ProNames: Stephanie Date: April 7, 2021

Period: 1

SYMBOLISM IN “MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH”

Theme of “Masque of the Red Death”: no one can escape death

Prince Prospero’s Is a symbol of . . . prosperity

Name

Text Evidence: When his dominions were half depopulated, he summoned to his
presence a thousand hale and light-hearted friends from among the knights and
dames of his court, and with these retired to the deep seclusion of one of his
castellated abbeys.

Connection to theme: Wealthy people try to escape death, but at the end of
the day, no one can.

The “Red Death” Is a symbol of . . . death, disease

Text Evidence: And now was acknowledged the presence of the Red Death. He had
come like a thief in the night. And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-
bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall.

Connection to theme: No one was able to escape The “Red Death”, which
relates to the theme because everyone eventually has to die and cannot
escape death.

The “Castellated Is a symbol of . . . safety, protection

Abbey”

Text Evidence: A strong and lofty wall g it in. This wall had gates of iron. The
courtiers, having entered, brought furnaces and massy hammers and welded the
bolts.

Connection to theme: Prince Prospero and his friends think that they can
avoid death if they stay within the safety of the abbey.

The Clock Is a symbol of . . . life

Text Evidence: And the life of the ebony clock went out with that of the last of the
gay. And the flames of the tripods expired. And Darkness and Decay and the Red
 Death held illimitable dominion over all.

Connection to theme: When everyone was finally dead the clock stop ticking.
This means that it continued counting their time until they had died and had
no more.

The Stranger Is a symbol of . . . death can slip in

Text Evidence: . In truth the masquerade license of the night was nearly unlimited;
but the figure in question had out-Heroded Herod, and gone beyond the bounds of
even the prince's indefinite decorum

Connection to theme:
The stranger managed to get through every piece of protection Prince
Prospero put it. Represents that death can get through everything and no one
can ever be full protected from it.
BONUS: Can you explain the symbolism of the 7 rooms?
The seven rooms represent the stages of life. You start at the blue room when
you are just born, like the start of a day when the sky is blue. The rooms
continue with purple for when you’re young. When you’re in your “green” years
is the teenage stage. Then, you become an adult (orange), white represents when
you’re old, violet for incoming death. Finally, black/scarlet when you finally die,
since that is where Prince Prospero was brought to his end.