The Masque Of The Red Death

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Reflections of Edgar Allan Poe's Life in "The Masque of the Red Death" In the year 1842, Edgar Allan Poe wrote "The Masque of the Red Death." “Personal tragedy was, unfortunately, a recurring theme throughout Edgar Allan Poe’s life.” (Mondragon 1997) At the time this short story was written, Poe was experiencing another life-changing event which is clearly visible within the story. His wife, Virginia, showed her first sign of consumption, known in today’s society as Tuberculosis, and Poe knew her death was inevitable. "The Masque of the Red Death" in many ways, is riddled with references to her tuberculosis. "At a supper party in January of 1842, Virginia was playing the harp when she suddenly caught her breath and coughed violently, then blood spouted from her mouth, staining her white dress." (Mondragon 1997) This is the first reference to her disease within "The Masque of the Red Death" where Poe states, "Blood was its Avatar and its seal-the redness and horror of blood." (Poe 1842) Virginia’s affliction with this disease was not the first time Poe dealt with tuberculosis within his family. Both his mother and father died of consumption when he was just a little boy. (Mondragon 1997) He knew the tell-tale traces of blood upon Virginia’s lips began a new chapter of horror in his life. In the story, the main character is Prince Prospero; a wealthy man locked within the walls of a lavish castle. Poe casts a backdrop of the castle in considerable detail, describing each apartment and its significance. Within the castle, there are seven apartments ranging from east to west. The first apartment was blue and is the eastern most apartment. East symbolizes birth or new beginnings. Similar to the sun rising in the east represents the dawn of a new day. The last of the seven apartments is painted black to represent the end of life, or death; just as the setting

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