Edgar Allen Poe’s fictional short story, “The Masque Of The Red Death” opens with a lurid depiction of a world stricken with abominable plague. The character, Prince Prospero, believes that hiding in his sublime castle will prevent death from ever reaching him, unaware that this will cause his demise. Poe’s short story conveys the realistic truth that no human can escape mortality and death comes inevitably through the use of symbolism, verbal and situational irony, as well as a foreboding tone throughout the short story.
Edgar Allen Poe’s symbolism in “The Masque Of The Read Death” includes efforts people will go to avert death, stages of life, and time, to demonstrate the harsh reality that death will always remain inescapable. The character, Prince Prospero, assumes that a miraculous castle with multiple magnificent abbeys and a sturdy “wall (that has) gates of iron” will keep the pestilence out and life within (Poe 1). Poe’s description of the triumphant gates represents the lengths people will go in order to remain living such as putting up strong and impenetrable walls around themselves to keep everyone and everything out of reach, while protecting only themselves. Attempting to evade human nature by putting up strong gates and cutting off from reality yields more severe results rather than accepting the truth and leaving peacefully. Poe describes many apartments in his abbeys having the color of the windows match the decorum of the room ranging from blue, purple, green, orange, white, and violet, however, the seventh room does not have corresponding colors and the “panes here were scarlet-a deep red color”(Poe 2). The colors of many of the apartments portray the seven stages of life every human goes through beginning with blue, representing childbirth, and to scarlet, symbolizing fatality. Every human in the history of mankind goes through the seven stages of life-birth, youth, adolescence, adulthood, old age, imminent death, and death itself-because humans are constructed by DNA and cells that we know will not last, emphasizing the verity that death will repeatedly occur. While at the party Prince Prospero throws, a clock of ebony color strikes every hour resulting in “that the giddiest grew pale” and other courtiers cease partying. (Poe 2). The repeated ring of the pendulum reminds Prince Prospero’s courtiers that time is running out, symbolizing life is short and death will come regardless or preventing it. Poe incorporates the idea to utilize the time given rationally and to its full potential because more time will never be given in the same lifetime.
In addition to symbolism, Edgar Allen Poe utilizes situational and verbal irony into his short story to emphasize the message that mortality will occur despite the time and place. In the opening of the story, Poe illustrates a plague stricken town but then shifts and describes Prince Prospero as “happy and dauntless and sagacious” (Poe 1). Poe incorporates verbal irony within Prince Prospero’s name itself, having the audience believe prosperity will come to the environment around the prince, not a future with death. Names, images, and careless and arrogant thinking often do not lead to a satisfactory life and will ultimately backfire, leaving no one and nothing of value left, causing the only option available it death. While Poe describes the exuberant structure owned by the Prince, Prince Prospero has the mindset that it is “folly to grieve, or to think” (Poe 1). Poe demonstrates situational irony because the Prince believes that the sturdy walls of his castle will protect him, causing him to not think about what may happen if his plan fails, which in turn, results in his death because of his own thoughtless thinking. Ignoring the reality or mortality as well as rational thinking will ultimately lead to a person’s demise or further speed up the process. When the Red Death removes his mask and his visage makes appearance, his face resembled “the countenance of a stiffened corpse” (Poe 3). Poe includes situational irony by having the Prince believe that the Red Death is just another courtier due to having a masquerade ball, but learns that the Red Death lies beneath the mask revealing a horrendous sight.
As well as symbolism and situational and verbal irony, Edgar Allen Poe integrates a foreboding tone throughout the short story in order to accentuate that death is unavoidable and predestined to happen. While the masquerade party thrown by Prince Prospero occurs, the ebony clock strikes, ceasing the livelihood of the party and causing an “uneasy cessation of all things as before”(Poe 3). Poe’s use of the words “uneasy” and “cessation” creates an ominous feeling because of an uncertain connotation surrounding those words and that something unfavorable will appear. Poe’s foreboding tone that he produces strengthens his outlook on mortality in that death will always be an uneasy subject to fully grasp and accept that it will happen one day. When the Red Death reveals himself, Prince Prospero examines him and sees that “his vesture was dabbled in blood” (Poe 3). Poe creates a menacing feeling because of the inclusion of the word “blood”, due to its association with death and violence. The foreboding tone that is comprised by Poe stresses that because the time and cause of death remains unknown, that explains why people are so afraid of it and view death as daunting when in reality it is not. During the chase between Prince Prospero and the Red Death, Prince Prospero “rushed hurriedly through the six chambers” (Poe 4). Poe generates a bleak feeling due to the words “rushed” and “hurriedly” because the audience does not know whether Prince Prospero will remain alive, contributing to the foreboding tone. The tone Poe produces highlights his idea that death will always remain uncertain in that death can happen anywhere and anytime to anyone.
The short story,“The Masque Of The Red Death”, written by Edgar Allen Poe uses symbolism, situational and verbal irony, and a foreboding tone in order to convey that death is inescapable. Poe relays to his audience to make rational decisions unlike Prince Prospero, because life is what people make it out to be and that time is is coming to a close.
Works Cited
Poe, Edgar A, Basil Rathbone, and Howard Sackler. The Masque of the Red Death, and Other Poems and Tales of Edgar Allan Poe. New York, NY: Caedmon, 1988. Sound recording
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