Symbolism In The Masque Of The Red Death

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 death, Prince Prospero invites his closest friends to his palace and orders the doors be welded shut. The Prince and his guests then hold a party and enjoy themselves as the disease continues to kill off the population.Along with the actual plot of

But the character’s reactions also are important as they reveal their personalities and characteristics and improve comprehension.“While the plague ravages the countryside, Prospero makes the decision to collect one thousand of his closest friends, all knights, and dames, and remove them from the pestilential threat.”(Caldwell), this displays how selfish and how terrible of a ruler the prince is as he invites his friends to hide in his palace while the rest of his people die.”In isolation, the group is able to happily forget about the death and destruction visited upon the population at large. “(Caldwell), this quote shows how heartless and selfish the prince’s guests really are as they just forget and ignore what is going on outside the iron walls. "After the Prince was killed by the dark figure, the crowd tried to attack." (Poe), this quote takes place moments after the prince has been killed by the mysterious dark figure. The crowd’s choice to attack the figure shows their loyalty to the prince as they try to avenge his death. As can be seen, the character’s reactions display the true nature of their personalities and improve the reader's understanding of the

For example, “The fact that his name echoes the word "prosperous" is certainly ironic as his money and power are ultimately insufficient to save him (and his friends) from the scourge of the land.”(Caldwell), In the story, the prince thinks that his iron walls and his power can shield him from the inevitable, this proves to be ineffective.“And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all.” (Poe), in this quote Poe says that death is inevitable, no matter one’s status, wealth, or any other factor. This is shown through the story as, just like the rest of the city’s population, the prince dies.” The “hourly chiming of the ebony clock” shatters the fantastic delusion that wealth, social status, and aesthetics present immunity to pestilence.” (Del Guercio), as the prince and his guests are dancing and partying, the ebony clock is ticking and every hour it chimes and reminds everyone that the illusion of being able to evade death will last only so long.Given these points, the moral of “The Masque of the Red Death” is that no matter one’s status, wealth, or even how hard one tries, death is