The Inevitability of the Red Death - 1920 Words

The Inevitability of the Red Death Edgar Allen Poes â€Å"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 â€Å"Masque of the Red Death† is limited;†¦show more content†¦The nameless narrator in â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† is no different. The story is told mostly from the point of view of a narrator who seems to have observed firsthand the happenings of the story and is recounting the tale. This is important because the story concludes with the death of Prospero and all one thousand of his guests. Effectively, there could be no survivors; any eyewitnesses to the events of the ball would be dead as well. However, the narrator gives the reader several clues to his identity, by using first person language on three occasions. First is in his description of the scene of the masquerade: â€Å"But first let me tell of the rooms in which it was held† (Poe, 386). Second is his description of the pause at midnight: â€Å"And then the music ceased, as I have told; and the evolutions of the waltzers were quieted; and there was an uneasy cessation of all things as before† (Poe, 388). The third time comes with his description of the arrival of the Red Death: â€Å"In an assembly of phantasms such as I have painted, it may well be supposed that no ordinary appearance could have excited such sensation† (Poe, 389). The narrator therefore must have been present at the ball, and obviously he survived. This leaves the reader with an interesting dilemma, â€Å"How could the narrator be present at the ball and then be able to tell about it afterwards?†Show MoreRelatedThe Lottery And The Masque Of The Red Death Essay1326 Words   |  6 Pagesperson’s life questions the time of their death. Those who live to the fullest understand this concept completely to achieve that level of happiness. On the other extreme end, it can cause nightmares to those that try their utmost to run away from the clutches of death. This notion is masterfully inquired into the gothic works of Edgar Allan Poe. The best implementation of this idea is in his â€Å"Masque of the Red Death† short story which deals with the abstract of death itself. Shirley Jackson, the authorRead MoreEssay on Symbolism in The Masque of the Red Death520 Words   |  3 PagesSymbolism in The Masque of the Red Death Poe uses heavy symbolism throughout the story to convey his underlying theme: the inevitability of death and the futility of trying to escape death. The princes name, Prospero, generally denotes happiness and prosperity. The Prince possesses these characteristics yet is faced with a plague that he desperately attempting to avoid. This oxymoron is used to hint that this man of exuberance will soon be faced with tragedy. The fires in eachRead MoreThe Masque Of The Red Death By Edgar Allan Poe And Shirley Jackson1219 Words   |  5 Pagesorchestrates their piece of literature to capture and intrigue an audience, the author utilizes a certain depth in the piece, where their vernacular elicits emotions. 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He also makes social commentary onRead MoreSymbolism In The Masque Of The Red Death766 Words   |  4 PagesThe Masque of the Red Death Poe often gives memory the power to keep the dead alive. Which in the short story Poe distorts the aspect of death. By creating a memory as the trigger that reawakens death Poe reveals the theme of the story; that no matter the persons social class death comes for us all. In Edgar Allan Poe’s short story â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† he uses literary elements such as allusion, symbolism, and allegory to convey that death is inevitable. In the short story, Poe usesRead MoreEssay on Edgar Allan Poes The Masque Of The Red Death816 Words   |  4 Pages (Poe 244). To this effect, Poe drenches his works in symbolism and allegory. Especially in shorter works, Poe assigns meaning to the smallest object, explicitly deriving exurbanite significance within concise descriptions. The Masque of the Red Death tells the story of a Prince Prospero who along with his one thousand friends sought a haven from the plague that was ravishing their country. They lived together in the princes luxurious abbey with all the amenities and securities imaginable. InRead MoreThe Stranger By John Camus1262 Words   |  6 PagesDeath, as an integral part of life, should be accepted and respected. However, in The Stranger, Meursault views death almost joyously, going through life without care or consideration, as death to him is nothing but inevitable. His opinion on death creates his identity, his own personality mirroring the carefree opinio n of death that he holds. Throughout The Stranger, Camus employs symbolism of Meursault’s surroundings to convey the absurdity of life that is central to Meursault’s identity, causingRead More Human Mortality in Masque of Red Death Essay993 Words   |  4 PagesHuman Mortality in â€Å"The Masque of Red Death† As a gothic writer, Edgar Allan Poe created horror using gloom as his weapon. Hidden within the suspenseful story of â€Å"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 â€Å"like a thief in the night†(Poe 3), and even thoseRead MoreSix and Seven in Masque of the Red Death820 Words   |  4 Pages (Poe 244). To this effect, Poe drenches his works in symbolism and allegory. Especially in shorter works, Poe assigns meaning to the smallest object, explicitly deriving exurbanite significance within concise descriptions. The Masque of the Red Death tells the story of a Prince Prospero who along with his one thousand friends sought a haven from the plague that was ravishing their country. They lived together in the prince s luxurious ab bey with all the amenities and securities imaginable.Read More The Masque o the Red Death Essay558 Words   |  3 Pagesthe Red Death is an elaborate allegory/microcosm that combines objects in the story with visual descriptions to give focus to the readers imagination. In the story, a prince named Prospero tries to dodge the Red Death through isolation and seclusion. He hides behind seemingly impenetrable walls of his castellated abbey and lets the world take care of its own. However, no walls can stop death because it is inescapable and inevitable. Visual descriptions in the story are used to symbolize death. Poes