The Masque of the Red Death

The Masque of the Red Death

by Edgar Allan Poe

(1850)

THE “Red Death” had long devastated the country. No pestilence (epidemic) had ever been so fatal (deadly), or so hideous. Blood was its Avator 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 effect of red death and the treatment of the one who suffered this red death. The treatment was when he wasn’t sympathized by his fellow-men and he was shut out from aid. The time span of entire life of diseased was half an hour.

But the Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless and sagacious. When his dominions were half depopulated, he summoned to his presence a thousand hale and light-hearted friends from among the knights and dames of his court, and with these retired to the deep seclusion of one of his castellated abbeys. (The fearless, happy and wise prince. He summoned 1000 hale and light-hearted friends who were deeply isolated from one of Prince’s castellated abbeys). This was an extensive and magnificent structure, the creation of the prince's own eccentric yet august taste. A strong and lofty wall girdled it in. This wall had gates of iron. The courtiers, having entered, brought furnaces and massy hammers and welded the bolts. They resolved to leave means neither of ingress or egress to the sudden impulses of despair or of frenzy from within. The abbey was amply provisioned. With such precautions the courtiers might bid defiance to contagion. (The description of the castellated abbeys. The abbey was plentifully provisioned.

With such precautions, the courtiers may offer opposition to the pestilence). The external world could take care of itself. In the meantime, it was folly to grieve, or to think. The prince had provided all the appliances of pleasure. (They could care less about the external world which talks about their feeling of being in their own world. It was foolish to grieve or to think, which talks about the fact that it was folly for them to think about anything else since prince gave entire appliances of pleasure such that none had to think about grief or even any thought).

There were buffoons, there were improvisatori, there were ballet-dancers, there were musicians, there was Beauty, there was wine. All these and security were within. Without was the “Red Death.”

(The examples of appliances of pleasure are provided and ‘without was the RED DEATH’).

It was toward the close of the fifth or sixth month of his seclusion, and while the pestilence raged most furiously abroad, that the Prince Prospero entertained his thousand friends at a masked ball of the most unusual magnificence.( The seclusion came until his 5th or 6th month which bought him close of those respective months, where he felt secluded. The epidemic raged fiercely that prince entertained his 1000 friends at a masked ball of most unusual magnificence (description of actions of prince).

It was a voluptuous scene, that masquerade. But first let me tell of the rooms in which it was held. There were seven — an imperial suite. In many palaces, however, such suites form a long and straight vista, while the folding doors slide back nearly to the walls on either hand, so that the view of the whole extent is scarcely impeded. Here the case was very different; as might have been expected from the (The masked ball or masquerade was held in 7 rooms (an imperial suite). The common structure of such suites in many places was very different from what Prince provided.)duke's love of the bizarre (Love of the duke was bizarre, so it was expectable to experience different suites relative to suited in normal places).

The apartments were so irregularly disposed that the vision embraced but little more than one at a time. There was a sharp turn at every twenty or thirty yards, and at each turn a novel effect. To the right and left, in the middle of each wall, a tall and narrow Gothic window looked out upon a closed corridor which pursued the windings of the suite. These windows were of stained glass whose color varied in accordance with the prevailing hue of the decorations of the chamber into which it opened (Love of the duke was bizarre, so it was expectable to experience different suites relative to suited in normal places). That at the eastern extremity was hung, for example, in blue — and vividly blue were its windows. The second chamber was purple in its ornaments and tapestries, and here the panes were purple. The third was green throughout, and so were the casements. The fourth was furnished and lighted with orange — the fifth with white — the sixth with violet. The seventh apartment was closely shrouded in black velvet tapestries that hung all over the ceiling and down the walls, falling in heavy folds upon a carpet of the same material and hue (Extremes of east was hung in there. Description of colors are provided for each of the apartments). But in this chamber only, the color of the windows failed to correspond with the decorations. The panes here were scarlet — a deep blood color. Now in no one of the seven apartments was there any lamp or candelabrum, amid the profusion of golden ornaments that lay scattered to and fro or depended from the roof. There was no light of any kind emanating from lamp or candle within the suite of chambers. But in the corridors that followed the suite, there stood, opposite to each window, a heavy tripod, bearing a brazier of fire, that projected its rays through the tinted glass and so glaringly illumined the room. And thus, were produced a multitude of gaudy and fantastic appearances. But in the western or black chamber the effect of the fire-light that streamed upon the dark hangings through the blood-tinted panes, was ghastly in the extreme, and produced so wild a look upon the countenances of those who entered, that there were few of the company bold enough to set foot within its precincts at all.

