| Author |
Poe, Edgar Allan, 1809-1849 |
| Title |
The Masque of the Red Death
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| Note |
Reading ease score: 73.3 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
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| Credits |
Produced by Levent Kurnaz. HTML version by Al Haines.
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| Summary |
"The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe is a short story written in the early 19th century, during the Romantic era. This allegorical tale delves into themes of mortality and the inevitability of death, set against a backdrop of a plague-ridden society. The narrative emphasizes the futility of trying to escape death, as it ultimately prevails over all. The story begins with the devastating effects of a deadly plague known as the "Red Death" that ravages the land. In an attempt to avoid the contagion, Prince Prospero retreats to a lavishly decorated abbey with a thousand of his wealthy friends. There, they indulge in a grand masquerade ball within a suite of seven uniquely colored rooms. Amidst the festivities, a mysterious figure appears, clad as a victim of the plague, provoking horror among the guests. When Prince Prospero confronts this apparition, he meets a tragic demise, revealing the futility of his attempts to escape death. In the end, the revelers succumb to the very disease they sought to evade, emphasizing the story's central message: that no amount of wealth or power can shield one from the grasp of death. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
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| Subject |
Horror tales, American
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| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
1064 |
| Release Date |
Jun 6, 2010 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Oct 18, 2020 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
3505 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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