The Red Death Transcendentalism

The American Renaissance populated the world with many unique and imaginary literary works to entertain the common man, and finding the deeper meaning of life. The rise of American literature in the mid-nineteenth century was due to the intellectual and social growth that was most common in New England. These types of works explore an abundance of emotions and imaginations to entice a reader's mind. Two prominent authors of the time period would be Henry David Thoreau, as well as Edgar Allen Poe. Thoreau was a leading Transcendentalist who tended to write about his observations of nature and his personal experiences. Thoreau explored the realities of escaping reality and relocate to the peaceful wilderness. Poe is generally regarded as the

Similar to, in both pieces, the cycle of nature is used while discussing topics of death. In “Masque of the Red Death” the plague ends up entering the castle and killing everyone at the party one by one. This is ironic because while the guests were enjoying their time they almost forgot about the plague, even though it was at the party dressed up. In Walden Thoreau comes face to face with death during the winter, as his crops die during the winter. In comparison, the two authors view death in two opposite ways. Poe sees death as a never ending cycle anybody can defeat. In the end of “Masque of the Red Death”, all of the party goers end up dying. On the other hand, Thoreau though sees it as death is to be ignored and to live life to the fullest. In Walden, there is more of a sense as living life to the fullest. Thoreau moves out of the city, to be able to reflect on his life and enjoy his life while he can. Thoreau states in Walden, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived”. As well as, in both stories, the cycle of nature is used to entice the reader into the story. In Walden, Thoreau endures two cycles of seasons while living at Walden. Thoreau seems to cares less for the real calendar time taken up by his project than for the symbolic time he projects onto it. Each season inevitably carries with it not just its usual calendar attributes, but a spiritual resonance as well. In “Masque of the Red Death”, The elapse of time is brought up to show how the evening has progressed. There are many allegories to this time ticking away present in the story. Further, the cycle of nature is used to describe the ending of life. Thoreau uses it to show that it is a continuous cycle and