In one chamber, the color of windows didn’t align with above criteria of eastern extremities, rather the color in here was a deep blood color. The similarity between all the apartments is that of the absence of lamp or any light-providing item, although there was dispersal of gold ornaments and a brazier of fire in a hefty tripod which projects it’s through tinted glass and so glaringly illumined the room (the effect of the tripod’s fire in descriptively discussed).

In the western or black chamber, the impact of fire-light that streamed upon dark hangings through blood tinted panes was extreme with wildness throughout that very few were bold enough to land their foot within them.

It was in this apartment, also, that there stood against the western wall, a gigantic clock of ebony. Its pendulum swung to and fro with a dull, heavy, monotonous clang; and when the minute-hand made the circuit of the face, and the hour was to be stricken, there came from the brazen lungs of the clock a sound which was clear and loud and deep and exceedingly musical, but of so peculiar a note and emphasis that, at each lapse of an hour, the musicians of the orchestra were constrained to pause, momentarily, in their performance, to harken to the sound; and thus the waltzers perforce ceased their evolutions; and there was a brief disconcert of the whole gay company; and, while the chimes of the clock yet rang, it was observed that the giddiest grew pale, and the more aged and sedate passed their hands over their brows as if in confused reverie or meditation.( Description of musical orchestra and swung pendulum in the clock which produced peculiar notes and the musicians had to pause at each lapse of an hour due to such emphasis of the note so that they can harken to the sound. Clearest description goes forward, where the old and aged passed their hands over their browns such that they depicted confused reverie or meditation). But when the echoes had fully ceased, a light laughter at once pervaded the assembly; the musicians looked at each other and smiled as if at their own nervousness and folly, and made whispering vows, each to the other, that the next chiming of the clock should produce in them no similar emotion; and then, after the lapse of sixty minutes, (which embrace three thousand and six hundred seconds of the Time that flies,) there came yet another chiming of the clock, and then were the same disconcert and tremulousness and meditation as before.( After the strange echoes fully terminated, a light laughter suffused the assembly at once, that they made vows by whispering and musicians looked at each other by smiling as if at their own foolishness and nervousness, such that the next chiming of clock shouldn’t recur their past strange experience. However, their vows and feeling of not recurring the past experience didn’t work out).

But, in spite of these things, it was a gay and magnificent revel. The tastes of the duke were peculiar.

He had a fine eye for colors and effects. He disregarded the decora of mere fashion. His plans were bold and fiery, and his conceptions glowed with barbaric lustre. There are some who would have thought him mad. His followers felt that he was not. It was necessary to hear and see and touch him to be sure that he was not. (Peculiar tastes or love of the duke wasn’t peculiar for his followers. He was barbaric, fierce and bold. Some would’ve thought he’s mad, but it wasn’t less needful to hear, see and touch him for making sure he wasn’t. connectivity with the duke or prince Prospero was needful to assure that he wasn’t mad).

He had directed, in great part, the moveable embellishments of the seven chambers, upon occasion of this great fete; and it was his own guiding taste which had given character to the masqueraders. Be sure they were grotesque. There were much glare and glitter and piquancy and phantasm — much of what has been since seen in “Hernani.” There were arabesque figures with unsuited limbs and appointments. There were delirious fancies such as the madman fashions. There were much of the beautiful, much of the wanton, much of the bizarre, something of the terrible, and not a little of that which might have excited disgust. To and fro in the seven chambers there stalked, in fact, a multitude of dreams. And these — the dreams — writhed in and about, taking hue from the rooms, and causing the wild music of the orchestra to seem as the echo of their steps. And, anon, there strikes the ebony clock which stands in the hall of the velvet. And then, for a moment, all is still, and all is silent save the voice of the clock.

