"The Masque of the Red Death" -- Anum Ali, Alejandra Ortiz, Dominique Gillespie"The Masque of the Red Death" -- Anum Ali, Alejandra Ortiz, Dominique GillespieReturn to English III Block 4B

Introduction:

     “Blood was its Avatar and its seal- the redness and the horror of blood” (Poe). Gothic literature is defined as a type of writing that involves horror and disturbance. Short stories often portray these characteristics of gothic literature. “The Masque of the Red Death” not only creates a sensory that displays Gothic literature itself, but, also can be related to human life. Edgar Allan Poe is known for creating stories that incorporate the dark life but also includes human beings, and in this short story he accomplishes this. Overall the theme of a story explains and describes the meaning behind a story. In this short story the theme is, there is no way to escape death, and it is something that is uncontrollable. Generally, the story “The Masque of the Red Death” explains the life of a man who is afraid of his fate and death. This story shows how death is very unpredictable, and also gives unexpected twist and turns to the gothic writing story. Poe uses many different types of literature to help readers understand the main themes of the story, and by doing so he creates this story.  

      The protagonist in the Masque of the Red Death is Prince Prospero because he is the dominant character that exposes more of the feelings rather than actions. Prince Prospero is a round character. For example, “But Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless and sagacious”(Poe). This proof shows how his personality is when the story is just beginning. His perspectives become quit diverse and extravagant as the story moves on. He changes his ways towards the ending of the story becoming more and more frightened in the flow of the story. An example of this is,“… maddening with rage and the shame of his own momentary cowardice"(Poe). He becomes scared and mad from happy. This displays that although some people ignore death, death will come back and get its way, destroying anyone’s happiness. Prince Prospero is a dynamic character because his thoughts and feelings change very instantly. He changes his thinking throughout the story. For instance,“…he summoned to his presence a thousand hale and light hearted friends from among the knights and dames of his court..."(Poe). The quote here shows his emotion changing how he felt before in presence. He went from being a happy and sort of careless being to scared and facing something he never thought he would. Poe says, "...rushed hurriedly through the six chambers, while none followed him on account..."(Poe). This shows when the Red Death is already in the Prince's mansion and the tension in beginning.The imapct that this character holds on the story is quite vague. He sets an image on how anyone's happiness can be ruined and taken away. This character tries at first to ignore what's going on the outside by feasting and then he tries to cheat death and kill it, but death ends up killing him. As stated,"The external would take care of itself. In the mean self"(Poe). This explains how he doesn't feel the need to look out for the outside, just himself. Another example, "He bore at drawn dagger... turned suddenly and confronted this pursuer.."(Poe). This ties back to the proof by showing that he finally confronts the death after the run for savior. This all shows that death itself cant be stopped from its duty that must be accopmlished, and no one can escape from it.

The antagonist in the story is the Red Death because he  the character showing most of the actions. The Red Death is a flat character because his perspectives do not change at all. He is shown this way in the story for many reasons. Poe states in the story, "the red death had long devastated the country...Blood was its avatar and its seal- the redness and the horror of blood"(Poe). His only feeling and face is shown towars death and terror. He does not hold and sympathy or emotions toward anyone or anything. For example, "...and darkness and decay and the red death held illimitable dominion over all" (Poe).  He still feels the same and his motives do not change at all even towards the end. The red death symbolizes death, and death as everyone knows is unpredictable. Which shows his impact on "The Masque of the Red Death". This character is definietly a static character because his ways are always the same.. His views do not change throughout the story. For instance, ..."and the whole seizure progress and termination of the disease, were the incidents of half of an hour" (Poe). This proof shows that he still comes in face of death itself even after everything. "...and how was accomplished the presence of red death. He had come like a theif in the night. And by one dropped the revellers in the blood- dedewed halls of the revel" (Poe). This proves that his only motive is to play the death role which he succeeds as to terrorizing and horrifying in every way possible. His goal in the story was to kill Prince Prospero. As Graham says, "Prospero is the artist of  "The Masque of the Red Death" and the nightmare figure of the Red Death which he so fatally pursues through the coloured chambers of his own distorted imagination might even be seen, in part, as the grotesque principle that has inspired his own Gothic creations"(Graham). The overall story ties into how death is unpredictable. It has no time set. The theme is very appropriate and easy to understand."...and the life of the ebony clock went out with that of the last of the gay." A proof of this would be, "if time is the destroyer of all things material, so, too, is the Pendlum the destoryer in the Pit, and the ebony clock in "The Masque of the Red Death"(Poe). In all, The story creates a clear understanding and the theme defineitly is set for the flow of the story.

