Edgar Allan Poe Theme Of Death

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Edgar Allan Poe was a very creative and idealistic human being. He is one of the most influential authors of his time, and almost all of his literary works are still being read throughout the world. Edgar Allan Poe was a very mysterious man, and many of his stories incorporate a rather strange meaning to them. Poe differs from many other authors in a huge way, he has an obscene obsession with death. In almost every one of his stories, his obsession death plays a factor in some way, shape, or form. Poe might have felt a special connection to death as it surrounded him during his life. His short stories portray the theme of death by imagery, symbolism, and foreshadowing. Edgar Poe was born in Boston on January 19, 1809, his family was dirt …show more content…
In the story Fortunado has insulted the narrator, Montresor, he explains to him that he has some wine in this place called the “catacomb” (Poe). The catacomb is a symbol of death in this story because of the darkness and surroundings that are inside of the rooms when Montresor and Fortunado reach them. As they walk to the catacombs, there are bones and other things that symbolize death which leads the reader to believe that this is not the first time that Montresor has done this to someone. Montresor leads Fortunado to his final resting place, he chains Fortunado to the wall and traps him inside of the catacombs. Montresor lays the bricks upon the hole one by one until only one brick remains. As Fortunado cries for help, Montresor begins to fill in the very last brick and he hears the chains rattle. Poe proceeds to write “for half a century no one has disturbed them.” By placing this statement as the very end of this story leads the reader to think that Montresor has completed the perfect murder, where no one would find his Fortunato’s body while Montresor was still alive …show more content…
In Poe’s short story “The Masque of the Red Death,” the main character is someone by the name of Prince Prospero, meaning the he had prospered from wealth. Poe could connect the Prince to his wealthy adoptive father who abandoned Poe, leaving him with financial troubles for practically the rest of his life, this story could be about revenge towards his adoptive father. In the story Poe has the quote “There were buffoons, there were improvisatori, there were ballet-dancers, there were musicians, there was Beauty, there was wine. All these and the security within. Without was the “Red Death” (Masque 1). Poe shows his dislike of the wealthy through this quote, relating this to his wealth adoptive father. Poe’s obsession with death actually doesn’t come into play until the end of the story, whenever the “Red Death” entered the castle, given human characteristics by being represented as the plague victim, Poe states “The figure was tall and gaunt, shrouded from head to foot in the habiliments of the grave,” (Masque 3). The figure ends the life of everyone inside of the castle including the wealthy Prince Prospero. By ending the lives of the prosperous, Poe shows his distaste and hate towards the wealthy. The connection made with Poe’s life allows the readers to see
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