The dreams are stiff-frozen as they stand. But the echoes of the chime die away — they have endured but an instant — and a light, half-subdued laughter floats after them as they depart. And now again the music swells, and the dreams live, and writhe to and fro more merrily than ever, taking hue from the many tinted windows through which stream the rays from the tripods. But to the chamber which lies most westwardly of the seven, there are now none of the maskers who venture; for the night is waning away; and there flows a ruddier light through the blood-colored panes; and the blackness of the sable drapery appalls; and to him whose foot falls upon the sable carpet, there comes from the near clock of ebony a muffled peal more solemnly emphatic than any which reaches their ears who indulge in the more remote gaieties of the other apartments.

But these other apartments were densely crowded, and in them beat feverishly the heart of life. And the revel went whirlingly on, until at length there commenced the sounding of midnight upon the clock. And then the music ceased, as I have told; and the evolutions of the waltzers were quieted; and there was an uneasy cessation of all things as before. But now there were twelve strokes to be sounded by the bell of the clock; and thus, it happened, perhaps that more of thought crept, with more of time, into the meditations of the thoughtful among those who reveled. And thus too, it happened, perhaps, that before the last echoes of the last chime had utterly sunk into silence, there were many individuals in the crowd who had found leisure to become aware of the presence of a masked figure which had arrested the attention of no single individual before. And the rumor of this new presence having spread itself whisperingly around, there arose at length from the whole company a buzz, or murmur, expressive of disapprobation and surprise — then, finally, of terror, of horror, and of disgust.

In an assembly of phantasms such as I have painted, it may well be supposed that no ordinary appearance could have excited such sensation. In truth the masquerade license of the night was nearly unlimited; but the figure in question had out-Heroded Herod and gone beyond the bounds of even the prince's indefinite decorum. There are chords in the hearts of the most reckless which cannot be touched without emotion. Even with the utterly lost, to whom life and death are equally jests, there are matters of which no jest can be made. The whole company, indeed, seemed now deeply to feel that in the costume and bearing of the stranger neither wit nor propriety existed. 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 that the closest scrutiny must have had difficulty in detecting the cheat. And yet all this might have been endured, if not approved, by the mad revelers around. But the mummer had gone so far as to assume the type of the Red Death. His vesture was dabbled in blood — and his broad brow, with all the features of the face, was besprinkled with the scarlet horror.

When the eyes of Prince Prospero fell upon this spectral image (which with a slow and solemn movement, as if more fully to sustain its role, stalked to and fro among the waltzers) he was seen to be convulsed, in the first moment with a strong shudder either of terror or distaste; but, in the next, his brow reddened with rage.

“Who dares?” he demanded hoarsely of the courtiers who stood near him — “who dares insult us with this blasphemous mockery? Seize him and unmask him — that we may know whom we have to hang at sunrise, from the battlements!”

It was in the eastern or blue chamber in which stood the Prince Prospero as he uttered these words. They rang throughout the seven rooms loudly and clearly — for the prince was a bold and robust man, and the music had become hushed at the waving of his hand.

It was in the blue room where stood the prince, with a group of pale courtiers by his side. At first, as he spoke, there was a slight rushing movement of this group in the direction of the intruder, who, at the moment was also near at hand, and now, with deliberate and stately step, made closer approach to the speaker. But from a certain nameless awe with which the mad assumptions of the mummer had inspired the whole party, there were found none who put forth hand to seize him; so that, unimpeded, he passed within a yard of the prince's person; and, while the vast assembly, as if with one impulse, shrank from the centers of the rooms to the walls, he made his way uninterruptedly, but with the same solemn and measured step which had distinguished him from the first, through the blue chamber to the purple — through the purple to the green — through the green to the orange — through this again to the white — and even thence to the violet, ere a decided movement had been made to arrest him. It was then, however, that the Prince Prospero, maddening with rage and the shame of his own momentary cowardice, rushed hurriedly through the six chambers, while none followed him on account of a deadly terror that had seized upon all. He bore aloft a drawn dagger, and had approached, in rapid impetuosity, to within three or four feet of the retreating figure, when the latter, having attained the extremity of the velvet apartment, turned suddenly and confronted his pursuer. 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. Then, summoning the wild courage of despair, a throng of the revelers at once threw themselves into the black apartment, and, seizing the mummer, whose tall figure stood erect and motionless within the shadow of the ebony clock, gasped in unutterable horror at finding the grave cerements and corpse-like mask which they handled with so violent a rudeness, untenanted by any tangible form.

