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Orianna Lopez

Ms. Woelke

Pre-AP ELA 9

19 September 2019

The Masque of the Red Death

“The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe, allows readers to learn from

symbolism and strong imagery used about the reality of death, and that no matter how wealthy

you are or what social level you stand, nothing has enough power to escape the destiny of death

at the end of a lifetime. Poe’s use of imagery and descriptive setting of the seven rooms shows

that time is unstoppable, and it passes no matter what one might attempt to do, which is why

sooner or later death will always catch up.

The gigantic clock of ebony symbolizes time as it chimes at every hour. Every hour that

goes by is another hour lost during the day before it reaches the end of 24 hours. This symbolizes

the meaning of time passing by fast and no matter who tries to escape their destiny, time is

something which can’t be stopped. In the text it mentions “at each lapse of an hour, the

musicians of the orchestra were constrained to pause, momentarily, in their performance, to

harken the sound… but when the echoes had fully ceased, a light laughter at once pervaded the

assembly” (Poe 2). This short statement shows what the revelers feel every time the clock

chimes, and the fear that fills the room after what they experienced outside of the palace because

of the “Red Death”. The clock snaps the dancers back to reality, and it’s a reminder to the

revelers that their lives are drifting away with time, and that death is approaching.
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Prince Prospero’s party was held in seven rooms. Suites to be more exact, in order from

the East to the West, symbolizing the time of day when the sun rises (the start of the day) until

midnight (the death of the day). Each suite had “stained glass whose color varied in accordance

with the prevailing hue of the decorations of the chamber into which it opened” (Poe 2). The

rooms are color-coordinated in the order of blue, purple, green, orange, white, violet and black.

Everything inside the seven rooms was decorated with the color corresponding to the stained

glass, except the black room. “In this chamber only, the color of the windows failed to

correspond with the decorations. The panes here were scarlet… a deep blood color” (Poe 2). The

meaning behind the color of the suites, portrays a dark vibe throughout the story. The first

chamber’s color is blue, symbolizing the beginning, but in life terms it symbolizes being born.

Purple symbolizes growth, green symbolizes youth, orange symbolizes adulthood, white

symbolizes old age, violet symbolizes darkness and death, and then the black room with the

blood stained glass is just straight up death. The revelers without intent are forced to move

through the seven rooms until they reach the last chamber, and this shows that fate can’t be

avoided.

The masked figure in “The Masque of the Red Death” resembles a dead man touched by

the disease, or most likely is the Red Death. “The figure was tall and gaunt, and shrouded from

head to foot in the habiliments of the grave. The mask which concealed the visage was made so

nearly to resemble the countenance of a stiffened corpse… His vesture was dabbled in blood…

and his broad brow, with all the features of the face, was besprinkled with the scarlet horror”

(Poe 4). It states in the text that Prince Prospero demands his courtiers to seize and execute the

masked figure at sunrise, little does he know who he was threatening. After all the power the
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Prince gained throughout his life, it never meant anything when it came to the Red Death. The

masked figure killed the Prince inside the black room without having to lay a finger on him, as

well as the other revellers. “And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable

dominion over all” (Poe 5). The masked figure, symbolizing death, had more power than

everyone in the masquerade combined. Wealth nor privilege will shield fate from death.

Poe’s great use of imagery and symbolism prove that no one’s life status will determine

their fate in the end. No matter what kind of lifestyle you had, death is what we all have in

common. No one can escape death, not even someone who has power.