How Does Edgar Allan Poe's Use Of Allegory

Poe would not give details like this to the reader if they did not have a significant meaning to the story. This shows that Poe was using the abbey as a form of time as well showing that no one can escape time, it is always there. Also, notice that Poe says “windings”, which references a clock winding and telling time. Poe’s use of allegory shown through time shows the reader that no one can escape death because it can come at any day, hour, minute, or second, no one knows.
Poe also uses symbolism to depict the theme of death. He does this in three diverse ways. The first is with the rooms of the abbey and their colors. The colors of the rooms and the order they are in symbolize the stages of life leading to death or impending doom. The first

The masked figure comes in just after the clock strikes midnight, signifying the end of a day and the start of a new one. At first the people are just chatting and murmuring about the new figure in that had just appeared, but when they realize what the figure is dressed like they are horrified by what they see. The figure is dressed up as the “Red Death.” Poe describes the figure as- “tall and gaunt, and shrouded from head to foot in the habiliments of the grave” (Poe 3). He then describes the mask, saying that it looks like a decaying corpse and that the figure is covered in blood coming out of the orifices in his face. The figure represents the “Red Death”, showing that death always comes no matter what. Prince Prospero is upset when he finds out that an unknown figure has disturbed his guests and party. The masked figure is standing in the black room (death) with the ebony clock (time), while the Prince is in the blue room (birth) yelling at figure, asking why he is here and that they need to leave. This shows that the figure is a characterological duplicate of both the black room and the ebony clock (Roth 2). The masked figure us a representation of both because the figure shows that time is up for the revelers and now it is time for them to die (death). This is also shows death can come at any moment no matter what the time or place. The Prince then becomes so enraged that he charges down the abbey to the figure with a knife to kill them, but before he even reaches the figure he falls dead, the “Red Death” claiming him. Next, the guests (having just witnessed their leader die) charge at the figure taking his mask off. After taking the mask off, what they find is horrific and has them gasping in horror. They gasp “in unutterable horror” at finding nothing within, nothing beneath- the clothing and mask are “untenanted by any tangible form” (Roth 2). Now the