Edgar Allen Poe's The Masque Of The Red Death

775 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The masque of the red death edgar allan poe analysis

Edgar Allen Poe wrote the story The Masque Of The Red Death over the Bubonic Plague, with a spice of life. Edgar used bucket fulls of symbolism in the story to reflect on the theme of life These symbols range from rooms, individual characters, to clocks, and even social events. Through all of this symbolism, there are many notes to be taken of and lessons to be learned, especially from all the incorrect things done within the story. Though after reading the story, the reader can connect that a lot of issues with present problems in life.

Many of the symbolism in the short story heavily reflects on the morals of life, and the seven main stages in life. Poe describes “That at the eastern extremity was hung, for example, in blue---and vividly …show more content…

The theme of life in the story is very pressed with all of the symbolism as hints, like Prospero’s characteristics, the 7 rooms, the clock, and even the masquerade itself. Prince Prospero has characteristics, such as his arrogance and his ignorance. As it states “It was toward the close of the fifth or sixth month of his seclusion, and while the pestilence raged most furiously abroad, that the Prince Prospero entertained his thousand friends at a masked ball of the most unusual magnificence.” At the time this story takes place, the bubonic plague is going around, and Prince Prospero is ignorant enough and throws a social event in his castle. Just because he is royalty, does not mean that death won’t get him. Death will eventually consume everybody; like everybody is in this huge gumball machine, each one will be popped out at a different time, everybody has their own time and destiny. As Poe states “He bore aloft a drawn dagger, and had approached, in rapid impetuosity to within three or four feet of the retreating figure, when the latter, having attained the extremity of the velvet apartment, turned suddenly and confronted his pursuer. 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.” (452) This proves even the highest or the mightiest of them all are

Show More
Related

  • Edgar Allan Poe's Use of Suspense and Symbolism in The Masque of the Red Death

    622 Words  | 2 Pages

    Suspense is the feeling of uncertainty or excitement, in waiting for an outcome or decision. Edgar Allan Poe uses suspense in his story “Masque of the Red Death” by using objects and great descriptive detail. Poe’s story is about a prince that tries to escape from the inevitable. He tries to lock himself away from the ‘red death’ and has a masquerade ball that doesn’t end happily. Prince and all of his guests die inside or around the seventh apartment room. The seventh room is preceded by six colored rooms which are meant to symbolize either the stages of life, or the seven sins. Inside the last room there are black velvet tapestries that hang all over the ceiling and down the walls. The window panes are a deep blood red color which gives the room an unwelcoming atmosphere. On the western wall, there is a gigantic clock of a deep black wood. Inside it has a pendulum that swings back and forth with a dull monotonous clang. When the minute hand marks a new hour, there is a clear, loud, deep sound, which can be heard from far away. Although it can give off an eerie feeling, the great eb...

    Read More

  • The Courtier In The Masque Of The Red Death

    631 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Similarities In Edgar Allan Poe And The Masque Of The Red Death

    1095 Words  | 3 Pages

    Poe was a very experienced author of unique tales. He was born on January 19, 1809 and died on October 7, 1849. He had a dark life growing up because his mother, foster mother, and his wife died from tuberculous. His father abandoned him and his foster father disliked him. This background may have greatly influenced his work. He wrote 70 poems and 66 short stories during his lifetime. Poe has written many Gothic horror stories. “The Tell Tale Heart,” “The Masque of the Red Death,” and “The Fall of the House of Usher” show these similarities.

    Read More

  • The Masque of the Red Death: Symbolism

    1428 Words  | 3 Pages

    The author, Edgar Allan Poe, using illusion or misdirection keeps the reader is suspense throughout this story called "The Masque of the Red Death". Symbolism such as the colored rooms, the impressive clock, the feeling of celebration being at a party all makes this story feel like a fairytale. Poe used this fairytale style and converts it into a nightmare in disguise.

    Read More

  • Symbolism in The Masque of the Red Death

    1690 Words  | 4 Pages

    Poe, Edgar Allan. “The Masque of the Red Death” Literature An Introduction to Reading and Writing. ED. Edgar V Roberts and Robert Zweig. Boston, Longman: 2012. 516-519.

    Read More

  • What Does The Dark Room Symbolize In The Masque Of The Red Death

    817 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death and "The Telltale Heart"

    672 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Setting and Organization in Poe's The Masque (Mask) of the Red Death

    975 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...agraph, the author mentions that the disease had come "like a thief in the night," but this statement is entirely untrue. Poe wrote a cohesive story which acknowledges the fear of trapping oneself in a doomed situation. Ironically, the very place the Prospero built to keep himself safe led to his hideous destruction. However, the audience was never permitted to believe that the prince would escape death, because even Poe's choice of environments reflect the triumph of the plague; the isolation and quarantine of the abbey, the fever and delirium of the masquerade, and finally the progression of time and eventual death. The clock strikes midnight, and with its shadowy expiration, "the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all," (213).

    Read More

  • The Masque Of The Red Death Symbolism Analysis

    460 Words  | 1 Pages

    “The Masque of the Red Death” was written by Edgar Allen Poe in the 19th century. This story was written during the Gothic era. The stories that are written in the Gothic era is usually has to do with death, and lots of people were fascinated by the stories. There are many symbols in “The Masque of the Red Death”, yet I chose three, the first is all the colors of the room, second is the ebony clock and the last is the inside and outside of the abbey.

    Read More

  • The Masque Of The House Of Usher Short Story Analysis

    1304 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Language and Symbolism in The Masque of the Red Death

    417 Words  | 1 Pages

    used to symbolize death. Poe's use of language and symbolism is shown in his description of the

    Read More

  • Imagery In The Masque Of The Red Death

    489 Words  | 1 Pages

    When Prince Prospero first sees mummer known as the Red Death “ he was seen to be convulsed in the first moment with a strong shudder either of terror of of distaste…” This creates suspense by giving the reader a cold feeling of the presence of a new individual. When the prince realizes that the Red Death is up to no good he decides to take matters into his own hands. Prince Prospero takes a dagger and chases the mummer threw all of the rooms. Suddenly, “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.” The reader now realizes that the prince has been murdered by an unknown force which gives the individual an uneasy feeling. In conclusion, Edgar Allan Poe creates suspense throughout this short story using symbolism and imaginary, sensory

    Read More

  • Comparing Allegory in Masque (Mask) of the Red Death and Dr Heidegger's Experiment

    587 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Masque Of The Red Death Essay

    639 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the story, “Masque of the Red Death” it covers six months during the Red Death.It takes place in a castle which has seven different colored rooms.In the beginning of the story it describes the main character prince Prospero as happy,fearless and wise. Towards the end of the story a new guest appears to the party and everyone is scared and Prospero goes from being happy to mad and in the end the new guest kills Prospero and everyone dies because he was the Red Death. The message in this analogy ,”The Masque of the Red Death “ by Poe is life passes by so quick that you don't realize what's going on until it's your time to die.

    Read More

  • Criticism In The Masque Of The Red Death

    1859 Words  | 4 Pages

    Edgar Allan Poe is known for his masterful writing on all aspects of mortality, but his famous short story “The Masque of the Red Death” proves to be more than a simple story about death. While it is about death, Poe’s short story can be read and applied as a cautionary tale whose purpose is to illustrate a worthy way to live and die by portraying the opposite of both. This interpretation comes about when the story is viewed through the lens of New Criticism. This viewpoint shows how the story uses its formal elements converge to create one complex theme. Poe’s short story develops its theme through the use of paradox, tension, irony and ambiguity, all of which come together to identify

    Read More

More about Edgar Allen Poe's The Masque Of The Red Death

Open Document