History Literature / TheMasqueOfTheRedDeath

Prince Prospero's home country isn't doing too well. A horrible plague called The Red Death is ravaging the countryside. The symptoms most notably include [[BloodFromEveryOrifice massive bleeding from the pores, especially the face,]] followed by death within an hour.

Not wanting to be troubled by the dying peasants, Prospero takes himself and several hundred of his closest friends and sequesters everyone inside one of his secluded abbeys. Well stocked and with lots of entertainment, they plan to ride out the plague.

One night, Prospero decides to hold a masquerade ball in a procession of differently colored rooms. The final room is black and has a large clock in it. Just at midnight, the guests notice a strange figure among them, costumed like a corpse who has died of the Red Death. Outraged at this show of poor taste, [[IdiotBall Prospero chases the figure into the final room]] -- and promptly drops dead. The frightened and angry revelers strip off the figure's costume to find nothing underneath it at all...[[AnthropomorphicPersonification except the Red Death, now in their very midst.]] [[KillEmAll Then they all die.]] The clock stops, the lights go out, and "Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all."

* DownerEnding: The Red Death successfully infiltrates the abbey and kills everyone inside it. The last lines of the story are particularly chilling:

* DyingForSymbolism: Prospero and the revelers' deaths convey the message that no one, no matter how rich and well connected, is proof against death, nor can walls keep out a disease.

* HumanoidAbomination: The figure in the Red Cloak is revealed to be the AnthropomorphicPersonification of the Red Death itself, before it disperses and kills everyone present.

* WhileRomeBurns: Prospero and his buddies try to party and have a good time while the Red Death savages the rest of the country. The narrative even makes clear that ''they'' feel proof against the disease; they just don't want to watch the peasants dying.
* YouCantFightFate: The association of the Red Death with Time and Darkness -- try as they might, Prospero and his guests can't keep a (malevolent) force of nature out of their festivities.
* YourCostumeNeedsWork: The guests at the [[MasqueradeBall ball]] are all shocked by the [[DudeNotFunny tastelessness]] of someone dressing as a corpse who died of the disease they're all trying to ignore. Then someone rips the mask off and finds there's [[NoFaceUnderTheMask nothing underneath]]...

* {{Allegory}}: Some scholars read the tale as one of these for the progression of life, with each successive colored room representing another stage (fittingly, Prospero dies in the final room, which is draped in black). On the other hand, Poe was noted for his disdain of over-analysis, so others advise just taking it as a straightforward horror story. It's worth noting when ''Masque'' was first published in 1842 it carried the subtitle "A Fantasy", which seems to indicate Poe didn't want anyone digging too deep into the meaning of the story.

One night, Prospero decides to hold a masquerade ball in a procession of differently colored rooms. The final room is black and has a large clock in it. Just at midnight, the guests notice a strange figure among them, costumed like a corpse who has died of the Red Death. Outraged at this show of poor taste, [[IdiotBall Prospero chases the figure into the final room]] -- and promptly drops dead. The frightened and angry revelers strip off the figure's costume to find nothing underneath it at all... [[AnthropomorphicPersonification except the Red Death, now in their very midst.]]

[[KillEmAll Then they all die.]] The clock stops, the lights go out, and "Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all."

* {{Allegory}}: Some scholars read the tale as one of these for the progression of life, with each successive colored room representing another stage (fittingly, Prospero dies in the final room, which is draped in black). On the other hand, Poe was noted for his disdain of overanalysis, so others advise just taking it as a straightforward horror story.

"The Masque of the Red Death" is one of {{Creator/Edgar Allan Poe}}'s most famous short stories, first published in ''Graham's Magazine'' in May 1842.

On the surface it appears to be a relatively simple, straightforward story compared to the heavy likes of ''{{Literature/The Fall of the House of Usher}}'' and "{{Literature/The Pit and the Pendulum}}". However, close reading of the text reveals [[RuleOfSymbolism a story chock-full of symbolism and thoughts on the nature of death and life.]]

* DyingForSymbolism: Prospero's and the revelers' deaths at the hands of the disease convey the message that everyone, even the rich and powerful, can't escape Death and must expire at some point.

* HellIsThatNoise: The chiming of the clock in the black room to the revelers. Whenever it chimes, the sound is so odd and disconcerting that everyone stops what they're doing to listen.

* WhileRomeBurns: Prospero and his buddies try to party and have a good time while the Red Death savages the rest of the country.

* YourCostumeNeedsWork: The guests at the [[MasqueradeBall ball]] are all shocked by the [[DudeNotFunny tastelessness]] the figure displays by dressing as the incarnation of [[ThePlague the Red Death]]. Then someone rips the mask off and finds there's [[NoFaceUnderTheMask nothing underneath]]...