And now was acknowledged the presence of the Red Death. He had come like a thief in the night. And one by one dropped the revelers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel and died each in the despairing posture of his fall. And the life of the ebony clock went out with that of the last of the gay. And the flames of the tripods expired. And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all.

Vocabulary Words

Avator:

An old spelling of “avatar”, an incarnation in human form. Today, avatars are graphic representation of people in chat rooms or online forums.

Bedewed:

To wet with or as if with dew.

Buffoons:

Clowns, ludicrous figures.

Candelabrum:

A candlestick with multiple branches allowing it to hold a number of candles. Also spelled “candelabra”.

Castellated:

Having battlements and high walls like a castle.

Decorum:

Propriety and good taste in conduct or appearance.

isapprobation:

Condemnation. The act or state of disapproving.

Fete:

A lavish often outdoor entertainment, a large elaborate party.

Habiliment:

Clothing. The dress characteristic of an occupation or occasion.

Hernani:

A famous play written in 1830 by French dramatist Victor Hugo.

The play was classified as “Romantic” and was opposed by people who were referred to as “Classicists”. On opening night, Hugo was determined to fill the auditorium with his fans, so he handed out special “red” tickets. Loyal groups were seated next to anyone that might be tempted to try to hiss the cast off the stage. The auditorium turned into a spectacular field of battle; Liberals versus Royalists, Romantics versus Classicists, free expression versus aesthetical conformism and the young versus the old.

Herod:

“Herod the Great” was the King of Judea around the time of Christ's birth (0 BC).

He was known for his extravagance.

Herod was also known for his violence and cruelty. He executed his wife after she had 5 of his children.

Later, he had his brother-in-law and a couple of his sons executed.

In the Bible, Matthew's gospel describes how Herod had all children under 2 years old killed, in an attempt to prevent the birth of the Messiah.

Improvisatori:

Those that improvise, like actors or poets.

Mummer:

Actor, one who goes merrymaking in disguise during festivals.

Phantasm:

Illusion, ghost, a product of fantasy, a mental representation of a real object.

Revel:

A wild party or celebration.

Sagacious:

Having or showing keen discernment, sound judgment, and farsightedness. Shrewd.

Pestilence:

a fatal epidemic disease, like plague

Dissolution

formally ending or dismissing

Dauntless:

showing fearlessness and determination

August:

respected and impressive

Ingress:

entering

Egress:

exiting

Defiance:

Disobedience, open resistance.

Cessation:

end

Spectral:

of or like a ghost

Blasphemous:

sacrilegious against god or sacred things

Impetuous:

acting quickly without thinking

Prostrate:

lying face down, stretched out

Cerements:

waxed cloths used to cover/wrap corpses

Untenanted:

unoccupied by a tenant (person who occupies property)

Analysis Questions:

“The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe

Answer in full sentences, USING & CITING QUOTATIONS from the story.

What is the Red Death? Explain how it affects its victims, using support from the story.

The red death is repugnant such that “victims would get sharp pains, sudden dizziness and bleeding out of pores on skins”. Intense consequences occur as a result of the red death which is all about horror in a red wild blood.

How does Prince Prospero react to the fact that half of his country’s people have been killed by the Red Death? Describe what he does, using specific imagery and phrasing used in the story.

Prince was ‘happy, dauntless and sagacious’, meaning he was glad, brave and wise whilst the depopulation in his reign. He ordered ‘thousand hale and light-hearted friends from knights and dames of his court’ who were retired to in depth isolation since they were in one of Prince’s castellated abbeys or bizarre buildings. He didn’t express any kind of extreme emotions that might indicate his lament for the victims of red death. Neither his actions nor his thoughts indicated his lament for the victims of red death, and he offered no help to his people, rather he left them off by rather partying in one of his castellated abbeys, which shows his negligence and less kingly traits. A king or a prince is always for his people, but Prince Prospero couldn’t be a good example of a true king.

