Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death” is perhaps one of the most iconic works of horror literature in history. It’s also perhaps my favorite of all of Poe’s short stories, with “The Fall of The House of Usher” a very close second. Beneath the surface of “The Masque” lies a multitude of hidden meanings and symbols, just waiting to be discovered.
First published in 1842, “The Masque of The Red Death” is considered one of Poe’s finest works and is set in a world ravaged by plague. In this story, Poe combines his signature themes with a stern moral lesson about mortality and death’s inevitable presence in life.
His stories often featured unreliable narrators questioning the boundaries of their sanity or reality. His use of dark, macabre themes and explorations of the human mind has earned him recognition as one of the leading figures in the American Romantic Movement.
The Storyline of “The Masque of the Red Death”
“The Masque of the Red Death,” tells the tale of Prince Prospero and his courtiers who retreat from a deadly plague to the safety of his abbey. The short story is set during a time of great suffering and death as The Red Death ravages the land. The courtiers attempt to distance themselves from the disease by attending a masquerade ball in Prospero’s abbey, but The Red Death still makes its way in, claiming all in its path. The story is a powerful illustration of Poe’s gothic themes, such as mortality and the inevitability of death. The imagery of The Red Death is also a key element in understanding the author’s themes.
Though the story is filled with symbolism, perhaps one of its most significant symbols lies in its title – the “red death,” symbolizing mortality and our inability to escape it. The party held by Prince Prospero is also filled with symbolism – such as the seven rooms, each painted in a different color representing life’s journey and how we must go through each stage before reaching death.
This is a recurring theme in the works of Edgar Allan Poe. The seven rooms within the castle are arranged in a sequence of vibrant colors, from blue to violet, symbolizing life’s stages from birth to death. The figure of The Red Death, which appears at the end of the story, represents death that cannot be avoided no matter how hard we try to escape it.
Prospero’s castle is meant to keep the plague out, but it can ultimately be viewed as an oppressive structure. The castle’s maze-like design and tall, narrow windows are so oppressive in the black room that few guests are willing to step foot into it. The castle is also meant to be an enclosed space that keeps people out, yet the stranger dressed as The Red Death sneaks inside, which suggests that control is an illusion.
The figure of The Red Death, which appears at the end of the story, represents death that cannot be avoided no matter how hard we try to escape it.
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The Red Death disease in the story is fictitious, described as causing sharp pains, sudden dizziness, and profuse bleeding. It leads to death within half an hour. The fictitious disease may have been inspired by tuberculosis, which Poe’s wife, Virginia, was suffering from at the time the story was written. Like the character Prospero, Poe tried to ignore the terminal nature of his wife’s disease. His mother, brother, and foster mother had also died of tuberculosis.
The Red Death may have also been inspired by cholera. Poe had witnessed a cholera epidemic in Baltimore in 1831. Others have said the Red Death is bubonic plague, emphasized by the story’s climax featuring the Red Death in the castle’s black room. Some have also suggested that the Red Death is not a disease but a weakness like the original sin shared by all humankind.
Escaping Through Wealth & Privilege
Poe utilized symbolism extensively throughout his work to convey his thoughts on mortality and the idea of escaping it through wealth and privilege. The prince and his courtiers try to enjoy luxurious pleasures and ignore the presence of The Red Death outside their walls, only to be met with misfortune. The story is a timeless reminder of life’s fragility and an important reminder that we must appreciate what we have while we still have it.
Poe also suggests that death can highlight life’s worth and the significance of the social connections we make in between. In the story, people use their last moments to come together and celebrate life through a masquerade ball, even in the face of death. Poe’s message in this story is to embrace life despite its finality, as it offers us opportunities to establish meaningful connections and experiences with others.
Other Themes in “The Masque of the Red Death”
In “Masque,” Poe also examines themes of class and power, as Prospero’s attempt to keep his guests safe from death only further highlights the disparity between himself and those he has invited. This idea of arbitrary suffering due to unjust social structures is an ever-present theme in Poe’s work, and it appears in several of his well-known works, such as “MS. Found in a Bottle” and “Ligeia.”
In these stories, Poe examines how higher classes are privileged over those of lower classes and how social statuses can lead to mistreatment. Moreover, Poe often uses symbols such as the hero’s struggles against death to represent powerlessness and subordination in the face of oppressive forces. These themes are often seen as a reflection of the author’s own experiences growing up in a divided society.
This idea of arbitrary suffering due to unjust social structures is an ever-present theme in Poe’s work.
Poe is also renowned for using irony and foreshadowing in his works, creating an incredibly suspenseful and mysterious atmosphere in each story. His works often feature the dark psychological elements of the human psyche, and his stories explore themes of death, suffering, and isolation.
The combination of these elements often serves to warn the reader of something ominous or unexpected at the climax of the works, making it difficult to put the story down until its conclusion. His works often feature a suspenseful build-up to a surprising, shocking climax, a hallmark of his long-lasting legacy.
