How Does Poe Create Suspense In The Masque Of The Red Death

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The single effect of suspense that Edgar Allan Poe establishes throughout “The Masque of the Red Death” makes the reader question what will happen to the people in the village. The first paragraph of the story explains what the Red Death is and what makes it suspenseful. “There were sharp pains, and sudden dizziness, and then profuse bleeding at the pores, with dissolution” (Poe “Masque”). To add on to this, once someone contracts this disease, they only have 30 more minutes to live. This allows the readers to wonder what the people will do to avoid death. As the story continues, Prince Prospero is introduced and described to the readers as happy, fearless, and wise. Because of his characteristics, he decides to gather “a thousand hale and