Masque of the Red Death Analysis
The Masque of the Red Death is an old American short story that was published in 1842. It was written by a talented American author named Edgar Allan Poe. He uses Gothic details to establish a strong and effective theme of inescapable death. To develop the theme, Poe invents a main character named Prospero, who lives in a town that is infected by the plague. Prospero tries to escape death by hosting a formal party and invites his wealthiest friends. However, he is eventually infected by the plague while chasing a masked man, and he later passes away from the disease. Poe was able to establish a mysterious narrator, symbolism of death, and a protagonist to develop the theme for The Masque of the Red Death.
In …show more content…
The main protagonist in The Masque of the Red Death is Prince Prospero because he is developed as a dynamic character. Prospero illustrates the inevitability of death as he struggles against the “Red Death.” It begins when Prince Prospero’s town is in serious pain because the plague “had long devastated the country” (Poe 299). Prospero was aware how dangerous the plague is but does not worry about it. Instead, Prospero chooses to use his wealth to escape death by hosting a masquerade ball. Even this early in the story, Poe indicates how Prospero is unstable because he tries to escape death by inviting “a thousand hale and light hearted friends” to his castle (Poe 300). He acts this way because he believes his party will separate him and his beloved friends against the Red …show more content…
The ebony clock is a major symbol because it represents the protagonist’s inescapable death. The clock portrays the theme of death because of its dark color and mystery. Poe expands upon this by stating, “[there] stood against the western wall, a gigantic clock of ebony…with a dull, heavy, monotonous clang” (Poe 301). Furthermore, Poe attaches the phrase with “exceedingly musical,” to indicate how its tone is remarkably connected with the theme of death, as it signals at every passing hour. Poe describes the clock “exceedingly musical” is might to identity its haunting tone as it tortures the protagonist while he tries to escape from the plague. But it also relates the blackness of the ebony clock with something evil and demonic, as the clock echoes “loud and clear” (Poe
The Masque of the Red Death is an old American short story that was published in 1842. It was written by a talented American author named Edgar Allan Poe. He uses Gothic details to establish a strong and effective theme of inescapable death. To develop the theme, Poe invents a main character named Prospero, who lives in a town that is infected by the plague. Prospero tries to escape death by hosting a formal party and invites his wealthiest friends. However, he is eventually infected by the plague while chasing a masked man, and he later passes away from the disease. Poe was able to establish a mysterious narrator, symbolism of death, and a protagonist to develop the theme for The Masque of the Red Death.
In …show more content…
The main protagonist in The Masque of the Red Death is Prince Prospero because he is developed as a dynamic character. Prospero illustrates the inevitability of death as he struggles against the “Red Death.” It begins when Prince Prospero’s town is in serious pain because the plague “had long devastated the country” (Poe 299). Prospero was aware how dangerous the plague is but does not worry about it. Instead, Prospero chooses to use his wealth to escape death by hosting a masquerade ball. Even this early in the story, Poe indicates how Prospero is unstable because he tries to escape death by inviting “a thousand hale and light hearted friends” to his castle (Poe 300). He acts this way because he believes his party will separate him and his beloved friends against the Red …show more content…
The ebony clock is a major symbol because it represents the protagonist’s inescapable death. The clock portrays the theme of death because of its dark color and mystery. Poe expands upon this by stating, “[there] stood against the western wall, a gigantic clock of ebony…with a dull, heavy, monotonous clang” (Poe 301). Furthermore, Poe attaches the phrase with “exceedingly musical,” to indicate how its tone is remarkably connected with the theme of death, as it signals at every passing hour. Poe describes the clock “exceedingly musical” is might to identity its haunting tone as it tortures the protagonist while he tries to escape from the plague. But it also relates the blackness of the ebony clock with something evil and demonic, as the clock echoes “loud and clear” (Poe