre tone, adding to the sense of horror and foreboding.

  1. What is the role of wine and alcohol in the story, “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe?

Wine and alcohol play a symbolic role in the story, representing both pleasure and danger. Fortunato’s love of wine and his desire to taste the rare Amontillado are used by Montresor to lure him into the catacombs and ultimately lead to his downfall. The wine also serves as a metaphor for the intoxicating effects of pride, as both Montresor and Fortunato are consumed by their own sense of superiority and self-importance. Additionally, the consumption of wine leads to Fortunato’s impaired judgment and inability to perceive the danger he is in, making him an easy target for Montresor’s revenge.

  1. What is the significance of the family motto “Nemo me impune lacessit” in the story, “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe?

The family motto “Nemo me impune lacessit,” which translates to “No one attacks me with impunity,” serves as a warning to anyone who would dare to insult or cross the Montresor family. It also underscores the theme of revenge and the idea that Montresor feels justified in seeking retribution for Fortunato’s perceived insult. By using the family motto, Poe creates a sense of history and tradition surrounding the Montresor family, emphasizing the importance of pride and honor within their culture. Additionally, the use of Latin adds to the story’s gothic and archaic tone, contributing to its overall eerie atmosphere.

  1. What is the overall message or lesson of the story?

“The Cask of Amontillado” is a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked pride and the destructive consequences of revenge. It shows how even the most meticulously planned acts of revenge can ultimately lead to one’s own downfall and suffering, emphasizing the importance of forgiveness and letting go of grudges. Through the characters of Montresor and Fortunato, Poe illustrates the toxic effects of pride and the corrosive nature of revenge. Ultimately, the story serves as a warning against the dangers of succumbing to our baser instincts and allowing our desires for revenge and power to consume us.

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Hyperbole

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Etymology and Meanings of Literary Device Hyperbole

Etymologically, the term hyperbole is a derivative of a Greek term, huperbole that entered the Latin language as hyperbola. It entered the English language during the Middle Ages and turned into hyperbole that means to exaggerate.

Literally, it means to throw beyond. There was also a Greek verb of hyperbola that was hyperballein which also means throw beyond, or over something. In other words, the term has similar meanings in both Greek and Latin languages.

Grammatically, it is a noun used as a singular having hyperboles as its plural.

Definition of Literary Device Hyperbole

In literature, hyperbole is a term used to exaggerate something. However, it is mostly used in rhetoric, poetry, and oratory to emphasize something or evoke strong feelings about something.

It is a figure of speech that means not to take something literally and exaggerate things to evoke a strong response from the readers or the audience.

Common Examples of Hyperbole
  1. He could have wept buckets over her death.
  2. He is so agile that he could have jumped rivers to reach his home.
  3. My grandfather is ages old now.
  4. You must have run millions of miles to reach him.
  5. He is a matchstick wrestler.
  6. He is as tall as a bamboo.
  7. His color exceeds bitumen in blackness.
  8. The night was scaring him.
Literary Examples of Hyperbole
Example # 1

From The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

In the first place, that stuff bores me, and in the second place, my parents would have about two hemorrhages apiece if I told anything pretty personal about them.

This sentence occurs in The Catcher in the Rye, a phenomenal novel by Salinger. Holden Caulfield thinks about his parents that had they known his school behavior, they would have had two hemorrhages which do not seem possible. He has rather exaggerated their likely shock at the situation in which he has put himself in.

Example # 2

From “Air and Angels” by John Donne

Twice or thrice had I lov’d thee,

Before I knew thy face or name;

So in a voice, so in a shapeless flame

Angels affect us oft, and worshipp’d be;

         Still when, to where thou wert, I came,

Some lovely glorious nothing I did see.

These verses occur in the poem “Air and Angels” written by a popular metaphysical poet, John Donne. Almost every other verse exaggerates things that are not possible in the world. Donne cannot love a person twice or thrice nor do the angles come to intensify their love. Therefore, this is merely an exaggeration of feelings.

Example # 3

From “The Anniversary” by John Donne

All Kings, and all their favourites,

         All glory of honours, beauties, wits,

    The sun itself, which makes times, as they pass,

    Is elder by a year now than it was

    When thou and I first one another saw:

    All other things to their destruction draw,

         Only our love hath no decay;

    This no tomorrow hath, nor yesterday,

    Running it never runs from us away,

But truly keeps his first, last, everlasting day.

These verses have been borrowed from the poem of John Donne, “The Anniversary.” Every other verse exaggerates things to the extreme. Instead of enjoying their own festivity and counting time, he argues that the sun has gone older and that other things have witnessed decay but their love is still fresh. Almost every other conceit he has used in this poem is a hyperbole.

