characters
& setting
"There were sharp pains,
and sudden dizziness,
and the profuse bleeding at the pores,
with dissolution."
CHARACTERSThrough the characters in the story, Edgar Allan Poe is able to appeal to readers emotions through heavy details relative to the attributes and actions of the main characters (Prince Prospero and the Red Death). In the story, Prince Prospero is described as a joyful and wise individual who was surrounded by peoples of the same nature. Contrastingly, the Red Death is described as a tall and skinny corpse-like figure; and when confronted by the surrounding party that witnessed the death of the Prince, we come to find that there is no body under the figures corpse wrappings. When analyzing both the details and differences between the characters, the descriptions instill fear within as it hints at a future downfall of one as a result of the other... And for this instance, it is the supposed "good-hearted" character who is overtaken by death, leading back to that deeper understanding of how death is both inevitable and inescapable
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"The figure was tall and gaunt, and shrouded from head to foot in the habiliments of the grave. The mask which concealed the visage was made so nearly to resemble the countenance of a stiffened corpse..." |
"Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless and sagacious" |
SETTINGThe setting of the story takes place in prince Prospero's castle, where he invites all of his closest friends to stay with him to avoid the plague that is going on outside. The castle has seven rooms each room a different color. Starting from the east side of the abbey to the west was the blue room, purple room, green room,orange room,white room,violent room, and black room. Whatever room you are standing in you are able to look into another room, each room also has two windows one facing south and north roughly. There was no candle light of any kind in each room, there was heavy tripods in the corridors that follow carrying a large fire. The fire was so bright its rays lit the rooms, it created this godly appearance, but in the black chamber the fire created this spooky and ghostly vibe. This room was so spooky that only a handful of people actually went inside. The setting really creates the effect that Allen Poe wants by showing physically how mentally insane Price Prospero is.
He decides to throw a party despite what is going on outside of his castle. This begins to get the readers scared and frustrated with the prince's actions. It makes the audience feel short of uncomfortable that he just looks away from his people, plus blocking himself inside a castle doesn't seem like the best idea to keep the plague from reaching him. This would mean that if the plague was the get inside the castle, they would be trapped. The abbey is supposed to represent as a barrier or shield because of its physical appearance but we will soon find out that it can't keep certain things out. The seven rooms inside the castle were all different colors which could probably represent the madness that is going on inside Prince Prospero’s head. With such a wide range of colors, this could show how his thoughts and values are scatter in the wrong places. Also we are not trapped in just any castle, we are trapped inside Prince Prospero's, a man that makes it apparent that he will do anything to keep the plague out. Allen Poe does an amazing job describing the setting of the story, it allows for the reader to create connections between the setting and the Prince. |