Premium Essay

The Masque of the Red Death Essay

In:

Submitted By dinahjane18
Words 911
Pages 4
The Masque of the Red Death

“The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allen Poe is an eerie short story about the “Red Death”, Poe’s twist on the Black Plague. This plague swept across an unknown kingdom killing many people as it went. There were sharp pain, and sudden dizziness, and then profuse bleeding at the pores, with dissolution. Poe had two main themes for readers to think about. These themes were proven through five main symbols: The ebony clock in the black room, Prince Prospero in the abbey with his friends, the colors of the seven rooms in the abbey, the format of the hallway and rooms and, Prince Prospero running after death through all the rooms.One theme that Poe intended to portray is the fact that death can’t be cheated or escaped, no matter how powerful or prosperous a person is. In the short story, Prince Prospero tries to hide from the “Red Death”. After some time the “Red Death” slips into the abbey taking Prince Prospero’s Life. This proves that even the most prosperous die. Another theme that Poe tries to portray is that people can’t go through life feeling that they are invincible and death will never get them. When the ebony clock in the black room tolled out every hour, the guest ignored their nervous sensations and continued with their masquerade. After the ebony clock tolled the last hour of the night, every guest in the abbey died. The ebony clocked symbolizes the time that goes by leading up a person’s death. This ties to into both themes because many of the guests were prosperous and felt that the seclusion from in the abbey would make them invincible. However, at the end of the night the “Red Death” got to them.When Prince Prospero sees that the “Red Death” takes many lives in his own kingdom, he gathers a thousand of his closest friends and secludes them and himself in an abbey with no terms of ingress or egress. Doing this symbolizes

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

The Masque Of The Red Death Mood Essay

...Setting’s Influence on Mood and Tone The setting of “The Masque of the Red Death” gives an eerie feeling to the story. In the book, it mentions that the seven rooms all have “…windows…of stained glass whose color varied in accordance with the prevailing hue of the decorations in the chamber,” except for the last room, which is black with red windows. This builds suspense, as the reader can infer that there is something special about the room, especially because its windows are red, and that is the color of the “Red Death”. There is a sense of eerie unearthliness throughout the story because of this room as well; all the guests at the party are avoiding it. In conclusion, the setting lends a sense of expectation and bizarreness to the story. Character Analysis Prince Prospero is likely a stubborn person who is used to having his way. In the story, he is resisting accepting the reality of “The Red Death” by hiding away in his castle with his guests. In addition, he chases the uninvited guest with the intention of killing him. This shows that Prince Prospero is stubborn because he’s unwilling to allow things to vary from how he planned them. This can also be inferred because Prospero is the ruler of the...

Words: 678 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

The Masque Of The Red Death Symbolism Essay

...styles/elements. The authors of these short stories have many hidden meaning behind their words. “The Masque of the Red Death” by Edger Allan Poe, the “Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and, “Cast of Amontillado” by Edger Allen Poe have similar styles such as, using symbolism to enhance and foreshadow the reading. The author in Cast of Amontillado uses symbolism through the meaning of the title its self “ Cast of Amontillado” since Amontillado mean wine, and in the story the plot mainly happen based on the characters drinking wine, I thought the name symbolizes the results/effects in an irony way or drinking wine in this story. Since the character lures the other character...

Words: 710 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

The Inevitability of the Red Death

...The Inevitability of the Red Death Edgar Allen Poe's “The Masque of the Red Death” is an extravagant allegory of the futility of trying to escape death. In the story, a prince named Prospero tries to avoid the Red Death through isolation and seclusion. He hides behind the impenetrable walls of his castle and turns his back on the rest of the world. But no walls can stop death because it is unavoidable and inevitable. Through the use of character, setting, point of view, and symbol, Poe reveals the theme that no one, regardless of status, wealth or power can stay the passing of time and the inevitable conclusion of life itself, death. Like many of Poe’s works, the number of characters in “Masque of the Red Death” is limited; however they all work to reveal the theme. Only three characters, Prince Prospero, the Thousand Friends and the Masked Figure are mentioned. The central figure of the story is Prince Prospero. The author describes him as “happy and dauntless and sagacious” (Poe, 386). His name is used to infer royalty, wealth and happiness, and suggests that the prince is untroubled by the plague and is confident of his survival and the survival of his one thousand friends. Prospero has been described by scholars as a “feelingless ruling prince” (Wheat, 51). This is due to his apparent lack of concern for the people of his land: “The external world could take care of itself” (Poe, 386). Prospero is a flat character as he remains confident in his survival up to...

Words: 1908 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Socioeconomic Status In The Masque Of The Red Death

...In the short story of “The Masque of the Red Death”, the author Edgar Allan Poe tells a story about a self righteous prince named Prospero that invited the upperclassmen to a masque ball in his palace and leaves the country folk to die. Socioeconomic status is a very vital to the Edgar Allan Poe’s short story, “The Masque of the Red Death”, but the real reason here is that socioeconomic status affects who lives and survives the Red Death. The essay will answer the question with two paragraphs that are two reasons on how does socioeconomic status affect if one survives or falls victim to the Red Death. Socioeconomic status effects on who survives or falls victim to the Red Death because Prince Prospero invited the upperclassmen into his...

Words: 428 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Prescence of Poe

...Presence of Poe Edgar Allan Poe is regarded as one of the great American writers in history. He had a unique way to present his stories, his imagination stretched into the darkest corners of his mind. One can say his characters were developed from personal experiences in his life. His use of writing techniques was ingenious and unsurpassed. These are just a few reasons why he is a permanent reminder whenever horror stories come to mind. Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston on January 19, 1809. His parents were David and Elizabeth Poe. He was one of three children including his brother Henry and his sister Rosalie. His mother separated from his father when he was about two years of age and took her children with her. She died about a year later, when he was two years of age. He was separated from his siblings and was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. John Allan; this is where his name became Edgar Allan Poe. John Allan was a successful merchant, so Poe grew up in good surroundings and attended excellent schools. When he was six, he was sent to school in England and attended for five years. He then returned to the United States to continue his studies. At seventeen, Poe went to the University of Virginia but dropped out less than a year later because he could not support himself. John Allan shunned him. He enlisted in the Army because he had no money and nowhere to go at the age of eighteen. He did reasonably well attaining, the rank of sergeant-major, and got accepted to...

Words: 1747 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Creative Writing

...Day Compare and contrast essay 2nd draft. The two short stories "The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allen Poe and "The Summer People" by Shirley Jackson are two beautifully written stories that are very different.Although these stories are very different , both Poe and Jackson use numerous literary elements such as foreshadowing , mood , and suspense to drive their story further into an unsuspected ending and further draw in the audience. Each of these two stories use suspense to cause curiosity as if they want to urge us to further read their stories.In the summer people , after trying to get some kerosene once the Allisons decide to stay past Labor Day ,the kerosene man denies them by stating "Never after Labor Day. "Leaving the reader wondering what happens when someone stays after Labor Day . More suspense appears when Mrs.Allison attempts to call someone on the telephone , but the phone doesn't work , and previous to that , the kerosene man would not give the Allisons Kerosene. All this begins happening once they decide to stay after Labor Day . Poe and Jackson use foreshadowing to give us a vague idea as to what is going to happen next, but they do not give enough information to be sure . In "The Masque of the Red Death" , Poe uses foreshadowing as he describes the mysterious figure at Prospero's party when he mentions that the mysterious figure is wearing "The habiliments of the grave". Habiliments of the grave hint at death, which is what follows the...

Words: 454 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Vocabulary and Main Characters

...appened in between 1800-1850 in England? 1800: Jan First soup kitchens to relieve hungry poor in London Autumn Robert owen begins philanthropic reform for workers employed in his mills at New Lanark Maria Edgeworth publishes Castle Rackrent, one of the earliest historical novels 1801 Steam carriae of Richard Trevithick carries road passengers at Camborne, Cornwall 1802 June 22 Health and Morals of Apprentices Act, first protective factory legislation, no children under 9 in mills,maximum 12-hour day for children Madame Tussaud mounts the first waxwork exhibition in Lyceum Hall, London Chalotte Dundas, a wooden ship with a single paddle-wheel, covers 20 miles of the Forth and clyde Canal, the world's first steam vessel. 1805 October 21 Battle of Trafalgar, Nelso defeats Franco-Spanish fleet, but is mortally wounded. 1807 Mar 25 Slave Trade abolished in all British possessions June 4 Federick Winsor illuminates part of pall Mall with gas lighting. 1811 Regency Act in favour of Prince of Wales because of George III's insanity. Mar organised machine-breaking (Luddism) in Nottingham Jane Austen publishes Sense and Sensibility Fashionable women reject tight corsets and petticoats 1812 Mar Publication of first 2 cantos of Byron's Childe Harold's Pilgrimage causes sensation: "I woke one morning and found myself famous" autumn Countess Lieven, wife of russian ambasador, introduces waltz to London 1813 Jane Austen publishes Pride and Prejudice Smooth-wheeled...

Words: 4602 - Pages: 19

Free Essay

English Literature

...1. Literature of the 17th century. John Milton. “Paradise Lost”. John Bunyan. “Pilgrim’s Progress”. The peculiarities of the English literature of the 17th century are determined by the events of the Engl. Bourgeois Revolution, which took place in 1640-60. King Charles I was beheaded in 1649& General Oliver Cromwell became the leader of the new government. In 1660, shortly after Cro-ll’s death, the dynasty of the Stuarts was restored. The establishment of new social&eco-ic relations, the change from feudal to bourgeois ownership, escalating class-struggle, liberation movement and contradictions of the bourgeois society found their reflection in lit-re. The main representatives of this period is: John Milton: was born in London&educated at Christ’s College. He lived a pure life believing that he had a great purpose to complete. At college he was known as the The Lady of Christ’s. he Got master’s degree at Cambridge. It’s convenient to consider his works in 3 divisions. At first he wrote his short poems at Horton. (The Passion, Song on May Morning, L’Allegro). Then he wrote mainly prose. His 3 greatest poems belong to his last group. At the age of 23 he had still done little in life&he admits this in one of his sonnets. (On his 23d B-day) In his another sonnet he wrote on his own blindness. (On his Blindness) Milton wrote diff. kinds of works. His prose works were mainly concerned with church, affairs, divorce & freedom. The English civil war between Charles...

Words: 10397 - Pages: 42

Free Essay

The Outline of English Literature

...Министерство образования и науки Республики Казахстан Кокшетауский государственный университет им. Ш. Уалиханова An Outline of British Literature (from tradition to post modernism) Кокшетау 2011 УДК 802.0 – 5:20 ББК 81:432.1-923 № 39 Рекомендовано к печати кафедрой английского языка и МП КГУ им. Ш. Уалиханова, Ученым Советом филологического факультета КГУ им. Ш. Уалиханова, УМС КГУ им. Ш. Уалиханова. Рецензенты: Баяндина С.Ж. доктор филологических наук, профессор, декан филологического факультета КГУ им. Ш. Уалиханова Батаева Ф.А. кандидат филологических наук, доцент кафедры «Переводческое дело» Кокшетауского университета им. А. Мырзахметова Кожанова К.Т. преподаватель английского языка кафедры гуманитарного цикла ИПК и ПРО Акмолинской области An Outline of British Literature from tradition to post modernism (on specialties 050119 – “Foreign Language: Two Foreign Languages”, 050205 – “Foreign Philology” and 050207 – “Translation”): Учебное пособие / Сост. Немченко Н.Ф. – Кокшетау: Типография КГУ им. Ш. Уалиханова, 2010 – 170 с. ISBN 9965-19-350-9 Пособие представляет собой краткие очерки, характеризующие английскую литературу Великобритании, ее основные направления и тенденции. Все известные направления в литературе иллюстрированы примерами жизни и творчества авторов, вошедших в мировую литературу благодаря...

Words: 82733 - Pages: 331

Free Essay

North American Fiction

...in itself and which pieces of writing we can include within this label. It is believed that when a piece is written in North America, more precisely in the USA, it would automatically be given this epithet. But it should be taken into account that this idea is quite broad and doesn’t reflect the real essence of the term. However, there is also another definition that gathers this essence: American Literature is the one that represents the Americanism, the singularity of the USA philosophy and culture. This way, instead of focusing on who the author is, it is focused on the content of the writing. In that which concerns Fiction, the following documents are the ones considered as narrative: Speeches Letters Short Stories Essays Political Documents Sermons Novels Diaries 1 FIRST LITERARY EXPRESSIONS The first documents in which the idea of Americanism is very present are the Sermons. They respond to the strict Protestantism settled in the New Continent after the arrival of the Pilgrim Fathers and Puritans in the Mayflower (1620) and the Arabella (1630). They established a theocratic community whose main and only point of reference was the Bible. That is why the idea of the ‘city upon a hill’ is still very present in American mentality. As we all know, their community was also governed by the concept of Predestination. This belief was based in the idea that we are saved or condemned since the...

Words: 12691 - Pages: 51

Premium Essay

Nothing

...Analyzing and Interpreting Literature 2012 Examination Guide These materials are owned and copyrighted by the College Board. They may not be posted on the Internet or on any other public document sharing site. The materials in these files are intended for PERSONAL USE ONLY. Violations of this policy may be subject to legal action including, but not limited to, payment for each guide that is disseminated unlawfully and associated damages. V isit our website at w ww.collegeboard.org/clep f or the most up-to-date information. © 2011 The College Board. College Board, CLEP, College-Level Examination Program, SAT and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. inspiring minds is a trademark owned by the College Board. All other products and services may be trademarks of their respective owners. Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org. Introduction This is the only official guide to the 33 College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP®) exams. CLEP exams are administered on computer test centers across the country. This Guide has been written mainly for adults who are making plans to enroll in college, but it contains information of interest to others as well. College-bound high school students, current college students, military personnel, professionals seeking certification and persons of all ages who have learned or wish to learn college-level material outside the college classroom will find the Guide helpful as they strive...

Words: 14147 - Pages: 57

Free Essay

Carnivalesque

...Title: Author(s): Publication Details: Source: Document Type: The Carnivalesque in A Midsummer Night's Dream David Wiles Shakespeare and Carnival after Bakhtin. New York: St. Martin's Press, Inc., 1998. Shakespearean Criticism. Ed. Michelle Lee. Vol. 82. Detroit: Gale, 2004. From Literature Resource Center. Critical essay Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale, COPYRIGHT 2007 Gale, Cengage Learning [(essay date 1998) In the following essay, Wiles examines the festive and carnivalesque elements in A Midsummer Night's Dream. According to the critic, the play was historically part of an "aristocratic carnival" used to celebrate weddings in upper-class society.] Carnival theory did not begin with Bakhtin, and we shall understand Bakhtin's position more clearly if we set it against classical theories of carnival.1 From the Greek world the most important theoretical statement is to be found in Plato: The gods took pity on the human race, born to suffer as it was, and gave it relief in the form of religious festivals to serve as periods of rest from its labours. They gave us as fellow revellers the Muses, with Apollo their leader, and Dionysus, so that men might restore their way of life by sharing feasts with gods.2 This is first a utopian theory, maintaining that carnival restores human beings to an earlier state of being when humans were closer to the divine. And second, it associates carnival with communal order. Plato argues that festive dancing creates bodily order, and thus bodily and...

Words: 8623 - Pages: 35

Premium Essay

Master

...remove this template. This article was last edited by Fowler&fowler (talk | contribs) 0 seconds ago. (Purge) V. S. Naipaul VS Naipaul BBC.jpg Born Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul[nb 1] 17 August 1932 (age 81) Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago Occupation Novelist, travel writer, essayist Nationality Trinidadian, British Genres Novel, Essay Notable work(s) A House for Mr. Biswas In a Free State A Bend in the River The Enigma of Arrival Notable award(s) Booker Prize 1971 Nobel Prize in Literature 2001 Spouse(s) Patricia Ann Hale Naipaul (1955–96) Nadira Naipaul Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul (/ˈnaɪpɔːl/ or /naɪˈpɔːl/; b. 17 August 1932), is a Trinidad-born Nobel Prize-winning British writer known for the comic early novels of Trinidad, the later, bleaker, novels of the wider world, and the vigilant chronicles of his life and travels, all written in widely admired prose.[1] Naipaul has published more than 30 books, both of fiction and nonfiction, in a career spanning more than 50 years. Naipaul married Patricia Ann Hale in 1955. She served as first reader, editor, and critic of his writings until her death in 1996. To her Naipaul dedicated his masterpiece, A House for Mr. Biswas. Contents 1 Background and early life: Trinidad 2 Education: Port of Spain and Oxford, 1943–53 3 London, Caribbean Voices, marriage, 1954–56 4 Early Trinidad novels: 1956–58 5 A House for Mr...

Words: 9479 - Pages: 38

Premium Essay

Figyrative Language Shaped by Imagination in K. Mansfield's Short Stories

...Ministry of Education of the Republic of Moldova State Pedagogical University “Ion Creangă” Foreign Languages and Literature Faculty English Philology Department DIPLOMA PAPER Figurative Language, Language Shaped by Imagination in Katherine Mansfield’s Short Stories Submitted by: the 4th year student Paşcaneanu Mariana Group 404 Scientific adviser: Tataru Nina Senior Lecturer Chişinău 2012 Contents INTRODUCTION 2 CHAPTER I: SHORT STORY AS A FORM OF FICTION 5 I.1.Common Characteristics of a Short Story as a Form of Fiction. Its Plot and Structure. 5 I.2. Figurative Language. Definition. Function. 9 I.3. Imagery – Language that Appeals to the Senses 11 I.3.1. Simile, Metaphor and Personification. 13 1.3.2. Symbol and Symbolism. 26 I.3.3 Allegory. 30 CHAPTER II: LANGUAGE SHAPED BY IMAGINATION IN K. MANSFIELD’S SHORT STORIES 36 II.1. Figurative Language, Symbolism and Theme in "Her First Ball": 37 II.2. Katherine Mansfield – Techniques and Effects in A Cup of Tea. 41 II.3. Literary Colloquial Style in “Miss Brill” by K. Mansfield. 49 II.3.1. Lexical features—Vague Words and Expressions 49 II.3.2 Syntactical and Morphological Features 52 II.3.3 Phonological Schemes of the Figures of Speech 55 II.4. Simplifying Figurative Language in K.Mansfield’s Short Stories 60 CONCLUSION 64 BIBLIOGRAPHY 66 APPENDIX 70 INTRODUCTION Figurative Language is the use of words that...

Words: 23312 - Pages: 94

Free Essay

Alchemist

...|him degrees. In his youth he practised for a time his stepfather’s trade of bricklaying, and he served as a soldier in Flanders. | | |  It was probably about 1595 that he began to write for the stage, and within a few years he was recognized as a distinguished |  2| |playwright. His comedy of “Every Man in His Humour” was not only a great immediate success, but founded a school of satirical | | |drama in England. “Sejanus” and “Catiline” were less popular, but are impressive pictures of Roman life, less interesting but more| | |accurate than the Roman plays of Shakespeare. | | |  For the court of James I, Jonson wrote a large number of masques, which procured him substantial rewards in the form of |  3| |pensions. | | |  But it was between 1605 and...

Words: 30021 - Pages: 121