Masque Of The Red Death Analysis

Words: 975

Pages: 4

Open Document

For hundreds of years, humans have been fascinated with the concept of life. In the short story “Masque of the Red Death” written by Edgar Allan Poe, life is shown with beauty and elegance, as a coveted treasure to many. In a time of plague, and suffering, Prince Prospero takes one thousand of his light hearted friends into hiding in a castellated abbey with him to hide from death and the plague. Edgar Allan Poe uses the appeal of life and the fear of death by a pestilence, to create a horribly beautiful story. A story which shows that death cannot be cheated, and running away cannot solve all your problems. “The Masque of the Red Death” is an allegory for the seven stages of life.
In the interest of having a good time while being hidden away, Prince Prospero throws a great masquerade. A masquerade filled with dancing and light, music and braziers of light. A party with happy spirits and bizarre costumes. “But, in spite of these things, it was a gay and …show more content…
He describes to us what most of us fear the most, death, and the end of us. Throughout his story we travel through the seven stages of life. In the beginning we are greeted with a clever Prospero escaping the plague and hiding away, then we enter s stage of youth and foolishness, as we enter the masquerade filled with happiness, and frivolous outfits. We then go through the seven rooms, each a special color, each room a different feeling, each room is a different stage of life. From the blue room of birth to the black room filled with the choking sense of death. Finally we are reminded of our mortality by the ebony clock that rings loud and clear, from the black room. Humans have always been fascinated with life and death. In the short story written by Edgar Allan Poe we are confronted with both the joy of life, and then the uncertainty of death. We are confronted with the seven stages of

The Masque Of The Red Death Analysis

“Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe Rabinowitz, Daniel Theme Essay: Character, Setting, and Symbolism English 8 Period 3 CA Standard: Literary Response and Analysis 3.5 January 12 2013 Inevitable Faith In “The Masque of the Red Death,” by Edgar Allan Poe, the theme is that nobody, no matter how rich you are, can cheat death. The main character of this story is a greedy, vein, egregious prince names Prospero. In the story, a devastating plague is going around the kingdom dropping…

Words 511 - Pages 3

The Masque Of The Red Death Analysis

In the short story, “The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe you are probably thinking it’s boring just like “The fall of the House of Usher”, you would be wrong. Out of all the short stories we have read this would have to be my favorite because how suspenseful it is. There were moments you will never guess what would happen until you read it. Therefore, read this, you won’t regret it. The setting gives the reader a sense that terror awaits. To narrator shows this by saying “there was no…

Words 468 - Pages 2

The Masque Of Red Death Analysis

withholding irrational acts, and motivating one’s survival. Fear can also be harmful by infecting us with paranoia or clouding rational thoughts. All main characters experience fear in “The Tell-Tale Heart”, “Pit and the Pendulum”, and “The Masque of Red Death”. In these texts, Edgar Allen Poe uses symbolism, irony, and imagery to illustrate how fear distorts the narrator’s minds and the consequences that follow. Symbolism…

Words 858 - Pages 4

The Masque Of The Red Death Analysis

do you think that refers to the theme of the “masque of the red death? I know there were certain one’s that represent the theme. My three reasons are prince Prospero, the clock, and the 7 rooms. One symbol is prince Prospero. Prince Prospero was a prosperous person. He was a caring person to his rich friends, but when it came down to everyone else he would be very selfish. He is also a symbol that you can’t escape death, because he tried to escape death by locking himself up in the tower. The second…

Words 288 - Pages 2

The Masque Of The Red Death Analysis

What is the big message? You can’t escape fate, death, there is no way around it. This is the allegory in the "Mask of the Red Death", and there is proof. My first reason is in "Mask of the Red Death", Poe describes a series of rooms, that connects to a famous excerpt The Seven Ages of Man, from the shakespearean play As You Like It. This is the way Poe details these seven rooms “That at the eastern extremity was hung, for example, in blue-and vividly blue were its windows. The second chamber…

Words 461 - Pages 2

The Masque Of The Red Death Literary Analysis

ruler over death. In the "Masque of the Red Death" Edgar Allan Poe displays an impossible struggle for power, between the prince and death. The plot takes place during the plague of the Red Death, and the prince invites the rich to his abbey, and death is not invited. The abbey is concealed by a set of large doors built with Iron bolts, making it an impenetrable fortress. The story ultimately illustrates the struggle for power over things that may not, cannot, will not be conquered. In “Masque of the…

Words 934 - Pages 4

The Masque Of The Red Death Mood Analysis

The mood that Edgar Allan Poe created at the end of “The Masque of the Red Death” was dark. He says “The seventh apartment was closely shrouded in black” and then goes on to say “the panes were scarlet- a deep blood color”. This gives a dark mood because black is a color and, death and red symbolizes danger and war. This was also the only room where the panes did not match the decorations in the room and the only room without a light. Edgar Allan Poe also says “And the whole seizure, progress and…

Words 142 - Pages 1

Masque Of The Red Death Literary Analysis

“Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe contains a gloomy tone, which is supported by a fluid combination of compound- complex sentences, sophisticated diction that is reminiscent of Medieval English, as well as allusions to Herod and imagery to bring the Red Death to life. “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner contains a bizarre yet conversational tone, which is shaped by a nonlinear storyline set over multiple generations and told in first person from the collective perspective of the townspeople…

Words 1327 - Pages 6

The Masque Of The Red Death Clock Analysis

In “The Masque of the Red Death”, Edgar Allen Poe uses the clock, the seven rooms, and the Red Death to show the inevitability of death and the inability to sojourn it. Poe uses the clock as a constant reminder that the end is imminent and unpreventable. The clock sits in the westernmost room symbolizing Death’s final judgement. The clock itself, ringing its eerie and melodious chime every hour, causes “a brief disconcert of the whole gay company” (Poe 2) whenever it would sound. The seven rooms…

Words 262 - Pages 2

An Analysis Of Prince Prospero In Masque Of Red Death

the classroom or simply roaming the hallways, these individuals have constantly provoked me into becoming a furious student in disguise. Similar to my depressing situation, Prince Prospero, in the “Masque of Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe, suffered the most severe repercussion of anger, a miserable death. Although my retaliative actions are not as critical as the prince’s, my actions are still capable of landing myself in a troublesome situation. Since I allow myself to become overwhelmed with rage…

Words 502 - Pages 3