“The external world could take care of itself” (Poe 1). Who is “external” in this story? What do Prospero’s actions show about him as a ruler and his society?

Poe meant that they were all in an internal world with no connection to any other place in the world or world as a whole whatsoever. That’s the effect of a weird and bizarre abbey of Prince. External in the story means everything except the abbey they are in, as indicates “the external…. pleasure”. Prospero was therefore a luxurious man who experienced ‘appliances of pleasure’ or what creates pleasure and who made the courtiers and people in the abbey, experience the same.

How is the ball described? What diction and imagery does Poe use to describe the ball and the guests? How do the images created juxtapose with what is happening outside?

The ball or masquerade had a vivid description, as “There……Death.” indicates. Readers can visualize the environment in the abbey, where there were buffoons, ballet-dancers, artists, artists with improvisatori, aesthetics and wine. Also, there’s security for the people in abbey who are experiencing appliances of pleasures which assures the readers that people and/or courtiers are safe in that place whilst the Red death existing in there which isn’t experiencing the appliance of pleasures, so this is a juxtaposition. The diction used in describing the ball meant that life is both bitter and sweet, i.e. there’s horrific red death which is bitter since it’s death and there’s appliance of pleasure which is sweet and cherished. The guests and orchestra were shocked and silent every time the pendulum swung in the clock as if horror solely existed. That moment of silence repeated. The very musical and pleasuring atmosphere from the musical orchestra goes hand in hand with the horrific red death.

Discuss the significance regarding the colors of the rooms, and the direction in which the rooms are built. Consider the symbolic properties of these colors and directions.

“That at the………. precincts at all” entirely talks about how the colors accompany by symbolizing the atmosphere of each of the imperial suites. Such color symbolism lies in extremes of east. Blue, purple, green, lighted with orange, white and violet possess a positive tone and mood compared to black velvet and last chamber. If we say white then it’s light, bright and positivity. The glowing and brightening colors like purple, green, white and blue, etc. have shades that bring optimism in us. The black chamber had wild and dark blood color. Black color symbolizes tones and moods that are horrific, ghostly and pessimistic mood throughout. So, the colors depict life’s bitterness and sweetness accordingly. After the black chamber, there are no more chambers that signify sweetness and positiveness, so the direction of the colors is from positive to negative or sweet to bitter. The symbolism that colors carry is therefore understood.

Describe the clock that stands in the seventh room. Where does it stand? What does it look and sound like? What happens each time the clock chimes? Why? What might this signify?

From “it was in………. before”, the huge ebony clock stood against the western wall and it was located in the western or black chamber, all of which was broadly discussed. It’s sound has one tone so heavily produced like bang (monotonous) and pendulum in it moves so dull. Peculiar musical note is heard from the clock whenever an hour was completed, where the musicians had to momentarily pause to harken the sound. They lightly smiled and laughed off the situation as if they wouldn’t face anymore since they’ve agreed they wouldn’t, but they couldn’t ignore the terrifying nature of the ebony clock. The castellated abbey possessed fear, horror and terror as per It’s deep description done by the author. Hence, the impact of clock’s chime is to signify the extreme fear and ghostly nature of the abbey. Such visual tension took place that the nature and the horrifying fate of the people in the abbey was revealed to the audience by the help of very particular description of ebony clock’s sound and it’s impact as mentioned above. The author created such visual tension to let readers know of such extreme bitterness in life and ignorance in the ones who’ve experienced the terror of the ebony clock. This is how we could know that whiteness and positivity exist (the chambers), along with darkness (in chamber and clock). This is also how we can know that something ignored doesn’t have to be inexistent rather the ignorant should so far understand that ignorance is blind, useless, and needless if used anywhere.

What happens to the clock at the end of the story? How is this symbolic?

“And the life of…. the gay” is where we get to know that clock had no option but to die, just like the prince and the revelers. Essentially, ‘went out with that of the last gay’ means that the clock couldn’t escape the death with that of the last of the gay which died, just like the prince and revelers. This therefore means that none of us are perpetually going to stick and gravitate to the earth. We aren’t immortal since we’re living beings. Note that the clock is non-living thing so it can’t die whatsoever. However, the clock symbolizes the living organisms who can’t escape from death. Author therefore effectually utilized personification in here. Regardless of utilization of personification and although we know that it’s used or not, still we can question ourselves that when a non-living thing only dies then forget about immortality of living things.