Alejandra O.- II

“Seven Chambers of Death”

Setting can be looked upon as simply the place and time of where a story takes place, though not knowing that it can be more then just simply information.  In this story, “The Masque of the Red Death,” this proves how important setting can really be and how it ties into the actual themes of the story, and the overall setting itself.

            “The Masque of the Red Death,” takes place somewhere in Europe in the seven chambers of Prince Prospero’s palace. Poe says “A thousand light hearted friends from among the knights and the dames of his court…”  This quote shows in fact that the story does take place somewhere in Europe, because the words knights and dames of his court, were words that were commonly used among the European people in the old times.  At this point of the story, Poe is explaining where the feast is being held at.  Poe states, “But first let me tell of the rooms in which it was held.  These were seven-imperial suite.”  This ties back into where “The Masque of the Red Death” takes place, more specifically in this case, in Prince Prospero’s seven chamber palace.  The quote itself tells that the party the prince is hosting is in his seven chamber palace.  Overall, every theme in every chamber of the palace somehow shows and portrays the setting and as well as, death itself, which in the end ties back to the themes of the story.  

Medieval is the time in which during the story takes place.  This is proven when the author states, “A strong and lofty wall girded in it.  This wall had gates of iron.  The courtiers, having entered, brought furnaces and hammers and welded bolts,” (Poe).   This quote explains the structure of the entrance gate and what it looks like when entering Prince Prospero’s palace, which shows how the palaces were made of.  Poe uses specific words to describe the materials and a style, that the palace was made of, which were popular materials during the medieval times.  To prove this, the author states “…there stood against a western wall, a gigantic clock of ebony…” (Poe).  Once again this quote explains the structure of the clock which shows, that these types of clocks were popular and commonly seen in palaces during the medieval times.  This helps infer the timing of this story and, the overall view of when “The Masque of the Red Death” takes place, which is crucial to the theme of the story.  The way Poe describes and approaches the story does a great deal explaining the setting and more especially, when story takes place.  He also manages to relate the themes back to the story, “The Masque of the red Death.”  Poe uses his characters, in this case, the guests and Prince Prospero himself, to show view upon death itself, through the seriousness’ of the guest’s thoughts and emotions on their surroundings that ties back into the themes of the story and most importantly when this story took place.  Not only does setting show this, but it also gives a vibe and feeling of the atmosphere surrounding the guests and the prince himself.

            The atmosphere and tone of “The Masque of the Red Death,” were dark and awaiting ones.  Tone and atmosphere felt weird yet claming, relaxed, and serious.  To prove this, Poe states, “…the musicians of the orchestra were constrained to pause…and thus the waltzes per forced seized their evolutions; and there was a brief discontent of the whole gay company….”  The way that everyone stops what they are doing every time the clock strikes or a sound is heard, shows the discontentment of the guests, performers, and Prince Prospero himself. Their concerns and how they felt throughout the party are shown in the story, this goes back to the atmosphere and tone of the story.  As it states in the story, “…it was observed that the giddiest grew pale, and the more aged and sedated passed their hands over their brows as if confused reverie or meditation” (Poe).  The description of the guests face, in all age groups demonstrates the concern and the tone of the invited at the party.  The overall atmosphere is that of a disturb and uncomfortable one.  This concludes back to what people knew was surrounding them and most importantly back to the theme.  The tone and atmosphere of “The Masque of the Red Death” were outlined and repeated over and over because of its importance to the setting of the story but most importantly to the themes. 

            “Exhibit an architectural symmetry and proportion and careful integration of details of setting and plot, and character into and indivisible whole” (Thompson).  This critic’s critigue gives great detail and example of how important setting is in this story and to the overall theme.  Setting impacts the story itself in many great and important ways.  It not only tells the time and place the story took place, but also how the description of that ties back into the themes of the story.  In this case “death itself” is the main theme of the story, and both atmosphere and tone accomplish the goal of tying themselves back to the themes by explaining the expressions on the guests face.  Setting is a crucial part of this story and all in all helps to explains the themes and how they all relate! 

