“The Masque of the Red Death” first appeared in May 1842 in Graham’s Magazine. It is generally grouped together with three other of Poe’s stories, namely “King Pest”, which first appeared in the Southern Literary Messenger in September 1835, “The Cask of Amontillado”, published in Godey’s Magazine and Lady’s Book 33 in 1846, and “Hop-Frog”, published in The Flag of Our Union in 1849. Since all these stories take place dur-ing the carnival season, they are called “The Masquerades”.
In her book “The Life and Works of Edgar Allan Poe. A Psycho-Analytic Interpretation”, Marie Bonaparte takes a Freudian approach to Poe’s stories, Sigmund Freud himself wrote the preface, and claims that all the above tales are connected to Poe’s father com-plex [Bonaparte; 507]. In her interpretation of “The Masque of the Red Death”, the figure of the Red Death is an incorporation of the father who returns to punish the son.
This is just one reading of the story. Much has been published about “The Masque of the Red Death”, one of Poe’s most read tales. Scholars have tried to find its roots, like Burton R. Pollin, who assumes that Poe used his own “Shadow – A Parable” as a source for “The Masque of the Red Death”. Others attempted to compare the story of Prince Prospero and his followers to other great works of art, for example Christopher Brown, who saw parallels between “The Masque of the Red Death” and Henry James’s The Portrait of a Lady. A lot of research has also been done on the narrator of the tale – I will only elabo-rate on the most plausible theories on who it is that is telling this tale. Equally important, “The Masque of the Red Death” is said to contain one of the most exact definitions of the grotesque in the literary sense.
Finally, as almost all of Poe’s tales, “The Masque of the Red Death”, too, contains an in-credible amount of symbolism. Everything from the significance of blood over the impor-tance of the number seven in mysticism to the meaning of colors can be traced in this tale, which must also be read as an allegory and a memento mori.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Physical Features of the Abbey
- Symbolism
- Blood
- Rooms and Colors
- Time
- Death and the Masque
- The Narrator of "The Masque of The Red Death"
- The Narrator is one of the dying revellers
- The Narrator is an 'impossible narrator'
- The Narrator is Death himself
- "The Masque of The Red Death" and the Grotesque
- "The Masque of the Red Death" - An Allegory, A Memento Mori
- Allegory
- Memento Mori
- Final Remarks
Objectives and Key Themes
This work aims to explore Edgar Allan Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death," examining its narrative structure, symbolism, and interpretations. The analysis delves into the story's atmospheric features, the ambiguity surrounding the narrator's identity, and its allegorical and memento mori aspects.
- The physical description of the abbey and its symbolic significance.
- The multiple interpretations of the narrator's identity.
- The pervasive symbolism of blood and color in the story.
- The allegorical and memento mori aspects of the narrative.
- The grotesque elements within the story.
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This chapter introduces Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death," situating it within a group of Poe's stories known as "The Masquerades." It briefly discusses various interpretations of the story, including Freudian analyses that view the Red Death as a representation of the father figure, and scholarly attempts to trace the story's sources and parallels to other works. The chapter highlights the significant amount of symbolism, its allegorical nature, and its function as a memento mori, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of these themes in subsequent chapters.
Physical Features of the Abbey: This chapter meticulously examines the architectural and decorative elements of Prince Prospero's abbey. It emphasizes Poe's attention to atmospheric detail, referencing his essay "Philosophy of Furniture" to highlight the deliberate design choices, including the arrangement of seven irregularly shaped rooms, the strategically placed braziers, and the color-coordinated stained-glass windows. The chapter analyzes the effect of the abbey's design as creating a sense of confinement and suffocation, symbolically representing Prospero's futile attempt to escape death by isolating himself.
Symbolism: This chapter explores the rich symbolism embedded throughout Poe's tale, emphasizing the author's intentional use of symbolism in his narratives. The chapter focuses particularly on the symbol of blood, contrasting its usual association with life with its role as a harbinger of death in this story. The connection between blood and the color red is highlighted, particularly in relation to the blood-red windows of the black chamber, foreshadowing the final events of the narrative.
Keywords
Edgar Allan Poe, The Masque of the Red Death, symbolism, allegory, memento mori, grotesque, narrator, abbey, blood, color, death, interpretation, atmosphere.
Edgar Allan Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death": A Comprehensive Guide
What is this document?
This document provides a structured overview of Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Masque of the Red Death," intended for academic analysis. It includes a table of contents, objectives, key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords.
What are the main themes explored in the document?
The document explores several key themes in Poe's story, including the symbolism (particularly of blood and color), the ambiguity of the narrator's identity, the allegorical and memento mori aspects of the narrative, and the use of the grotesque. It also examines the physical description of the abbey and its symbolic significance.
What is covered in the "Physical Features of the Abbey" chapter?
This chapter meticulously analyzes the architecture and décor of Prince Prospero's abbey. It focuses on Poe's use of atmospheric detail, examining the seven irregularly shaped rooms, the braziers, and the color-coordinated stained-glass windows. The analysis emphasizes how the abbey's design contributes to a sense of confinement and suffocation, symbolizing Prospero's futile attempt to escape death.
How is symbolism analyzed in the document?
The document explores the rich symbolism throughout the story, focusing on the use of blood as a symbol. It contrasts the typical association of blood with life with its role as a harbinger of death in this context. The connection between blood and the color red is highlighted, particularly concerning the blood-red windows of the black chamber, which foreshadow the story's conclusion.
What are the different interpretations of the narrator discussed?
The document explores multiple interpretations of the narrator's identity, considering possibilities such as the narrator being one of the dying revelers, an "impossible narrator," or even Death himself.
What is the significance of the allegory and memento mori aspects?
The document analyzes "The Masque of the Red Death" as both an allegory and a memento mori. It delves into the symbolic meanings and the story's function as a reminder of mortality.
What are the key words associated with this analysis?
Key words used to describe and analyze the story include: Edgar Allan Poe, The Masque of the Red Death, symbolism, allegory, memento mori, grotesque, narrator, abbey, blood, color, death, interpretation, and atmosphere.
What is the overall objective of this document?
The document aims to provide a thorough analysis of "The Masque of the Red Death," examining its narrative structure, symbolism, and various interpretations. It seeks to delve into the story's atmospheric elements, the ambiguity surrounding the narrator, and its allegorical and memento mori aspects.
What kind of interpretations of the story are mentioned in the introduction?
The introduction briefly touches upon various interpretations, including Freudian analyses that see the Red Death as a representation of the father figure, and scholarly attempts to trace the story's sources and parallels to other works.
- Quote paper
- Kristina Maul (Author), 2002, About Edgar Allan Poe's - "The Masque of Red Death", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/14564
