Olivia Bezzant Mrs. Hayes English 10A 1 November 2024 Literary Analysis Rough Draft Death: the inevitable end to all things, has perplexed people for centuries. Although it is a difficult topic to approach in literature, Edgar Allan Poe takes the challenge head on. The “Masque of the Red Death” written by Edgar Allan Poe depicts a kingdom dying of a plague: the notorious Red Death. The protagonist, Prince Prospero, attempts to distract himself by hosting a masquerade safe within his castle walls. However, as the theme suggests, the Red Death is unavoidable. In the short story, “Masque of the Red Death” the use of imagery, foreshadowing, and symbolism are used to illustrate the theme of the story. The imagery used throughout the story is crucial …show more content…
The external world could take care of itself. In the meantime it was folly to grieve, or to think.” (Poe 83). Prince Prospero had created a false sense of safety, and believed that there was no need to grieve or even think. This subtly alludes to the later revelation that Prince Prospero is, in fact, not safe from contagion. The Red Death is unavoidable, and not even from within his castle walls can he be protected. Inside these walls, there were seven rooms, each with different colors and themes, representing the stages of life. As previously mentioned, a particular room alludes to the dangers lurking among them. As Edgar Allan Poe stated, “...there were few of the company bold enough to set foot within its precincts at all.” (Poe 84). This room, decorated with its blood-colored stained glass windows and black accessories, surely implies the presence of the Red Death. Additionally, as it is the last room, it represents the end of life, showcasing the theme of inescapable death. Furthermore, Edgar Allan Poe heavily uses symbolism in “Masque of the Red Death” to display the theme. The symbolism in the story uses regular items to represent ever-present …show more content…
it was observed that the giddiest grew pale, and the more aged and sedate passed their hands over their brows as if in confused reverie or meditation.” (Poe 84). This clock is used to represent the time of death growing closer. The dull clang of the pendulum’s swinging symbolizes how the knowledge of death is always present, but dull, not something that frequently occupies one’s mind. However, when the clock strikes the hour, everyone grows pale. This embodies the confusion and terror that comes when one recognizes their mortality. As aforementioned, Poe also uses the rooms in Prince Prospero’s castle to represent specific aspects of the theme. Poe describes the rooms saying, “These were seven—an imperial suite. These windows were of stained glass whose colour varied in accordance with the prevailing hue of the decorations of the chamber into which it opened.” (Poe 84). Each of the rooms described symbolizes a stage of life, beginning with the blue room representing birth, and ending with the black and scarlet room representing
The short story The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe has a thematic perception of how death is inevitable. We first get a glance of this when the story mentions the countless people dying from Red Death. Which doesn 't sound like a disease but more of a malevolent entity. Poe paints a pictureof the death in the story, “scarlet stains upon the body and especially upon the face of the victims were the pest ban which shut him out from the aid and from the sympathy of his fellow-men.” This
The Masque of the Red Death Death is a natural thing. It is not uncommon for people to go to extreme measures to avoid death. In recent years, there have even been famous people that have hired teams of doctors to try to insure that they won’t die. Often, the extreme measures that people take to avoid it eventually turn into their downfall, and death always prevails. The Masque of the Red Death is a short story written by the early American novelist, Edgar Allan Poe. He presents a tale about a
The fear of death is evident in “The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allen Poe. The Red Death is a disease that is spreading like wildfire. Prince Prospero attempted to block the disease. The prince then held a masquerade party for him and the wealthy. Meanwhile, throughout Poe’s life People that he adored passed away of coincidentally the same exact disease (Tuberculosis). In “Masquerade Of The Red Death”, death (also red death) is constantly portrayed. Examples to prove such things are the seven
April 2015 An Analysis of “Masque of the Red Death” Edgar Allen Poe’s short story, “Masque of the Red Death,” is a rather macabre story about a prince, his kingdom, and a particularly gruesome plague called the Red Death. This story very well written; Poe makes great use of the many literary elements seen in it. Among other literary elements, Poe uses irony, the setting of the story, and allegories to bring “Masque of the Red Death” to life. In “Masque of the Red Death,” Poe uses irony to better
