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literary devices in masque of the red death
literary devices in masque of the red death
literary devices in masque of the red death
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Is it possible to evade death during a massive plague that is killing millions? Edgar Allan Poe uses setting, theme and plot in the “Mask of the Red Death” to illustrate that no one can escape death. Death is everywhere either someone dies or experiences a loss in there lifetime. The mask of the red death is an allegory, which means that is a short story with two meanings. The short story uses literal elements such as plot and the colors of the room. It also has a large philosophical meaning like the concept of life and death and the powerlessness of people to evade the grip of death.
Edgar Allan Poe uses symbolism to show the transition leading to death by using each of the seven rooms in the castle to represent a stage of life. The first room was all blue with vividly painted blue tapestries, which symbolized birth and beginning of life. The next room was all purple with matching panes of purple. With the passing of each room went the passing of time. The last room is all black with matching tapestries. The only thing that did not match were the window panes which were scarlet a d...
By providing symbolism, the setting of each story coerces the reader to think and reflect on the story, its impact, and its deeper meanings. For example the setting of “Hop Frog” provides deeper insights on Hop Frog’s perspective. “In less than half a minute the whole eight orang-outangs were blazing fiercely, amid the shrieks of the multitude who gazed at them from below . . . without the power to render them the slightest assistance” (Poe). Though describing the conflagration of the king and his ministers, this setting can also easily describe the hardships faced by Hop Frog every day while in captivity. Unable to escape the fiery wrath of the king, Hop Frog is forced to suffer while Tripetta is rendered powerless, unable to do anything to assist her friend. While the setting in “Hop Frog” can be used to symbolize the pain and suffering Hop Frog is forced to endure, symbolism can also be seen in the setting of “The Masque of the Red Death”. Focused on the idea that no man can escape death, Poe uses symbolism to entice the reader to subconsciously make connections to discover this idea for his or herself. Many symbols are used throughout “The Masque of the Red Death”, one of them being “a gigantic clock of ebony . . . while the chimes of the clock yet rang, it was observed that the giddiest grew pale” (Poe). Though it is never specifically indicated that there is more significance to the clock than illustrated in the given information, one could extrapolate that the clock is a representation of time itself. Time is more or less ignored; however, as time goes on and the end draws near, people pay more attention to it, and are terrified by the reminder that they will all perish in the end. This example is one of many of the symbols used in “The Masque of the Red Death”; like in that of “Hop Frog”, the setting of “The Masque of the Red Death” leaves clues for the reader, encouraging him
The fires in each of the suite rooms serve as a representation of death. Poe depicts
Poe continues to describe the blue room, noting how clear and bright the color is, saying,“...vividly blue were its windows,” (4). This description has a very positive impact on the readers, as they associate the color of the room with positive feelings of a new beginning. On the other hand, Poe depicts the black room as having a very morbid and gruesome feeling to it, as he says, “The panes here were scarlet—a deep blood color,” (4). This depiction has a negative connotation, as people connect the colors of black and deep red with blood and death. Poe characterizes the blue and black rooms very differently, with the blue room having a positive connotation and the black room having a negative connotation. This distinct difference in the rooms and their colors contributes to the overall symbolism of life and
During the time period of romanticism, literature usually contained grotesque and fantastical settings, plots, and characters. The short story, “The Masque of the Red Death,” by Edgar Allen Poe resembles the qualities of romantic literature. Poe uses objects and settings to represent values of life and death. These representations add to the overall romantic theme of this story. Poe uses seven rooms of the main character, Prince Prospero’s, palace to represent stages in life. The last and seventh room represents death. This room “was shrouded in black velvet tapestries that hung all over the ceiling and down the walls […] the panes here were scarlet—a deep blood color”(116). In this story Prince Prospero and his guests all die of the “red death” once they enter this room. The theme of this story is that no one can escape death. This is shown as Prince Prospero, a greedy and self-centered man, who tries to escape death, ironically dies as he enters the seventh room. Another element that is often found in romantic literature is the literary device, symbolism. Washington Irving, the author of the romantic folktale, “The Devil and Tom Walker”, uses symbolism to develop the plot and setting of his story. In this story, the setting is a dark and gloomy swamp with trees that symbolize lives that were once given to the devil, Old Scratch, in exchange for wealth. “Tom looked in the direction that the stranger pointed, and beheld one of the great trees, fair and f...
