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Differences between Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Poe
Comparison nathaniel hawthorne and edgar allen poe
Differences between Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Poe
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Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Allan Poe are often thought to have different themes in their writing, but in reality, they have extremely similar themes. In Hawthorne's "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" and Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death," one theme is incredibly prominent. Death is unavoidable, and when one tries to escape death, one will always find it hiding around another corner. Death can be evaded by hiding behind a barrier or attempting to conquer it, but one will always fail and have a limited time before it catches up.
Hiding behind a barrier, be it physical or emotional, has always been the first line of defense in evading death. In "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment," Widow Wycherly, Colonel Killigrew, Mr. Medbourne, and Mr. Gascoigne hide from their old age and impending death by drinking the water from the Fountain of Youth: "Age, with its miserable train of cares and sorrows and diseases, was remembered only as the trouble of a dream, from which they had joyously awoke" (Hawthorne 9). The four comrades all took refuge in a corner of their minds, and saw each other in their own distorted reality. They bury themselves ever more deeper in this alternate dimension of youth. " 'We are younger- but we are still too old! Quick- give us more!' " (Hawthorne 7). Once presented with another defense against impending death, they do all they can to include it in their arsenal. In "The Masque of the Red Death", Prince Prospero shares the same feeling of invincibility. He locks himself and his comrades in his castellated abbey, in hopes that the Red Death will not reach them: "When his dominions were half depopulated, he summoned to his presence a thousand hale and light-hearted friends from among the knights and dames of his court, a...
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...ince Prospero take himself out, he condemned all those that were locked away with him: "And one by one dropped the revelers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall" (Poe 7). All one-thousand of his subjects that he had kept with him in his abbey were subjected to the same punishment. While both the four friends and Prince Prospero had different initial outcomes after their first failed attempt to avoid death, they share a common final outcome.
Whether one looks at the evidence presented about avoiding death by hiding behind barriers, or by attempting to conquer death, one can clearly see that evading death is impossible, and will always lead to failure. No matter how hard one tries, one cannot escape death. Before attempting to escape death, one should ponder about how gifted one is to receive one lifetime.
Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” and Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death” both deal with the main character’s belief in being able to conquer a situation. Hawthorne’s story centers on Brown’s journey into the forest to have a meeting with an older man, which tests Brown’s faith. Poe’s story focuses on Prince Prospero’s attempt to escape the Red Death by locking himself in his castellated abbey together with friends, and hosting a masquerade ball. Essentially, both stories deal with different scenarios by Brown believing he can overcome evil, and Prince Prospero believing he can overcome death. However, despite the different circumstances, both stories have significant similarities. Both “Young Goodman Brown” and “The Masque of the Red Death”
Hutchinson and Prince Prospero. Both their deaths were at the hands of their own communities. Their own kin were a part of their demise. “It isn’t fair, it isn’t right, Mrs. Hutchinson screamed, and then they were upon her” (Poe 372). The whole village crowded around Mrs. Hutchinson and stoned her to death. This was just tradition, but Mrs. Hutchinson did not in the least expect that tradition would release its wrath upon her on that awful day. Prince Prospero had a similar experience with Red Death. “There was a sharp cry-and the dagger dropped gleaming upon the sable carpet, upon which, instantly afterwards, fell prostrate in death the Prince Prospero” (Poe 76). Red Death introduced himself to the prince by killing him instantly. This was completely unexpected for Prince Prospero as he thought that the guest was just a ruder intruder, not death. Prince Prospero and Mrs. Hutchinson were simply going about their days and enjoying themselves, they did not realize that it would be the last time that they would enjoy
All people wish to avoid suffering, and those with wealth usually take too long to realize that they cannot avert it. In the short story, “The Masque of the Red Death”, Edgar Allan Poe tells the readers of death, and how the upper class deals with it. In this story, Prince Prospero and his wealthy friends hide away in a castle to evade death. This obviously does not work, as death is inevitable, but of course, they attempt to save themselves anyways. In “The Masque of the Red Death”, Poe uses the courtiers, Prince Prospero, and the stranger to symbolize the members of the influential upper class and their habit of using their power to postpone their own impending doom.
inevitability of death and the futility of trying to escape death. The prince's name, Prospero,
Authors use various styles to tell their stories in order to appeal to the masses exceptionally well and pass the message across. These messages can be communicated through short stories, novels, poems, songs and other forms of literature. Through The Masque of the Red Death and The Raven, it is incredibly easy to get an understanding of Edgar Allen Poe as an author. Both works describe events that are melodramatic, evil and strange. It is also pertinent to appreciate the fact that strange plots and eerie atmospheres are considerably evident in the author’s writings. This paper compares and contrasts The Masque of the Red Death and The Raven and proves that the fear of uncertainty and death informs Edgar Allen Poe’s writings in the two works
Edgar Allen Poe, in the short story “The Masque of the Red Death”, shows how people may try to outsmart death and surpass it, but in the end they will die since death is inevitable. He reveals this in the book by showing all the people closed up in the abbey that belongs to Prince Prospero. They are trying to escape the “Red Death” and think that they can escape the death by hiding away in the abbey. They manage to stay safe for six months but in the end they all die after the stroke of midnight during the masquerade ball Prince Prospero puts on from the Red Death itself which appears after midnight and leaves no survivors in the end. Poe develops the theme of how no one can escape death through the use of the point of view, the setting, and symbolism.