Not wanting to be troubled by the dying peasants, [[SealedRoomInTheMiddleOfNowhere Prospero takes himself and several hundred of his closest friends and sequesters everyone inside one of his secluded abbeys.]] Well stocked and with lots of entertainment, they plan to ride out the plague.

* SealedRoomInTheMiddleOfNowhere: Prospero and his guests seal themselves inside the abbey to keep the Red Death outside. [[YouCantFightFate Not that they succeed...]]

* TheBlank: When the Red Death's mask is removed, it is revealed he has neither face nor body, and his cloak falls to the floor.

* TheBlank: When Red Death's mask is removed, it is revealed he has neither face nor body, and his cloak falls to the floor.

* SealedRoomInTheMiddleOfNowhere: Prospero and his guests seals themselves inside the abbey to keep the Red Death outside. [[YouCantFightFate Not that they succeed...]]

->''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.''

->''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.''

* YourCostumeNeedsWork: The guests at the [[MasqueradeBall ball]] are all shocked by the tastelessness the figure displays by dressing as the incarnation of [[ThePlague the Red Death]]. Then someone rips the mask off and finds there's [[NoFaceUnderTheMask nothing underneath]]...

Prince Prospero's home country isn't doing too well. A horrible plague called The Red Death is ravaging the countryside. The symptoms most notably include [[BloodFromEveryOrifice massive bleeding from the pores, especially the face,]] and death within a half-hour.

One night, Prospero decides to hold a masquerade ball in a procession of differently colored rooms. The final room is black and has a large clock in it. Just at midnight, the guests notice a strange figure among them, costumed like a corpse who has died of the Red Death. Outraged at this show of poor taste, [[IdiotBall Prospero chases the figure into the final room]] -- and promptly drops dead. The frightened and angry revelers strip off the figure's costume to find nothing underneath it at all... [[AnthropomorphicPersonification except the Red Death, now standing in their very midst.]]

[[KillEmAll Then they all die.]] The clock's pendulum falls, the lights go out in the rooms, and "Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all."

* HellIsThatNoise: The chiming of the clock in the black room to the revelers. Whenever it chimes the sound is so odd and disconcerning that everyone stops what they're doing to listen in awe and horror.

* SealedRoomInTheMiddleOfNowhere: Prospero and his guests seals themselves inside the abbey to keep the Red Death outside. [[YouCantFightFate Not that he succeeds...]]
* TickTockTerror: The seventh room is pitch black and lit only with crimson lighting. It is actively feared by the guests and features a looming and ominous black clock; its bong is so peculiar and intimidating that each time it chimes, the orchestra stops playing and the revelers stop dancing. When the clock strikes midnight, the Red Death arrives. It even stops ticking when the very last person alive succumbs to the disease, as if it was inextricably linked to the tragedy.

* YouCantFightFate: No matter how hard Prospero tries, he can't keep the Red Death from infiltrating the abbey and killing everyone.

One night, Prospero decides to hold a masquerade ball in a procession of differently colored rooms. The final room is black and has a large clock in it. Just at midnight, the guests notice a strange figure among them, costumed like a corpse who has died of the Red Death. Outraged at this show of poor taste, [[IdiotBall Prospero chases the figure into the final room]] -- and promptly drops dead. The frightened and angry revelers strip then off the figure's costume to find nothing underneath it at all... [[AnthropomorphicPersonification except the Red Death, now standing in their very midst.]]

Not wanting to be troubled by the dying peasants, [[SealedRoomInTheMiddleOfNowhere Prospero takes himself and a several hundred of his closest friends and sequesters everyone inside one of his secluded abbeys.]] Well stocked and with lots of entertainment, they plan to ride out the plague.

One night, Prospero decides to hold a masquerade ball in a procession of differently colored rooms. The final room is black and has a large clock in it. Just at midnight, the guests notice a strange figure among them, dressed as a corpse who has died of the Red Death. Outraged at this show of poor taste, [[IdiotBall Prospero chases the figure into the final room]] -- and promptly drops dead. The frightened and angry revelers strip then off the figure's costume to find nothing underneath it at all... [[AnthropomorphicPersonification except the Red Death, now standing in their very midst.]]

[[KillEmAll And then they all die.]] The clock's pendulum falls, the lights go out in the rooms, and "Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all."

* AssholeVictim: Prospero and his cronies certainly aren't good people; instead of governing the country or trying to help their people, they hide themselves away so they won't be disturbed with dying peasants.

Not wanting to be troubled by the dying peasants, [[SealedRoomInTheMiddleOfNowhere Prospero takes himself and a few hundred of his closest friends and sequesters everyone inside one of his secluded abbeys.]] Well stocked and with lots of entertainment, they hope to ride out the plague.

One night, Prospero decides to hold a masquerade ball in a procession of differently colored rooms. The final room is black and has a large clock in it. Over the course of the ball, guests notice a strange figure with a corpse-like mask and a red cloak. Upon finding out, [[IdiotBall Prospero is less concerned about the possibility of something sinister going on and moreso about a fashion faux-pas being made at his party]] and chases the figure into the final room, who thereby removes its mask to reveal itself [[AnthropomorphicPersonification to be a personification of the Red Death.]] The clock's pendulum falls, the lights go out in the rooms, and panic ensues.

[[KillEmAll And then everyone dies.]]

* AssholeVictim: Prospero and his cronies certainly aren't good people; they hide themselves away so they won't have to deal with dying peasents.

* DisproportionateRetribution: Prospero's first instinct, upon seeing the figure dressed as the Red Death, is to hang it for reminding them of the plague going on outside.

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Once the Red Death is revealed, no one can escape the abbey because Prospero welded the doors shut.
* HumanoidAbomination: The figure in the Red Cloak is revealed to be, in the final moments of the story, not any normal person but the AnthropomorphicPersonification of the Red Death itself, before it disperses and kills everyone present.

* SealedRoomInTheMiddleOfNowhere: Prospero seals himself and a few hundred of his friends inside one of his abbeys to escape the Red Death. [[YouCantFightFate Not that he succeeds...]]

* NewSeasonNewName: When the first edition of the story was published in 1842, it carried the title "The ''Mask'' of the Red Death". When the revised final edition was published in 1845, the title was changed to the now-familiar "The ''Masque'' of the Red Death", taking emphasis away from the cloaked figure and onto the [[MasqueradeBall masquerade ball]] instead, probably to let readers know Prospero and his friends are supposed to be the evil ones here.

* NewSeasonNewName: When the story was first published in 1842, it carried the title "The ''Mask'' of the Red Death". When a revised edition was published in an 1845, the title was changed to the now-familiar "The ''Masque'' of the Red Death", taking emphasis away from the figure and onto the [[MasqueradeBall masquerade ball]] instead, probably to let readers know Prospero and his friends are supposed to be the evil ones.

[[caption-width-right:350:''And now was acknowledged the presence of the Red Death. He had come like a thief in the night.]]''[[labelnote:Note]] Art by Abigail Larson.[[/labelnote]]]]

* {{Allegory}}: Some scholars read the tale as one of these for the progression of life, with each sucessive colored room representing another stage (fittingly, Prospero dies in the final room, which is draped in black). On the other hand, Poe was noted for his disdain of overanalysis, so others advise just taking it as a straightforward horror story.

[[caption-width-right:350:''[[And now was acknowledged the presence of the Red Death. He had come like a thief in the night.]]''[[labelnote:Note]] Art by Abigail Larson.[[/labelnote]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350:''[[RememberTheNewGuy And now was acknowledged the presence of the Red Death. He had come like a thief in the night.]]''[[labelnote:Note]] Art by Abigail Larson.[[/labelnote]]]]

* RememberTheNewGuy: When the clock strikes midnight, the figure appears out of nowhere. None of the revelers like him, especially Prospero.

* TickTockTerror: The seventh room is pitch black and lit only with crimson lighting It is actively feared by the guests and features a looming and ominous black clock. Its bong is so peculiar and intimidating that each time it chimes, the orchestra stops playing and the revelers stop dancing. When the clock strikes midnight, the Red Death arrives. It even stops ticking when the very last person alive succumbs to the disease, as if it was inextricably linked to the tragedy.

* YourCostumeNeedsWork: The guests at the [[MasqueradeBall ball]] are all shocked by the tastelessness the figure displays by dressing as the incarnation of [[ThePlague the Red Death]]. Then someone rips the mask off and finds there's [[NoFaceUnderTheMask nothing underneath]]...

* AssholeVictim: Prospero and his cronies certainly aren't good people; they hide themselves away so they won't have to deal with dying peasents. [[AdaptationalVillainy Some adaptions even present extended scenes of the revelers committing sinful acts or generally not being good people in order to demonize them.]]

[[EverybodysDeadDave And then everyone dies.]]

* DyingForSymbolism: Prospero's and the reveler's deaths at the hands of the disease convey the message that everyone, even the rich and powerful, can't escape Death and must expire at some point.

* WhileRomeBurns: Prospero and his buddies try to party and have a good time while the Red Death savages the rest of the country. [[SarcasmMode It goes swimmingly.]]

''The Masque of the Red Death'' is one of {{Creator/Edgar Allan Poe}}'s most famous short stories, first published in ''Graham's Magazine'' in May 1842.

On the surface it appears to be a relatively simple, straightforward story compared to the heavy likes of ''{{Literature/The Fall of the House of Usher}}'' and ''{{Literature/The Pit and the Pendulum}}''. However, close reading of the text reveals [[RuleOfSymbolism a story chock-full of symbolism and thoughts on the nature of death and life.]]