Who is the “midnight guest”? How is the guest described?

The midnight guest is described as a masked figure so tall, so skinny and covered up from top to bottom in the ‘habiliments’ of grave. It was hard for the nearest one inspecting the masked figure since mask nearly expressed a stiff cadaver and there was no option to see the actual physique of the masked figure whatsoever. A mummer assumed that it was the type of red death since it’s vesture was dipped in blood and it had broad brow with entirely besprinkled facial features of crimson/red horror. The above description insinuated the audience about the form of red death.

How does Prince Prospero react to the midnight guest? Why? What happens to the prince? To his guests? To the clock?

In his first sight, the prince trembled with a strong tremor which either indicated aversion or terror although eventually his brow was red with fury. Prince daringly asked the courtiers around him as if the masked figure was a blasphemous mockery, when the courtiers had a near suspense and terrifying feeling. Prince however ordered to unmask the masked for hanging the figure at sunrise. Till the line “when the prince Prospero….”, Prince Prospero is a wise, brave and bizarre-minded and tasted person but he now felt terror and distaste. Group of pale courtiers were by Prince’s side. No one could seize the masked figure which further walked through all the chambers till violet. He was to be arrested by now, but no one dared to. Prince felt cowardness, shame and maddened with rage that he ran across the path in which the masked figure went for. His reaction depicted his identity because he was sagacious, dauntless, brave and careless towards red death and it’s negative effects on his own people. He rather organized a masquerade ball so far away from his people and the red death which tormented his people. So, his reaction to the midnight guest would be quite dissimilar with the reaction of his courtiers. it’s dissimilar but the inevitability of life and impossible escapism from death made him feel at least a part of the feelings that the others did. Therefore, he felt terror and distaste, but others felt so scared that they couldn’t even get closer to the masked figure, let alone arresting it. By this we could see the power of death.

Prince reached the extreme of velvet apartment where he accidentally turned and confronted the masked figure. A sharp cry occurred, and the dagger carried by prince fell down on the sable carpet upon which further prince fell dead. Throng of revelers went on into black apartment, all at once. Within the shadow of the clock, the masked figure was seen static and straight.

So, see how Prince depicted his steward nature and the guests were completely opposite of him. However, at the end of the day, the ignorant, brave and coward had to die.

The Red Death “had come like a thief in the night” and “held illimitable dominion over all (Poe 4) What poetic devices are used in these quotations? Explain how the use of figurative language helps convey Poe’s allegorical ideas.

First of all, story’s title itself means life and death. Life in the party hosted by Prince and death caused by the red death. The conclusion simply means that conqueror is the death, and no one can dare to escape it. Poe utilized a famous line “like…night” from Bible if we know Paul’s first letter to Thessalonians 5:4 where he referred to final judgement. Based on Paul, Jesus would come like a thief/when the world is hardly predicting that he would for judgement of sinners for all of perpetuity. So not whirling in the world and “appliances of pleasure” creates less tendency of being sinful and creates more alertness in us. Rather than judgement, the red death murders everyone. The envision of Poe about inevitability isn’t one of the judgments, perpetual salvation or suffering. Summing up of previous statement is done in “And…. over all” (14). In apocalyptic literature, “the world” symbolizes something bad, evil and profane type of life we live in the world In here compared to greater life with god. Therefore, “world” might be “masquerade” In the field of Poe’s ideas.

THEMES:

What messages might Poe be conveying about:

Life:

Life is said to be a happy deal masquerade with world (considered as bad and kind of profane, where sins are easily done) and appliances of pleasure. Also, life is bitter and sweet, meaning when hard times occur, escaping from them and ignoring them is cowardice. It’s especially unfair to do so many (a leader, king, etc.) depend on one or even if one has responsibilities to stay there, face it, help it and don’t escape, for the sake of others.