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 during the masquerade ball Prince Prospero puts on from the Red Death itself which appears after midnight and leaves no survivors in the end. Poe develops the theme of how no one can escape death through the use of the point of view, the setting, and symbolism.
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.
Once all the invited guest were inside safe away from the red death ( so they thought) entertainment of all types was provided by their host Prince Prospero , a masked ball was thrown in honor of great entertainment. In this grand castle there were seven great halls each decorated a solid color: the first hall which was in the most Eastern part of the castle was painted blue with blue stained glass (Poe defined this hall to represent the beginning of life) as we continue westward in the home we travel upon the second hall which was painted purple with purple stained glass, the third hall ...
Edgar Allan Poe primarily authored stories dealing with Gothic literature; the stories were often quite dreary. Poe possessed a very sorrowful view of the world and he expressed this throughout his literary works. His goal was to leave an impression with every detail that he included in his stories. Although Poe’s stories seem very wretched and lackluster they all convey a certain idea. A trademark of Poe’s is his use of very long complex sentences. For instance, in his work The Fall of the House of Usher, Poe tried to ensure that every detail was as relevant as possible by integrating a wide variety of emotion. In the third paragraph, of page two hundred ninety-seven, Poe wrote, “Feeble gleams of encrimsoned light made their way through the trellised panes, and served to render sufficiently distinct the more prominent objects around…” This sentence illustrates the descriptiveness and complexity that Edgar Allan Poe’s works consisted of. The tormented cognizance of Poe led him to use a very gloomy diction throughout his writing. Edgar Allan Poe’s use of symbols and the way he conveyed his writing expr...
big thing in common, that is death. Death is the one thing that no one can
One question that is prevalent throughout history and throughout the world is simple, yet full of wonder: what happens after humans die? Edgar Allan Poe explores one of the many possibilities in “The Pit and the Pendulum” with the use of symbolism; specifically by comparing and relating a room to the phases of the afterlife. The narrator of the story is tried during the Spanish Inquisition for his beliefs and is found guilty in the mortal world. He believes he is being held in a cell, awaiting his death, but he has already been executed and is now facing the trials of the afterlife. In the cell, the narrator is faced with many obstacles he must overcome. The room, in a way, is a courthouse, a place of judgement in which the fate of Heaven or Hell is decided. In order to prove himself worthy of moving on to Heaven, the narrator must conquer three trials: the pit, the pendulum, and the walls of the dungeon. Poe’s uses symbolism to delve into the many layers of judgement and death by expanding the room as a concept.
Poe also uses symbolism to compare the deterioration of the house to the fall of the Usher dynasty. In Roderick’s poem, “The Haunted Palace”, he describes the history of the house as it began as a strong and “radiant palace”, which over time became a decrepit, disease-ridden cage. The radiant palace repres...
With the full intention to create an ambiance of fear, Poe uses the scariest portrayal of death you could imagine at the opening to the story. P...
As a gothic writer, Edgar Allan Poe created horror using gloom as his weapon. Hidden within the suspenseful story of “The Masque of Red Death” is an allegorical tale of how individuals deal with the fear of death as time passes. Frantic activities and pleasures (as represented by Prince Prospero and his guests) seek to wall out the threat of death. However, the story reminds the reader that death comes “like a thief in the night”(Poe 3), and even those who seek peace and safety shall not escape. Poe uses symbolism to illustrate that man cannot hide from his own mortality.
Poe, Edgar Allen. "The Mask of the Red Death." The Works of Edgar Allen Poe. Ann Arbor, MI: State Street Press. 482-487.
The Haunted Palace, an allegory written by Edgar Allan Poe, conveys a story about a king whom seems threaten for himself and his palace. Edgar Allan Poe uses the uses of imagery, foreshadowing, and close attention to diction. The poem opens up in the green valleys. Poe shows the calm and green valleys to illustrate and foreshadow peace and tranquility early in the presents of the king. Edgar Allan Poe introduces his palace and the environment as a calm, beautiful, and established happy place, but seems to foreshadow a change. The speaker draws attention to the beautiful yellow banners that used to fly from the roof of the palace. The yellow from the banners represent sunshine, hope, and happiness. Edgar Allan Poe also states the smell of the atmosphere around the palace smells fresh, clean, and pure. The imagery and moment Edgar Allan Poe displays for the setting of the palace encourages untouchable and uncorrupted land; however, the moment seems too perfect by enabling the thought of corrupted evil through the usage of this allegory.