Dominique G. IV. Conflict

“Man Versus Fate”

               Conflicts affect the mood of the main characters in a story, by expressing the insecurities, Death,” a couple of conflicts are exposed throughout the piece.  In the story “The Masque of the Red,” a couple of conflicts are expressed throughout this piece. The conflicts man versus fate and man versus himself are the conflicts that are displayed several times within this story. From major conflicts to minor conflicts, this story clarifies the problems that Prince Prospero faces within himself. In addition to Prince Prospero’s problems with himself, this story also explains the conflict of how death is uncontrollable.     

            The overall conflict of the story “The Masque of the Red Death,” has to do with how death comes without warning. A major conflict is shown by the ebony clock in the story, which is a symbol for death in this story. The ebony clock also symbolizes that death has no given time or hour, and can happen instantly, which is the theme of this story.  An example of this would be when death came in and killed Prince Prospero all of a sudden, with no hint to him of what was going to happen. In this short story the author states, “… whose tall figure stood erect and motionless within the shadow of the ebony clock, gasped in the unutterable horror at finding the grave cerements and the corpse- like mask, which they handled with so violent a rudeness, untenanted by any tangible form.” This quote from out of the story was used to show how death came in, and out without any warning killed Prince Prospero. Death is the major conflict of this story. As presented in the quote above, death is something that cannot be stopped no matter who the person. Another quote that displays the conflict of man versus fate is, “And one by one dropped the revelers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall. And the life of the ebony clock went out with the last of the gay” (Poe). This statement demonstrates the way that death can come in without a sign. Also shown in this quote, is how much of an impact death can have on something overall. This major conflict was the most important part of this story. Although the conflict affects the piece in an extreme way, there are also minor conflicts that helped make and change the mood of this short story as well.

            The most important minor conflict in this story is how Prince Prospero feels about death and his uncertainty within himself. Throughout the story Prospero tried to act fearless when it came to the unwanted guest in his palace. This is an example of man versus himself.  Poe states, “It was then, however, that Prince Prospero, maddening with rage and shame of his own momentary cowardice, rushed hurriedly through the six chambers, while none followed him on account of a deadly terror that had seized upon all.” The statement shows Prince Prospero’s insecurity within himself. It shows how, like all of the rest of the people that was in his house, he was scared of what was going to happen, and what he was going after. He also displays how he was not as brave as when the story first began. This confirms that Prince Prospero was a round character, because he was no longer the calm and brave man he was at the beginning of the story. He was now a coward. In the text it states, “There was a sharp cry- and the dagger dropped gleaming upon the sable carpet, upon which, instantly afterward, fell prostrate in death the Prince Prospero”(Poe). This reference just sums up how Prince Prospero’s conflict with is fate ended up killing him. The quote also ties back in with how death is something that just happens. Prince Prospero’s own insecurity with his fate was a minor conflict that greatly impacted this story overall.

            Major and minor conflicts are the outlines for most stories, like the short story “The Masque of the Red Death.” In this case the conflicts of this story tie back to the main themes, like death itself, and time cannot be stopped. Prince Prospero tries to avoid death, however, in his attempt, he fails. Liz Brent states, ‘Edgar Allan Poe’s short story ‘The Masque of the Red Death’ may be interpreted variously as a parable for man’s fear of death.’ This specific quote gives great description on the feelings of the main character in this story. The conflicts overall play a major part in the story. As Kenneth Graham says, “If time is the destroyer of all things material, so, too, is the pendulum the destroyer in the pit, and the ebony lock in.” The critic is explaining the overall conflict of this story, and displays how the ebony clock is the symbol for death. In all, conflict is important to the story, as it ties back to the themes and describes the problems occurred.  

    Anum Ali- “The Masque of the Red Death” is an extraordinary story of many elements that can grasp any reader's attention. This story targets more of the emotions and actions of the characters, creating more of a fathom. Edgar Allan Poe wrote this story from his own perspective and perhaps succeeded in getting the reader to some what relate to the characters focusing on the feelings. The point of view Poe wrote this in makes a clear understanding. 

