The Masque of the Red Death
The Masque of the Red Death is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1842. The story follows Prince Prospero, a wealthy nobleman, who attempts to hide from a dangerous plague, known as the Red Death, by throwing a lavish masquerade ball in his abbey. He invites many of his friends and courtiers to join him in his seclusion, and they spend their days in revelry and merriment. However, during the masquerade, a mysterious figure appears, dressed in a blood-splattered costume. The figure is the personification of the Red Death, and it proceeds to kill each of the guests in turn. In the end, the Prince is the only one left alive, and he realizes that death is inevitable and cannot be avoided. The story serves as a warning against the folly of attempting to escape death.
By Edgar Allan Poe · First published 1842 · Genre: Gothic Horror, Romanticism, Fantasy · 2,429 words
First lines
The "Red Death" had long devastated the country. No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous. Blood was its Avatar and its seal-the redness and the horror of blood. There were sharp pains, and sudden dizziness, and then profuse bleeding at the pores, with dissolution. The scarlet stains upon the body and especially upon the face of the victim, were the pest ban which shut him out from the aid and from the sympathy of his fellow-men. And the whole seizure, progress and termination of the disease, were the incidents of half an hour.
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The Masque of the Red Death is listed on Textopian as a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, dated 1842 CE.
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- Work type: Short story
- Author: Edgar Allan Poe
- Date: 1842 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Gothic Horror, Romanticism, Fantasy, Mystery, Horror
- Length: 2,429 words
- Structure: 1 section, 18 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe
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Similar titles
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- The Monk And The Hangmans Daughter by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Gothic Horror — The Masque of the Red Death is a classic example of Gothic Horror, with its dark and mysterious setting, supernatural elements, and themes of death and decay.
- Romanticism — The Masque of the Red Death is a prime example of Romanticism, with its focus on emotion, nature, and the power of the imagination.
- Fantasy — The Masque of the Red Death contains elements of fantasy, such as the supernatural Red Death and the mysterious Prince Prospero.
- Mystery — The Masque of the Red Death is a mystery, as the reader is left to ponder the true meaning of the story and the identity of the Red Death.
Tags
American · Horror tales · apartment · apartments · blood · blue · bold · chamber · chambers · clock · company · courtiers