The Masque of the Red Death

The Masque of The Red death is a fictional short story written by Edgar Allen Poe. The tale is about a prince known as Prospero that witnesses a horrible plague known as the Red Death, that takes over the whole city. The disease causes ones pores to bleed until he dies within hours. Prospero and his guests take refuge from the red death in his "castellated abbey," in the most extravagant and selfish manner. He holds a masquerade ball with many of his wealthy friends and nobles and parties away as everyone outside dies . Throughout the story Poe uses symbolism to prove and stress the fact that death, though scary , is inevitable. The story can be viewed as an allegory about the inescapable death. Some of the important symbols in this story include the seven rooms of the castle, and the giant clock.

While hiding in his castle, Prince Prospero holds a masked ball to entertain his many guests. The ball is held throughout seven rooms all differently colored .Every room is decorated with stained glass windows along with the carpet that coordinates with the color of the room. One interpretation of the rooms can be the representation of the cycle of life. The first, blue symbolizes birth. The purple can symbolize the developing and maturing stage of life. The green could be for the nourishment The orange room represents the setting of the sun, which is represents the end of the day or in this case life. This room then leads to the white room which can represent old age (white hair and pale skin ), or the time before death. The seventh and final room being black represents death. The seventh room sends out an eerie feeling that is unwelcoming to the guests. The room is decorated in black and the window panes or colored in a deep blood color. Poe says, "The seventh apartment was closely shrouded in black velvet tapestries that hung all over the ceiling and down the walls, falling in heavy folds upon a carpet of the same material and hue".The fact that no one wants to enter this room symbolizes the fear of death or the avoidance of its subject. At midnight, Prospero notices a figure in a blood-spattered, dark robe with the mask of the red death ,which all at the ball have been desperate to escape. Prospero demands to know the identity of the mysterious guest and follows him with a dagger through the seven rooms until they reach the black room .When the figure turns to face him, the Prince falls dead. The guests then also pursue