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Essay On Symbolism In The Red Death

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Poe relies upon symbolism in order to portray the ebony clock as a symbol of death and mortality. The clock represents the ticking away from life, from the moment we are brought into this world. The clock makes a peculiar chime and immediately everyone stops everything they are doing and the orchestra stops playing and Poe states that, “... it was observed that the giddiest grew pale, and the more aged and sedate passed their hands over their bows.” (Poe 5). The chiming of the clock expresses fear, which reminds the congregation that they are an hour closer to ultimate expiry. Poe uses the clock as an instrument of time and the partygoers gather in the mansion to escape from reality and the terrifying times that they are living in. To deny morality “Prospero and his guests immure themselves safely within a world of art…” (Dudley). Prospero and his revelers try to not think about the negative by surroundings themselves around more …show more content…

Prospero thinks he can conquer the “Red Death” but the outcome is a failure. When Prospero “gets killed” everyone “... summons the wild courage of despair… seizing the mummer.” (Poe 10). Everyone strikes at the masked figure due to the killing of the prince only for the result to lead in death from everyone in the mansion. The plague is symbolic of all death and morality of all humans even “Prospero” whose name is ironic and also a contradiction. “Prince Prospero and a thousand knights and dames to seek to secure themselves against the Red Death by relocating themselves in a “new” place…” (Roth). Prince Prospero and his knights attempts to escape the Red Death only to come to the realization that you can’t refrain from death or reality. The Red Death doesn’t only symbolize death but also Tuberculosis. This disease affected 3 women Poe's’ life whom he loved dearly. It is referred to as the Red Death because people with this disease coughed up tons of

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