Edgar Allen Poe: Significance of the Imperial Suite

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Edgar Allen Poe: Significance of the Imperial Suite Allegory can be defined as a symbolic representation of fictional characters or characteristics which express factual generalizations of human existence (Miriam Webster Online, 2007). When considering this story from an allegoric perspective, one can conceive that the seven rooms are representational of one's life, with blue being birth, purple being dawn, green, orange, and white symbolize life, growth, and light. Violet can symbolize dusk, ending with black and red, being death. The red in the black room being symbolic of blood. Prince Prospero begins his pursuit in the blue room, ending in the black room where he then dies. But at times, a different perspective may be necessary, to fully understand the reading. In “Masque of the Red Death,” Edgar Allen Poe uses the main setting of the story, a seven-roomed and multi-colored suite, to symbolically represent the seven Deadly Sins associated with religion today. Within this short but meaningful story, Poe describes in such gory detail how the Red Death seals one fate with blood. He tells of pain, horror and bleeding. Furthermore, the Red Death, described as a pestilence in the short story kills quickly and alienates the sick. Describing the scene of redness and blood streaming from the pores, a strong visual is created immediately in the reader’s mind. His description of the afflicted’s pain also adds to the graphically explicit exposé of the red death disease. The red death image is morbid and aids Poe in creating a wonderfully horrific scene. At first thought, the reader may believe that the predominant color red would best represent the room covered by black velvet tapestries, but when thought of at a different perspectiv... ... middle of paper ... ... . The abbey was amply provisioned . . . With such precautions the courtiers might bid defiance to contagion . . . The external world could take care of itself.” After reading this portion of the story, the reader notices immediately how Prince Prospero and his courtiers share the similar belief that they can escape the Red Death, and have intense desires to. Works Cited Poe, Edgar Allen. "The Masque of the Red Death." Responding to Literature Orange Level. By Margaret Grauff Forst and Julie West Johnson. N.p.: Littell McDougal, 1992. 185-90. Print. "What Are the Seven Deadly Sins?" All about God. N.p., n.d. what-are-the-seven-deadly-sins-faq.htm>. Rpt. in Seven Deadly Sins. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. All about God. Web. 20 Dec. 2009. what-are-the-seven-deadly-sins-faq.htm>.

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