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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
"And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all."
Edgar Allan Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death" was so much shorter than I expected, given what I had already heard about the story. As such, I think my expectations were a bit too grand going in (especially after reading The Fall of the House of Usher earlier this year), which I think may have hampered my enjoyment of the story slightly. It still had Horror Granddaddy Poe's signature hauntingly peotic writing, though. So naturally, there is still plenty to enjoy.
Down with fancy pants rich McGee over here, Prince Prospero!
fast-paced
Reading this in the midst of a pandemic, it's easy to draw a surprising number of connections between Poe's 1842 short story and the reactions to a deadly virus in present day. In fact, one line in particular sums things up perfectly:
'The external world could take care of itself. In the meantime, it was folly to grieve, or to think.'
Prince Prospero and his thousand chosen guests isolate in an abbey, stockpile supplies and live a life of revelry behind closed doors, free from the risk of contagion and able to think only of leisure, completely detached from the sufferings of those outside by virtue of ignorance. A luxury reserved for the wealthy then became a standard of living for a time in 2020. And then, as now, it ultimately did not stop the sweep of the plague through those amassed.
The ebony clock startles guests out of their revelry hourly and sets them to poignant disconcertion, reminding those gathered that although they may avoid the plague, time continues to take their life more slowly. There is no hiding from ageing, that most certain killer. As the hours pass, the clock chimes longer, and weighs more heavily on the hearts of the guests. Until at 12, when the Red Death has noticeably made its way through their midst.
It is debatable whether the Red Death symbolizes Tuberculosis - the disease that took Poe's mother when he was an infant, and his wife in his later years - or the Black Death. The fast-moving effects of the Red Death, in addition to the guests encountering it and dying in the 'black room', hint heavily towards the latter. Although in terms of his history with Tuberculosis, it's tempting to wonder if Poe is channeling the idea that no amount of preparation can save one who is fated to die.
The significance of naming the main character after Shakespeare's sorcerer, Prospero, is likely a nod to the moment when said sorcerer curses his subject, Caliban, saying he 'hopes he dies of red plague'. But oddly, that seems to be the only thread that connects the two characters. Perhaps this castle was 'Dukedom large enough', having lost the outside world? Perhaps because when 'Our revels now are ended', the guests are 'all spirits and are melted into air'. These don't click satisfyingly enough for me, but it's difficult to find any other satisfying connection between the two characters.
The Masque of the Red Death won't ever be one of my favorite Poe stories - it doesn't chill you in the same way that others do. But it does have an injection of suspense, which is impressive to maintain in such a short piece, and does offer a world of potential meanings that are especially relevant now.
'The external world could take care of itself. In the meantime, it was folly to grieve, or to think.'
Prince Prospero and his thousand chosen guests isolate in an abbey, stockpile supplies and live a life of revelry behind closed doors, free from the risk of contagion and able to think only of leisure, completely detached from the sufferings of those outside by virtue of ignorance. A luxury reserved for the wealthy then became a standard of living for a time in 2020. And then, as now, it ultimately did not stop the sweep of the plague through those amassed.
The ebony clock startles guests out of their revelry hourly and sets them to poignant disconcertion, reminding those gathered that although they may avoid the plague, time continues to take their life more slowly. There is no hiding from ageing, that most certain killer. As the hours pass, the clock chimes longer, and weighs more heavily on the hearts of the guests. Until at 12, when the Red Death has noticeably made its way through their midst.
It is debatable whether the Red Death symbolizes Tuberculosis - the disease that took Poe's mother when he was an infant, and his wife in his later years - or the Black Death. The fast-moving effects of the Red Death, in addition to the guests encountering it and dying in the 'black room', hint heavily towards the latter. Although in terms of his history with Tuberculosis, it's tempting to wonder if Poe is channeling the idea that no amount of preparation can save one who is fated to die.
The significance of naming the main character after Shakespeare's sorcerer, Prospero, is likely a nod to the moment when said sorcerer curses his subject, Caliban, saying he 'hopes he dies of red plague'. But oddly, that seems to be the only thread that connects the two characters. Perhaps this castle was 'Dukedom large enough', having lost the outside world? Perhaps because when 'Our revels now are ended', the guests are 'all spirits and are melted into air'. These don't click satisfyingly enough for me, but it's difficult to find any other satisfying connection between the two characters.
The Masque of the Red Death won't ever be one of my favorite Poe stories - it doesn't chill you in the same way that others do. But it does have an injection of suspense, which is impressive to maintain in such a short piece, and does offer a world of potential meanings that are especially relevant now.
dark
tense
fast-paced
Okay this was incredible. You can see how this little story inspired a great many number of stories in the way all the visuals are painted and how atmospheric it is
dark
داستان کوتاه و پر از نماد از آلن پو. ترجیحا بعد از نیمه شب خوانده شود.
با تشکر از آرمان
با تشکر از آرمان
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes