Analysis of The Masque of the Red Death
Analysis of the Masque of the Red Death, by Edgar Allen Poe In the short story, Masque of the Red Death, Edgar Allen Poe uses Symbolism, Setting, and Narration to deliver the theme that no one can escape death. His use of symbolism, such as the wall clock, to remind everyone of the time spent there, the Masquerade, and especially the Red Death. Poe’s use of setting includes the placement of the seven rooms, as well as the color, all locked up in a castle that is hidden from the world, or death, in one’s opinion. The Narration in the story is considered to be a third person’s point of view, there’s no link to a character and the person telling the story. The narrator actually spends a great deal of time describing the layout or design, of the setting, rather than describing the characters in the castle. In one’s opinion, the narrator is actually death telling the story, considering no one escaped the Red Death. Symbolism is used a great deal throughout the story, one of the most important details is the colossal, dark, and suspenseful clock located in the last room, which, of course, is the black room. The clock was used to remind the revelers that time was slowly, but surely passing. When the hour struck, the narrator would describe the sound coming from the “brazen lungs” of the clock as a musical tone, somewhat creating a visual description that the clock was alive. With every hour that passed by, people would enjoy their time by laughing, playing music, and conversing, but as soon as the clock struck, everything would be silent. The musicians would stop playing and everyone would seem scared, or confused, for it had reminded them that with every hour they spent, it was another hour off their life. Once the silent moment was over, the revelers would go back to whatever they were doing, in a way, forgetting that death was upon them. It seemed more like a dream than anything, especially with the Masquerade. The revelers were dressed in
Cited: "The Masque of the Red Death." The Masque of the Red Death. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014.