 The point of view Edgar wrote this in is very effective and understandable. His main focus is on two characters, capturing image-like thoughts of their minds. The characters actions relate back to their personal conflicts within themselves. Poe wrote this story in 3rd person, limited point of view. The Red Death's emotions and feelings are filled with hatred and terrorism. Poe says,"...and the dagger dropped gleaming upon the sable carpet, upon which, instantly afterward, fell prostrate in death the Prince Prospero" (Poe). This clearly shows the Red Death's goal, to kill and destroy. Prince Prospero however, ignores the death and instead shows, as it has no impact on him. He avoids the dreary thought of death overall. He asserts,"...he summoned to his presence a thousand hale and light-hearted friends"(Poe). He is loved by many and loves unlike the Red Death. The Red Death's thoughts are not clear in comparison to Prince Prospero as to what he wants and feels towards otherwise. Edgar asserts, "The Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless and sagacious"(Poe). His feelings were blunt. Poe also states, "No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous"(Poe). The Red Death's thoughts are very vague and unclear. This direct and indirect perspective helps the story flow and create a suspicion. The limited point of view gives a fair point on the characters and their personalities.  

Therefore, this point of view added more understanding to the story. “The Masque of the Red Death” is very hard to understand, because of the way it is put together. It's set up in a way that not only gets the reader thinking, but also confused as to why the characters do the things they do, or feel the way they feel. This 3rd person limited point of view helps the reader sort of creates a relevance. It works because it creates a crystal view approaching the characters. The story allows the readers to see it from a very unique perspective. It shows the character copes with its fear. The story would have been different if it wasn't written in this point of view. There would've been many misunderstandings. The characters viewpoints would very difficult to interpret on. For example, the story portrays Prince Prospero's character as very cheerful and content. It's easy to catch that because of his actions and patent thoughts. Therefore, it makes it a mystery to find out why the antagonist Red Death is a horrifying character. Also why it has a passion towards terror in contrast to Prince Prospero who has a passion for his friends and parties. The story would have been extremely different and the characters wouldn't have been described the way they. It also wouldn't have ended the way it did. 

     Furthermore,the point of view drastically impacts the themes of the story. The themes of the “Masque of the Red Death” are death, time, and madness. Death plays a role coming into the Prince Prospero’s house as a disguise. Time is the theme that in result because death upon had no timing. Madness is the emotion played from both characters but more so on the Red Death. According to Kenneth Graham, “ this third person limited point of view creates a fascination…horrified initiation”(Gale). The way the Poe reveals the hidden feelings and actions, fantastically holds and symbolizes the entire story. The 3rd person limited in “The Masque of the Red Death” ties the entire story together. 

      All in all, The Masque of the Red Death is a very interesting piece of literature. Edgar Allan Poe uses specific types of techniques to go above and beyond creating different interpretations amongst his readers. The selected elements do an outstanding job in revealing the theme and moral of the story. Setting puts the story together as to the timing and atmosphere the actions are being done. It definitely helps a lot to understand why things are going the way they are, for example why Prince Prospero’s mansion is extremely huge. The element of conflict also plays a huge role, combining the two characters emotions together. The inner and outer conflicts within Prince Prospero and the Red Death help analyze the theme towards death and madness. Prince Prospero’s conflict is towards death itself, and the madness of not knowing when it will be upon him. The point of view told in the story is done for the readers to know the thoughts of only a specific character. Also to only be able to see the antagonist’s actions. According to Gale, “Poe carefully chooses his words to paint a picture of unrelieved fear, suspense, and dread.” Poe’s unique way of writing and techniques is what makes this story a reason why thousands of people are still reading it today.

Work Cited 

Graham, Kenneth. “Criticism by Kenneth Graham.” Discovering Authors. Online ed. Detroit:

            Gale, 2003. Student Resource Center- Gold. Web. 12 Jan. 2010.

“The Masque of the Red Death.” Short Stories for Students. Ed. Ira Milne. Vol. Detroit:

            Thomson Gale, 2000. 232-260. Short Stories for Students. Web. 12 Jan. 2010.  

Miline, Ira Mark. Short Stories for Student. Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Short Stories Volume 8Virtual Reference Library. Detroit, Mich: Gale. Web. 13 Jan. 2010.

Thompson Gale, 2000. 232-260. Short Stories for Students. Web. 12 Jan. 2010.  Poe

Edgar Allan Poe. “The Masque of the Red Death.”