The Masque of the Red Death is a horror story by E. A. Poe that talks about Prince Prospero and his masquerade ball during the Red Death plague spreading. The disease symbolizes Tuberculosis, an illness common during the writer’s lifetime (Jones, 2017). In the film, it is possible to see the resemblance between the fictional condition and its real prototype. The villagers and the noble guests at the ball experienced similar weakness and coughing before their death (Il Travatore, 2020). The red color is also associated with blood and reappears throughout the story (Poe, 2008). The author creates a depressing atmosphere by describing the suffering and fear that people have to experience.
Prince Prospero symbolizes the wealthy life of Medieval feudal lords that was destined to end despite all the money the nobles concentrated in their hands. Poe (2008) shows their status through the beautiful masquerade that happened while the outside world was suffering from the disease. The ball also represents human life, starting at the blue room (the birth) and ending at the black one (the death) (Jones, 2017). People tend to avoid thinking about the end of their days, just like the nobles enjoy their festivities until they hear the ivory clock as a reminder that they are mortal.
The mystical figure in a red mask symbolized the inevitability of death. Although Prince Prospero and his guests try to hide in the protected abbey, they cannot avoid the fate that common village people had to accept earlier. In the film, the main character sees the figure in a red mask, tries to force the uninvited guest to leave, and finally removes the cover from the face and sees his resemblance (Il Travatore, 2020). In the written story, the inside part of the red cloak is empty to show that death has no face and will happen to everyone, wealthy or poor (Poe, 2008). At the final of the story, all the guests die, symbolizing the end of the feudal era of Medieval society.
References
Il Travatore. (2020). The masque of the red death. YouTube. Web.
Jones, A. (2017). Symbolism in “The masque of the red death” . YouTube. Web.
Poe, E.A. (2008). The masque of the red death. Penguin UK.