In the short story “ The Masque of the Red Death,” Edgar Allen Poe uses symbolism to express ideas to develop his theme and characters. “ The Masque of the Red Death” tells a story of prince Prospero who locks his friends and himself in a castle to escape the Red Death, a deadly disease. Much to Prospero’s dismay, in the end, the deadly disease causes them to perish. Poe uses the dark room to reveal Prospero’s unusual character and reveal that death is always there and cannot be avoided.
Edgar Allan Poe's short stories, "The Telltale Heart" and "The Masque of the Red Death" are two very different stories. One is about a simple man, perhaps a servant, who narrates the tale of how he kills his wealthy benefactor, and the other is about a prince who turns his back on his country while a plague known as The Red Death ravages his lands. Yet, there are some similarities in both. Time, for instance, and the stroke of midnight, seem to always herald the approach of impending death. Both are killers, one by his own hand, the other by neglecting his country. One seeks peace, the other seeks pleasure, but both are motivated by the selfish need to rid themselves of that which haunts them, even at the expense of another's life. However, the point of this critique will show that their meticulous plans to beat that which torments them are undone by a single flaw in their character - overconfidence.
“The figure was tall and gaunt, and shrouded from head to foot in the habiliments of the grave.” (page 389). Prince Prospero demanded the stranger to be seized and unmasked, however no one wanted to be the one to do it. Even Prince Prospero was too much of a coward to approach the stranger. The stranger or Red Death, ends of killing the Prince with his dagger and the others as well. Poe describes Red Death as “coming like a thief in the night”. None of us know the day or hour of our own death, but eventually we will all die.
The first technique Poe uses in both stories is symbolism, which aids the reader in understanding the theme. In “The Masque of the Red Death,” Edgar Allan Poe uses symbolism to aid the reader in teaching the theme that death is inevitable. While explaining the setting, Poe describes a black room with red windows and then begins
Edgar Allen Poe's The Masque of the Red Death is an elaborate allegory that combines
He shows off his prosperity while ignoring the sick people of his land. Poe unmasked, “There were buffoons, there were improvisatori, there were ballet-dancers, there were musicians, there was Beauty, there was wine. All these and security were within. Without was the "Red Death."”(Poe 1). Prince Prospero shuns the Red Death without worries; he mistakenly believes his wealth will protect him from death itself. Unlike the Prince, Goodman Brown falsely assumes that his faith will protect him. The two characters rival in thought and inevitably both pay the price for
In “The Masque of the Red Death,” Edgar Allan Poe uses imagery, sensory detail and symbolism not only to build suspense, but also to convey the idea that an individual can not hide or run away from death which becomes closer as time passes on. Throughout the story Poe uses imagery details to create suspense in the story. For example when the author is describing the disease that has taken many lives he describes the unfortunate event as, “ Blood was its Avator and its seal- the redness and the horror of blood. One can understand that in the story the tragic death of someone might occur as tragically as the disease is described. Accordingly, as the story progresses the deep shade of the color red is evident in many areas to represent symbolism.
Edgar Allan Poe's writing style is based on the supernatural and the unknown. In The Masque of the Red Death, Prince Prospero invites the revelers to come to the castle to party until the danger of pestilence is gone. The party was interrupted by an intruder who was dressed in all black (like the Grim Reaper) and was associated with the plague of the "red death." The reaper killed everyone one by one in the end. The Masque of the Red Death is an allegory. An allegory is symbols that are presented in the story that have two levels of meaning. An example can be the clock in the story. The clock told time and represented the time they had left before they died. There were seven chambers that were different colors, and the last chamber was black, which was the last chamber that represented death. I think the seven rooms symbolized the days until you die and the clock symbolized the time until you died.
The similarities and differences between Poe and Hawthorne both show a dynamic and intriguing method that has lasted through the times. They both show an inner personal look through their writing about their loved ones. The dynamic writing between both writers depict the idea that no matter how morbid the writing love can shine through any view. With both writers there is a vision of morbid curiosity along with a romantic nature for the audience; by depicting death of a loved one to show a sense of connection with the audience. Although both are gothic romantic writers you can easily see that both have a different sense of life and death, and to which one holds more value.