Examples Of Allegory In The Masque Of The Red Death

“The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe”

Every one of us has that fear of death. In his short story “The Masque of the Red Death,” Edgar Allan Poe describes the fear of death felt by the prince and his friends in the palace. The story represents an allegory about life and death and the weakness of human beings to evade the grip of death. This allegory gives a clear image of the story. In the story, the characters are Prince Prospero and his guests and the strange intruder. Poe’s story with its horror theme keeps us feeling that suspense to know if indeed the wealth can defeat the death. That pushes us to ask if death is a form of equality between rich and poor people on earth? Death is a part of life that nobody can run from no matter

how much we try.
In Poe’s story, the Prince Prospero's attempt to save his guests, as well as himself, from a fatal disease called the Red Death plague. Because the plague was bringing terror to the world, Prospero built a castle far away to keep everyone he loved healthy; therefore, he locks the gate of the castle to keep the disease and unhealthy people away; as said in the story “the external world could take care of itself.” Even though he has the wealth to assist those in need, he turns his wealth into a mode of self-defense and decadent self-indulgence.
After months, he held a fancy masquerade ball.

Prospero decorated each room with different color, from east to west, the rooms were arranged by color: blue, purple, green, orange, white, violet, and finally black. The arrangement of colors, from east (bright color) like sunrise to west (dark color) like the sunset, symbolize the twenty-four hours of the day and life of human beings. The room in black had an ebony clock. Each time the clock rang, people would stop what they were doing because they were terrified by the clock and vowed not to be as scared the next time. The ebony clock that scares everyone represents both the time of life and death. It follows people wherever they are. When the clock rings, it is a reminder for people of the passing of time; and that death is upon them; and that people outside are still dying. It is like the final judgment. When the clock stops, though, the rooms are so “beautiful” that they seem to be filled with “dreams,” swirling among the revelers. However, all the guests avoid the final, black-and-red room because it contains both the clock and an ominous ambiance. It represents the fear of

death.
At midnight, a new guest arrives.

He was wearing very different from others. His mask looks like the face of a “corpse,” and his face has spots of blood suggesting that he is a victim of the Red Death. Nobody knows who this stranger is, but everyone is horrified, trying to see who invade the party. The mystery guest walks through the castle, and nobody stops him. He travels from east to west, from the blue room to the black. Prospero becomes angry that someone with so little humor would join his party. “who dares insult us with this blasphemous mockery? Seize him and unmask him—that we may know whom we have to hang, at sunrise, from the battlements!” Prospero follows the unknown to see who invaded his party. This progression from east to west, performed by both Prospero and the mysterious guest, symbolizes the human journey from birth to death. Finally, in the black room, Prospero captures him, he tries to reveal the person but dies quickly. When the guests enter the room to attack him, they find that there is nobody beneath the costume. Everyone then dies, for the Red Death has infiltrated the castle; there is no way to run from

death.
Poe’s style that depends on analogies and allegories with its horror tone let us picture the events. The story also indicates Prospero’s arrogant belief that he can use his wealth to fend off the natural, tragic progress of life. The stylistic effect results in creating a theme of sad equality that no matter how beautiful the castle, how luxuriant the clothing, or how abundant the food, no mortal, not even a prince, can escape death