Symbolism In The Masque Of The Red Death
Elaborating Poe Blood and death are two major topics that the famous writer Edgar Allen Poe uses in his many writings. Edgar Allen Poe’s short story, The Masque of the Red Death, is a tale about Prince Prospero during the time of the Bubonic Plague. In the story the Prince, instead of aiding his kingdom, hides away with a select number of wealthy people. One night about five or six months into their seclusion, the Prince throws an extravagant party. This party ends in death and devastation, like most of Poe’s stories. This cautionary tale has an allegory about why one should always take care of their responsibilities. Poe’s story has plenty of symbolism: therefore inducing the theme of life and death. In The Masque of the Red Death, symbolism
is an important part of the story. In the course of the story, the narrator describes the setting or the seven rooms, “to and fro in the seven chambers there stalked, in fact, a multitude of dreams”. (450) These rooms are symbols in one’s life. Each representing a different stage of life. Starting with the blue room for birth and ending with the black room for death. The chambers also represent time and how time passes. Another example of symbolism, is the masked figure. Then, it describes him as “ his vesture was dabbed in blood and his broad brow, with all the features of his face, was besprinkled with the scarlet horror”. (451) This figure serves as an embodiment of death. Everywhere the figure goes, death follows. For example, in the fiction after the masked figure arrives at the masquerade everyone there drops dead. There are many other symbols in this story that lead into the main theme. The primary theme in Poe’s writing to capture the ups and downs in life that lead to one’s death. This idea is assisted by the different characteristics of the seven corridors. Thus, they are portrayed as such, “but these other apartments were densely crowded, and in them beat feverishly the heart of life”. (450) The rooms begin with blue and then progress from purple-- to green--to orange--to white--to violet and then to black. In addition, they show the progression of life from birth--to childhood--to the spring of life--to calmer times--to ageing then to close to death and finally dying. Like the sun, the rooms move from east to west. This is to imitate time passing as you move through the chambers. Therefore, they are shown as moving from “that at the eastern extremity was hung… but in the western or black chamber”. (448) This quote describes the chambers in great detail. In addition, Poe arranged every aspect of the seven chambers to make an exquisite replica of life. Edgar Allen Poe’s short story has loads of literary elements, like symbolism: thus proceeding to the central theme of life. Through all the bloody, gory effects of Poe’s writing, he still manages to tell meaningful allegories. Also, Through his use of setting, Poe succeeds in providing the reader with a credible base for an incredible story. Irony and mood are also created through the use of setting. Consequently, setting is not simply a backdrop for the story, but rather one of the story's most important components. This advanced use of setting demonstrates Poe's quality as an author.
is an important part of the story. In the course of the story, the narrator describes the setting or the seven rooms, “to and fro in the seven chambers there stalked, in fact, a multitude of dreams”. (450) These rooms are symbols in one’s life. Each representing a different stage of life. Starting with the blue room for birth and ending with the black room for death. The chambers also represent time and how time passes. Another example of symbolism, is the masked figure. Then, it describes him as “ his vesture was dabbed in blood and his broad brow, with all the features of his face, was besprinkled with the scarlet horror”. (451) This figure serves as an embodiment of death. Everywhere the figure goes, death follows. For example, in the fiction after the masked figure arrives at the masquerade everyone there drops dead. There are many other symbols in this story that lead into the main theme. The primary theme in Poe’s writing to capture the ups and downs in life that lead to one’s death. This idea is assisted by the different characteristics of the seven corridors. Thus, they are portrayed as such, “but these other apartments were densely crowded, and in them beat feverishly the heart of life”. (450) The rooms begin with blue and then progress from purple-- to green--to orange--to white--to violet and then to black. In addition, they show the progression of life from birth--to childhood--to the spring of life--to calmer times--to ageing then to close to death and finally dying. Like the sun, the rooms move from east to west. This is to imitate time passing as you move through the chambers. Therefore, they are shown as moving from “that at the eastern extremity was hung… but in the western or black chamber”. (448) This quote describes the chambers in great detail. In addition, Poe arranged every aspect of the seven chambers to make an exquisite replica of life. Edgar Allen Poe’s short story has loads of literary elements, like symbolism: thus proceeding to the central theme of life. Through all the bloody, gory effects of Poe’s writing, he still manages to tell meaningful allegories. Also, Through his use of setting, Poe succeeds in providing the reader with a credible base for an incredible story. Irony and mood are also created through the use of setting. Consequently, setting is not simply a backdrop for the story, but rather one of the story's most important components. This advanced use of setting demonstrates Poe's quality as an author.