The Masque of The Masque of the Red Deaththe Red Death

Edgar Edgar Allan Allan PoePoe

Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan Poe1809-18491809-1849

His Family and Tragic His Family and Tragic LifeLife

Born in BostonBorn in Boston The son of traveling actorsThe son of traveling actors Lived a tragic and unhappy lifeLived a tragic and unhappy life

Tragic and Unhappy Tragic and Unhappy LifeLife Mother died of Mother died of

tuberculosis when tuberculosis when Poe was onePoe was one

Father deserted him Father deserted him at the age of twoat the age of two

Adopted by Mr. and Adopted by Mr. and Mrs. John AllanMrs. John Allan

Had constant Had constant disagreements with disagreements with his step-fatherhis step-father

John Allan

. . . continued. . . continued Studied briefly at the University of VirginiaStudied briefly at the University of Virginia Drinking and gambling difficulties kept him Drinking and gambling difficulties kept him

from continuing at UVAfrom continuing at UVA

University of Virginia, 1856

. . .continued. . .continued Received an appointment to Received an appointment to

West Point, but provoked his own West Point, but provoked his own dismissaldismissal

Caused a final separation Caused a final separation between himself and step-fatherbetween himself and step-father

West Point Crest

. . .continued. . .continuedIn 1836 married his In 1836 married his

14 year old cousin, 14 year old cousin, VirginiaVirginia

Last 12 years of life Last 12 years of life worked as journalist, worked as journalist, editor, and creative editor, and creative writerwriter

Virginia Clemm

. . . continued. . . continued Lived in poverty Lived in poverty

stricken stricken conditions most conditions most of his lifeof his life

In 1846 wife died In 1846 wife died after a long after a long illnessillness Poe’s home during the

1840’s

AddictionAddiction All evidence suggests All evidence suggests

that Poe was an that Poe was an alcoholic.alcoholic.

Poe also habitually used Poe also habitually used drugs such as morphine, drugs such as morphine, opium, and laudanum to opium, and laudanum to treat depression and treat depression and other health conditions.other health conditions. Poe had a weakened Poe had a weakened

nervous system due to a nervous system due to a brain lesion and a heart brain lesion and a heart condition.condition.

Laudanum, a highly Laudanum, a highly addictive, opium based addictive, opium based medicine, was commonly medicine, was commonly used to treat headaches used to treat headaches and stomach pains in and stomach pains in 1800’s.1800’s.

. . . continued. . . continued Died in Baltimore Died in Baltimore

after having after having been found in a been found in a drunken stupordrunken stupor

Died a poor manDied a poor man

Poe’s WorkPoe’s Work

Known for:Known for: Tales of Tales of

mystery and mystery and terror storiesterror stories

Introducing the Introducing the modern modern detective storydetective story

Short Stories:Short Stories: The Tell-Tale The Tell-Tale

HeartHeart The Cask of The Cask of

AmontilladoAmontillado The Black Cat, The Black Cat, The Pit and The The Pit and The

PendulumPendulum

Just a Few Just a Few TitlesTitles

Poems:Poems: The RavenThe Raven Annabel LeeAnnabel Lee To HelenTo Helen LenoreLenore

Literary Term: Literary Term: AllusionAllusion Reference to a famous historical or Reference to a famous historical or

literary figure or eventliterary figure or event Best sources are literature, history, Best sources are literature, history,

Greek mythology, and the BibleGreek mythology, and the Bible Serves to explain or clarify or enhance Serves to explain or clarify or enhance

whatever subjectwhatever subject

Literary Term: Literary Term: Gothic ElementsGothic Elements

Supernatural horrors and an Supernatural horrors and an atmosphere of unknown terror atmosphere of unknown terror pervades the actionpervades the action

High emotion, sentimentalism, High emotion, sentimentalism, but also pronounced anger, but also pronounced anger, surprise, and especially terror surprise, and especially terror

Use of words indicating fear, Use of words indicating fear, mystery: apparition, devil, mystery: apparition, devil, ghost, haunted, terror, fright, ghost, haunted, terror, fright, faintingfainting

Literary Term: Literary Term: SymbolSymbol

Something that is itself and yet also Something that is itself and yet also represents something elserepresents something else

Universal symbols embodying universally Universal symbols embodying universally recognizable meanings recognizable meanings

Invested symbols give symbolic meaning Invested symbols give symbolic meaning by the way an author uses them in a by the way an author uses them in a literary workliterary work

Symbols are very common in literatureSymbols are very common in literature

Allegory: A Story Allegory: A Story Behind a StoryBehind a Story

An An allegoryallegory is a narrative that is is a narrative that is really a really a double storydouble story. One story . One story takes place on the surface. takes place on the surface. Under the surface the story’s Under the surface the story’s characters and events represent characters and events represent abstract ideas or states of being, abstract ideas or states of being, things like love or freedom, evil things like love or freedom, evil or goodness, hell or heaven.or goodness, hell or heaven.