all his writing portrays darkness, death, or some other aspect of evilness. Nevertheless, these students fail to realize that Poe also illustrates some details of positivity and lightness throughout his writing. In his captivating short story, “The Masque of the Red Death,” Poe demonstrates his use of both darkness and illumination. When reading Poe’s short story, it is clear to understand that his use of symbolism is strong, leading to the theme of life and death. True to his writing style, Poe uses
Death is something everyone is familiar with unfortunately. It may be hard to accept but you are going to die one day. It inevitable. However some people try to run from it, like in the story “The Masque of the Red Death”. Poe uses symbolism in “The Masque of the Red Death” to develop the theme that no matter how hard one tries, no one can escape death. Poe uses characters symbolize that no matter how hard you try, in the long-run you can’t escape death. Towards the end of the story a masked guest
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
In “Masque of the Red Death” Prince Prospero is running a country that is undergoing an epidemic of the Red Death and instead of protecting his people, the prince secludes himself in his castle with other high ranking members of society. He eventually faces the red death figure at his masquerade party and ultimately falls into death’s hands. Poe makes the party a masquerade, to symbolize that the Prince and his guests are hiding things, more specifically from themselves. The symbolism of the masquerade
story, the Masque of the Red Death Edgar Allan Poe writes about a disease that has spread and people are trying to escape getting the disease. Price Prospero and many other rich people lock themselves in a mansion to try and cheat death while other people outside are stuck dying. Things take a turn for the worst when they think that nothing could go wrong. The disease, the red death made it into where they were staying in order to try and stay away from the disease. Once the red death makes it’s
Though Poe's cause of death is still unknown, his work The Masque of The Red Death shows a very apparent idea of death's inevitability. This is noticeable from the minute it is described, till it is used for the stories denouement. Poe used many symbols in his works to bear different ideas. The depiction of symbolism in the seventh chamber of the work, ¨The Masque of The Red Death¨, by Edgar A. Poe is used to convey fear and highlight the theme of death's inevitability. When introduced, the seventh
Tashi Dhondup Mr. Ken Lau ENG4U May 17, 2017 Masque of the Red Death ‘The Masque of The Red Death’ gives us insight on the author himself, his perception of life and his experiences. The idea that the plaque could be held out forever was rather a desire and a hope which was not possible. His longing for his family’s death to not occur may be related to that. Death cannot be avoided and barred. His mother, foster mother, father and his wife all died of tuberculosis. There’s a huge desire
Death, it is scary is it not? One may even attempt to evade death. The man in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death” thought that his great wealth and power could shield him from the inevitability of death. This story takes place in the middle of a city that has just been contaminated with a deadly and contagious disease named “The Red Death”.The disease gets its name from the violent death its victim experience before they die; excessive bleeding through the pores. In an attempt to evade
the Use of Symbolism in “The Masque of Red Death” Edgar Allan Poe paints horrifyingly brilliant pictures in his writing, and “The Masque of the Red Death” is no different. It is the story of a dream like masquerade hosted by the deranged Prince Prosperro. Poe does an undeniably great job at using symbolism in “The Masque of the Red Death.” The amount of symbolism is endless in the short story.The main character, Prince Prosperro, the rooms, the abbey, the Red Death, and even the clock symbolize
Analysis - The Masque of Red Death In ‘The Masque of the Red Death’ by Edgar Allan Poe, the author uses symbolism and allegory to convey a theme of the inevitability of death. Throughout the entire story, the tone is grave and ominous. Everything in Poe’s story has a hidden deeper meaning behind it. Poe uses strategic diction and symbolism in order to foreshadow the dark ending and further develop the theme of mortality. Set in an isolated kingdom, the masque of red death is a morbid story
In The Masque of the Red Death, Edgar Allan Poe demonstrates through many examples of how characters struggle to free himself/herself from power of others or seeks to gain power over others. Also, through many of the following literary analysis essays, they go along with displaying examples of inevitable power that is overlooked in the short story. In the short story, Poe uses diction and detail to demonstrates that power can be a struggle to be freed from, especially power from people, and even