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Human Mortality in Masque of Red Death English Per. 2 2/2/2005 Human Mortality in "The Masque of Red Death" As a gothic writer, Edgar Allan Poe created horror using
The Masque of the Red Death: Inevitability of Death Prince Prospero calls together "a thousand hale and light-hearted friends" to come to his castle for fun and
was its Avatar and its seal?the redness and horror of blood." (Edgar Allen Poe The Masque of the Red Death.) Many thought the Black Plague was a curse from God; punishment
emotion that reminds us of our mortality. How ironic it is to experience more life in our fascination with death. Edgar Allen Poe was a master of his craft, gifted
that reminds us of our mortality. How ironic it is to experience more life in our fascination with death. Two legendary writers have ruled the universe of death and
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2/2/2005
Human Mortality in "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 "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 "like a thief in the night"(Poe 3), and even those who seek peace and safety shall not escape. Poe uses symbolism to illustrate that man cannot hide from his own mortality.
David R. Dudley states that "the Red Death symbolizes death in general" (Dudley 169). This can be assumed by the nature of the disease. No cure could be found for the Red Death and all whom obtained it eventually died. Also, the fact that the Red Death contains the word death directly connects the two. This connection clearly suggests that the Red Death symbolizes death. Knowing that, the fortress that Prince Prospero designed to separate himself and his guests from the Red Death symbolizes his human desire to escape death. Just as humans attempt to avoid the topic of death with material goods and busyness, the prince provides his guests with "all the appliances of pleasure."(Poe 1) Yet despite all of these precautions, death rules over all as the Red Death is able to sneak into the fortress and claim every life within it. Liz Brent states the entire masquerade ball "can be read as an allegory for the ways in which humans attempt to distract themselves from thoughts of their own mortality by indulging in earthly pleasures" (Brent 242). The guest's isolation gave them a life of false security and their superficial pleasures distracted them from the contemplation of death. By focusing on their own need for entertainment, they were able to ignore the devastation occurring outside of their walls.
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