Example # 4

From Hamlet by William Shakespeare

What a piece of work is man…how like an apprehension, how like a god; the beauty of the world…. And yet to me, what is this quintessence of dust?

These lines occur in the play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare. He has exaggerated man, equating him to god and the entire beauty of the world. This exaggeration, then, ends on the point that he (man) is a quintessence of dust. This is a beautiful hyperbole he has used in Hamlet.

Example # 5

From Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

Two men stood directly in front of me, one speaking with intense earnestness. “. . . and Johnson hit Jeffries at an angle of 45 degrees from his lower left lateral incisor, producing an instantaneous blocking of his entire thalamic rine, frosting it over like the freezing unit of a refrigerator, thus shattering his autonomous nervous system and rocking the big brick-laying creampuff with extreme hyperspasmic muscular tremors.

This passage occurs in the novel, Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison. Johnson is thrashing Jeffries but it does not occur in such a precise manner as he is stating. Nobody sees the degree of the angel when hitting or nobody makes another one frosty like a refrigerator. These are merely exaggerations. Therefore, these are beautiful hyperboles Ellison has used.

How to Create Hyperboles

  1. Plan using an idea such as light.
  2. Create a similarity between two ideas such as the brightness of the light.
  3. Use a simile such as the light was as bright as the sun itself.
  4. Use it in descriptive writing through a character or a third-person narrator.
  5. A hyperbole must be relevant, direct, clear, outlandish, or outrageous, and deliberate.
Benefits of Using Hyperbole
  1. It leads to the clarity of ideas.
  2. It enhances the impact of the description.
  3. It widens readers’ imagination.
  4. It makes readers aware of the enormity of situations or the reality of things
Literary Device Hyperbole in Literary Theory
  1. As hyperbole is an essential element of figurative language, obviously it is important when taking a formalistic literary review of a poem, story, or novel. Also, when it involves the rhetoric of fiction, it means that hyperbole is part of the rhetoric. Therefore, hyperbole helps readers understand the real message of the writing when analyzed through formalism.
  2. Hyperbole also helps in indigenous critical theory and race critical theory when a piece of art or literature is analyzed from this perspective. The reason is that indigenous linguistic features and indigenous discourse often employ hyperboles to intensify the feelings of oppression and suppression.
  3. Hyperbole is the main element of rhetoric and psycholinguistics. The reason is that rhetoric means to persuade and convince the people about the just or unjust case in the political realm. As every fiction is a political discourse in one or the other way, it is part of rhetoric and hence hyperbole is an essential part of it. Therefore, when doing a rhetorical analysis or doing analysis from a psycholinguistic point of view, it is important to review the role of hyperbole in such writings.
Suggested Readings

Barry, Peter. Beginning Theory: An Introduction To Literary And Cultural Theory. Manchester University Press, 2020. Print.

Bennett, Andrew, and Nicholas Royle. Literature, Criticism, and Theory. Harlow, UK: Pearson, 2004. Print.

Mora, Laura Cano. “All Or Nothing: A Semantic Analysis of Hyperbole.” Revista de Lingüística y Lenguas Aplicadas 4.1 (2009): 25-35. Thompson, Michael, Richard Ellis, and Aaron Wildavsky. Cultural Theory. Routledge, 2018. Print.

Onomatopoeia: A Literary Device

As a literary term, onomatopoeia means a process of creating sounds through words for specific animals that resemble those animals.

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Etymology and Meanings of Literary Device of Onomatopoeia

Etymologically, the literary device of onomatopoeia has entered the English language from the Latin language. In Latin, it has come from Greecian terms onoma and poiein. Onoma means the name and poiein means to create or make. Therefore, it means creating sounds specific to titles or names. The term is in vogue in the English language since the 16th century.

Grammatically, it is a noun. Different dictionaries state that it is an act of creating sounds for different specific things that are akin to those things.

Definition of Literary Device of Onomatopoeia

As a literary term, onomatopoeia means a process of creating sounds through words for specific animals that resemble those animals. For example, the bleating of lambs, the roaring of lions, and the braying of donkeys.

Common Examples of Literary Device of Onomatopoeia
  1. Dogs bark.
  2. Cellphones beep.
  3. Bees buzz.
  4. Leaves rustle.
  5. Birds chirp.
  6. Snakes hiss.
  7. Alligators hiss.
Literary Examples of Onomatopoeia
Example # 1

From ‘Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard’ by Thomas Gray

The breezy call of incense-breathing Morn,

         The swallow twitt’ring from the straw-built shed,

The [rooster]’s shrill clarion, or the echoing horn, (word replace for offensive nuances)

         No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed.