To work, an allegory must To work, an allegory must operate on operate on two levelstwo levels. On the . On the level of pure storytelling, an level of pure storytelling, an allegory must hold our attention. allegory must hold our attention. Its characters must seem Its characters must seem believable and interesting believable and interesting enough for us to care about enough for us to care about them. On the allegorical level them. On the allegorical level the ideas in the story must be the ideas in the story must be accessible to us. As you read, accessible to us. As you read, you should find that the you should find that the allegorical level of the story allegorical level of the story gradually begins to strike you.gradually begins to strike you.

See if you find that See if you find that Poe’s story of Poe’s story of arrogance and death arrogance and death hooks you on both hooks you on both levels.levels.

The Masque of the Red The Masque of the Red Death: Death:

BackgroundBackground Poe’s Poe’s fictionalfictional Red Death Red Death

is probably based on the is probably based on the Black Death, which swept Black Death, which swept fourteenth-century fourteenth-century EuropeEurope and Asia, killing and Asia, killing as many as two thirds of as many as two thirds of the population in some the population in some regions in less than regions in less than twenty years. Poe calls twenty years. Poe calls the plague “the Red the plague “the Red Death” because victims Death” because victims oozed blood from painful oozed blood from painful sores. In this story a sores. In this story a fourteenth-century prince fourteenth-century prince gives a costume party, or gives a costume party, or masque, to try to forget masque, to try to forget about the epidemic about the epidemic raging all around him.raging all around him.

The Black DeathThe Black Death This particular type of plague was This particular type of plague was

the bubonic plague, which is the bubonic plague, which is caused by a bacteria that lived in caused by a bacteria that lived in rats and other rodents. Human rats and other rodents. Human beings were beings were infected through infected through bites from the fleasbites from the fleas that lived on that lived on these rats. The symptoms these rats. The symptoms associated with plague are bubos, associated with plague are bubos, which are painful swellings of the which are painful swellings of the lymph nodes. These typically lymph nodes. These typically appear in the armpits, legs, neck, appear in the armpits, legs, neck, or groin. If left untreated, plague or groin. If left untreated, plague victims die within two to four victims die within two to four days. Victims of this disease days. Victims of this disease suffered swelling in the armpit suffered swelling in the armpit and groin, as well as bleeding in and groin, as well as bleeding in the lungs. Victims also suffered a the lungs. Victims also suffered a very high fever, delirium, and very high fever, delirium, and prostration. prostration.

SummarySummary Poe’s tale of an Poe’s tale of an

eccentric nobleman and eccentric nobleman and the Red Death ravaging the Red Death ravaging his land can be read his land can be read both as a chilling ghost both as a chilling ghost story and as an allegory story and as an allegory representing human representing human folly and the folly and the inevitability of death. inevitability of death. (In other words, you (In other words, you cannot hide from death cannot hide from death regardless how much regardless how much money you have.)money you have.)

SummarySummary Prince ProsperoPrince Prospero invites a thousand lords and invites a thousand lords and

ladies to escape death by living luxuriously ladies to escape death by living luxuriously in his castle until the pestilence passes. in his castle until the pestilence passes.

To entertain his guests Prospero hosts a To entertain his guests Prospero hosts a masquerade party that takes place in masquerade party that takes place in seven seven hallshalls, each a different color., each a different color.

SummarySummary At the stroke of midnight, At the stroke of midnight,

a tall figure in a blood-a tall figure in a blood-splattered burial costume splattered burial costume appears. appears.

Prospero demands that his Prospero demands that his friends seize the intruder, friends seize the intruder, but everyone is frozen but everyone is frozen with fear as the stranger with fear as the stranger slowly walks through the slowly walks through the rooms.rooms.

Finally, Prospero rushes Finally, Prospero rushes after him into the black after him into the black seventh room.seventh room.

SummarySummaryWhen the intruder When the intruder

turns, the host falls turns, the host falls dead.dead.

The revelers then The revelers then grab the stranger grab the stranger but find the but find the costume empty.costume empty.

All soon die of the All soon die of the Red Death.Red Death.

CommentsComments The allegorical meaning of the story is found in such details as The allegorical meaning of the story is found in such details as

Prospero’s name (Prospero means prosperous)Prospero’s name (Prospero means prosperous) Unfortunately, the Red Death attacks the rich and poor alikeUnfortunately, the Red Death attacks the rich and poor alike

The stranger’s appearance (Dressed like the Grim Reaper or Death) The stranger’s appearance (Dressed like the Grim Reaper or Death) The arrangement of the seven halls The arrangement of the seven halls

The rooms of the palace, lined up in a series, allegorically represent the The rooms of the palace, lined up in a series, allegorically represent the stages of life. stages of life.

Their colors, particularly the black (death) and red (blood) of the Their colors, particularly the black (death) and red (blood) of the westernmost room with its ebony clock marking the inevitable passage westernmost room with its ebony clock marking the inevitable passage of time.of time.

“No matter how beautiful the castle, how luxuriant the clothing, or how rich the food, no mortal, not even a prince, can escape death. “

-Sparknotes.com

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