The Masque of the Red Death (Poe)

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Edgar Allan Poe

The Masque of the Red Death

1842 

Summary of the Short Story

Microsummary: A deadly plague ravaged a country, causing immense suffering and death. A wealthy ruler attempted to escape the disease by isolating in a castle with friends, but the plague infiltrated their sanctuary, killing all.

The Red Death was a deadly plague that had long devastated a country, causing immense suffering and death. The disease was characterized by sharp pains, dizziness, and profuse bleeding from the pores, with the entire progression of the illness lasting only half an hour. The victims were marked by scarlet stains on their bodies, particularly on their faces, which isolated them from the aid and sympathy of others.

Prince Prospero, a wealthy and powerful ruler, decided to escape the Red Death by inviting a thousand of his friends to his secluded castle. He ensured that the castle was well-provisioned and sealed off from the outside world, believing that they could avoid the contagion. Inside the castle, the prince provided various forms of entertainment, including musicians, dancers, and games, to keep his guests occupied and their minds off the deadly plague outside.

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Prince Prospero — a wealthy, powerful ruler; attempts to escape the Red Death by secluding himself and his friends in his castle; bold, eccentric, and fearless until confronted by the Red Death.

After several months of seclusion, Prince Prospero decided to hold a masquerade ball in his castle. The ball took place in a series of seven rooms, each decorated in a different color and illuminated by colored stained-glass windows. The final room, draped in black velvet and lit by blood-red windows, was particularly eerie and unsettling.

During the ball, a mysterious figure appeared, dressed in the garb of the Red Death and causing fear and anger among the guests.

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The Red Death — a deadly, horrifying plague that devastates the country; personified as a masked figure at the masquerade ball; represents the inevitability of death and the futility of trying to escape it.

Prince Prospero, enraged by the intrusion and the mockery of their situation, demanded that the figure be unmasked and punished. However, as the prince and his guests attempted to confront the figure, they found that it was not a person at all, but the Red Death itself.

There was a sharp cry — and the dagger dropped gleaming upon the sable carpet, upon which instantly afterwards, fell prostrate in death the Prince Prospero.

There was a sharp cry — and the dagger dropped gleaming upon the sable carpet, upon which instantly afterwards, fell prostrate in death the Prince Prospero.

One by one, the guests succumbed to the disease, dying in the very castle they had hoped would protect them. The Red Death had infiltrated their sanctuary, proving that no one could escape its grasp. In the end, darkness and decay took over the castle, and the Red Death held dominion over all.

And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all.