These verses from Thomas Gray’s popular “Elegy” shows the use of the literary device of onomatopoeia in the third verse such as the clarion of a c*ck and echoing of a horn. The second line also shows the use of twitter with swallow though it is used with almost every other bird. This is a beautiful use of onomatopoeia.

Example # 2

From Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn and caldron bubble.

Fillet of a fenny snake,

In the caldron boil and bake;

Eye of newt and toe of frog,

Wool of bat and tongue of dog,

Adder’s fork and blind-worm’s sting,

Lizard’s leg and howlet’s wing,

For a charm of powerful trouble,

Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

These verses from Macbeth, a popular play by William Shakespeare, show how Shakespeare is adept in using the literary device, onomatopoeia. Here double, bubble, and its repeated use show that the use of onomatopoeia has created a unique musical quality.

Example # 3

From Tales of Childhood by Rold Dahl

Mr Coombes stood back and took up a firm stance with his legs well apart. I thought how small Thwaites’s bottom looked and how very tight it was. Mr Coombes had his eyes focused squarely upon it. He raised the cane high above his shoulder, and as he brought it down, it made a loud swishing sound, and then there was a crack like a pistol shot as it struck Thwaites’s bottom.
Little Thwaites seemed to lift about a foot into the air and he yelled ‘Ow-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w!’ and straightened up like elastic. ‘‘Arder!’ shrieked a voice from over in the corner.

These lines from Tales of Childhood by Dahl show the use of sounds. Arder and oww are sounds though they are meaningless and are not associated with anything specific. Yet their usage shows that they could become popular when associated with something specific as here with the emotions and mood of Little Thwaites. This is a good use of the literary device of onomatopoeia.

Example # 4

From Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling

So her Mummy most carefully didn’t; and bright and early next morning Tegumai went down to the river to think about new sound pictures, and when Taffy got up she saw Ya-las (water is ending or running out) chalked on the side of the big stone water-tank, outside the Cave.
‘Um,’ said Taffy. ‘These picture-sounds are rather a bother! Daddy’s just as good as come here himself and told me to get more water for Mummy to cook with.’ She went to the spring at the back of the house and filled the tank from a bark bucket, and then she ran down to the river and pulled her Daddy’s left ear—the one that belonged to her to pull when she was good.

Kipling, too, has used Ya-las and Um as specific sounds that are only associated with human beings in Just So Stories. The reason for this use of onomatopoeic sounds is that human beings are inventive and creative and can create and subsequently associate the sounds with specific acts.

Example # 5

From Animal Farm by George Orwell

And then, after a few preliminary tries, the whole farm burst out into Beasts of England in tremendous unison. The cows lowed it, the dogs whined it, the sheep bleated it, the horses whinnied it, the ducks quacked it. They were so delighted with the song that they sang it right through five times in succession, and might have continued singing it all night if they had not been interrupted.

This passage occurs in Animal Farm, a phenomenal fable by George Orwell. Here Orwell has listed the sounds of all the animals such as the winning of the dogs and the bleating of sheep. These sounds show the skill of George Orwell in using the literray device of onomatopoeia.

How to Create Onomatopoeia
  1. Check with the specific idea, thing, plant, or animal and think out about its specific sound.
  2. If there is no specific sound, feel the sound and use your sense to create a new one.
  3. Place the sound in a specific context.
  4. Evaluate whether the sound makes sense in that context and could be used in other contexts, too.
Benefits of Using Onomatopoeia
  1. It helps readers understand things, objects, and animals and their associated sounds.
  2. It helps writers clearly define and present things and events.
  3. It helps writers write distinct and beautiful descriptions.
  4. It shows the dexterity of the writer in his craft.
  5. There are no specific sounds for specific new things such as you could garr for grate or carr for screeching of a wood on the floor.
Literary Device of Onomatopoeia in Literary Theory
  1. As far as literary theory is concerned, onomatopoeia is an integral part of descriptive and figurative language. Therefore, it is important to review and critique the role of the literary device of onomatopoeia in formalism, readers’ response theory, New Criticism, and psychoanalytic literary theory.
  2. It is also important in indigenous critical theory as distinct sounds are different for each indigenous animal or object.
  3. It is an integral part of postmodernism and postcolonialism when it comes to narratives of different cultures to mark the epistemological values of these sounds in native cultures.
Suggested Readings

Abrams, Meyer Howard, and Geoffrey Harpham. A Glossary Of Literary Terms. Cengage Learning, 2014. Print.

Assaneo, María Florencia, Juan Ignacio Nichols, and Marcos Alberto Trevisan. ‘The Anatomy of Onomatopoeia.’ PloS one 6.12 (2011): e28317. Bredin, Hugh. ‘Onomatopoeia as a Figure and a Linguistic Principle.’ New Literary History 27.3 (1996): 555-569.