Death:

Death is inevitable and escapism is no tactic near to death. Be it cowards or stewards, death is most powerful than any.

Class/Inequality: Be it a king, prince or a reveler, life and death wait for no one since neither are partial towards us. Life was running and death was approaching in the castellated abbey for all the characters in the story. The ones who were involved in the masquerade ball were no justice to their roles since they were celebrating masquerade ball whilst massacre and pain created by red death towards their own people. Life ran and death equally killed all the revelers in the castellated abbeys. Be it a king, prince or a reveler, life and death wait for no one since neither are partial towards us.

Ignorance:

The participants in the masquerade ball were ignorant towards the havoc of red death among their people, which caused their death. Ignorance is a negative deal, especially for a king/prince. Therefore, sometimes ignorance is kind, but it was blind since the ones who were suffering from red death needed help and not ignorance.

Knowledge/Awareness:

Having the knowledge that there were people suffering from red death, the revelers and/or characters in the story as a whole didn’t help them. They were aware of the red death but solving it was no interest and responsibility for them, it seemed, or else the masquerade ball and appliances of pleasure wouldn’t have been decided by the prince and wouldn’t have had the characters of the story. Being aware of own-responsibility to save the people and being a king/prince, knowledge and awareness was replaced by escapism to world of pleasures.

Compassion:

Having compassion for one another is so important. The prince, the courtiers, revelers and characters in the story could’ve shown compassion for the sufferers of the red death. That’s how the red death could’ve been treated in some or the other way. At the end of the day, the sufferers were a part of prince’s kingdom and therefore life. It was his job to show compassion and be responsible as a prince/king.

Real - life links:

Choose one of the themes you came up with and consider how you can link it to an issue (GC) you see in modern society today.

Doing no justice and being dishonest to the work you do and responsibilities you hold is one of the most ignorant and escapist qualities. In the modern society, a politician is a best example to the previous sentence. However, we, as humans shouldn’t ignore one another due to lack of pluralism and great diversities among one another. We should rather help because imagine and empathize if you experience the same as the ones who denied giving help to. Lastly, friction between workers is increasing and some rich ones are having hard time since they can’t ignore the poor. Some rich ones want to help the poor but they create friction among one another for reasons so less significant compared to the reason why some rich wants to help. Not only rich but ones who are very helping-natured. Some ethnic groups are over sympathized and the ones who truthfully need sympathy and help, they aren’t getting them. There are many organizations which started to loot the people who help them, and which started to betray, use and play with the ones helping them. At the end of the day, at least some rich are having unfair times since they’re blamed as if they are the ones who hurt or unfairly treat others. It’s unfair and pure ignorance of us to blame rich and praise the ethnic groups every time. Having many organizations like UN, etc., they are over-sympathizing the ones who don’t actually need it and I mean no one should be over sympathized. Those organizations are misled. These days, extreme opportunities are given by partial people to selective groups and not needful. So, the organizations, associations and over-help and sympathy for unfair intents is fair and ignorable? Seeing true situations in my own life every time and not ignoring them, I’m able to choose a theme from this story and I’m hence able to link it to some issues in the modern society. Having said that, isn’t life bitter now? Aren’t at least some truths ignored? Isn’t propaganda and media a great reason for creating misunderstandings such that only some groups get the benefit, the needless sympathy and therefore, intensive help. In olden days and nowadays, one-sided help is so unfair, and this is what happens in the world but is ignored on-point. Having compassion for one another by helping the needful and solving the problems is the best key to live a life so good and truthful, which is what we lack due to unnecessary misleading caused by propaganda. Good deeds to living organisms can be done if it goes hand in hand with lack of ignorance towards the needful, for example: keeping a dog 43oC car, boiling small ducklings in hottest water, using technology to crush out the animals and to therefore reduce hard work of poor workforce (Wow! What a great way to save the time of workforce and to spoil the humanity we think we have), slaughtering pigs and arranging them as if they’re molecules in a solid, etc. are so common. So are we humane, ignorant or ruthless or what? Truth gets ignored and then buried. At the end of the day, I think so and so. At the end of the day, I believe so and so. It’s my opinion after a lot of practical observations day to day and research. Being a learner, they’re all my fabricated opinions.