Difference between revisions of "The Masque of the Red Death"

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[[Image:Masque of the Red Death, The - Abigail Larson.jpg|thumb|256x256px|Illustration by Abigail Larson.]]
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'''''The Masque of the Red Death''''' is a short story written by [[Edgar Allan Poe]] and first published in 1842. It tells the tale of a prince who locks himself and all his friends behind the walls of an abbey to avoid becoming infected by a plague known as the red death.
 
'''''The Masque of the Red Death''''' is a short story written by [[Edgar Allan Poe]] and first published in 1842. It tells the tale of a prince who locks himself and all his friends behind the walls of an abbey to avoid becoming infected by a plague known as the red death.
  
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==Personal==
 
I first read this story on 2017-11-14 as part of my goal to better familiarize myself with classic authors.
 
I first read this story on 2017-11-14 as part of my goal to better familiarize myself with classic authors.
  
 
==Status==
 
==Status==
I do not own this book, but I have listened to it as an audio book.
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This story is in the public domain. I do not own a physical copy, but I have listened to an audio book.
  
 
==Review==
 
==Review==
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* Overall, I found the story to be kind of dull and predictable. The moment I read that the prince was trying to weather the plague by locking himself and his friends in an abbey, I knew they were all going to become infected, although I have to admit, the stranger in the masque is a nice touch.
 
* Overall, I found the story to be kind of dull and predictable. The moment I read that the prince was trying to weather the plague by locking himself and his friends in an abbey, I knew they were all going to become infected, although I have to admit, the stranger in the masque is a nice touch.
 
* I don't get how the prince dies in the end. Is it simply from attempting to touch the ghostly form?
 
* I don't get how the prince dies in the end. Is it simply from attempting to touch the ghostly form?
* I'm assuming Poe was trying to teach a moral lesson by punishing the wealthy prince for thinking he was above the plague and partying while everyone else was dying, rather than use his wealth to research a cure or treatment or at least be humbly thinkful for his relative safety. However, to some extent, it was a wise idea for the rich people to hole themselves up to prevent becoming infected.
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* I'm assuming Poe was trying to teach a moral lesson by punishing the wealthy prince for thinking he was above the plague and partying while everyone else was dying, rather than use his wealth to research a cure or treatment or at least be humbly thoughtful for his relative safety. However, holing up to prevent becoming infected is a wise decision.
  
 
===Ugly===
 
===Ugly===
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Masque of the Red Death, The - Jeff Davis.jpg|Illustration by Jeff Davis. Mixes in a seven deadly sins theme.
 
Masque of the Red Death, The - Jeff Davis.jpg|Illustration by Jeff Davis. Mixes in a seven deadly sins theme.
 
Masque of the Red Death, The - Somniferum.jpg|Illustration by Somniferum.
 
Masque of the Red Death, The - Somniferum.jpg|Illustration by Somniferum.
Masque of the Red Death, The - Abigail Larson.jpg|Illustration by Abigail Larson.
 
 
Masque of the Red Death, The - Nahrin Sarkisova.jpg|Illustration by Nahrin Sarkisova.
 
Masque of the Red Death, The - Nahrin Sarkisova.jpg|Illustration by Nahrin Sarkisova.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
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[[Category: Media Theme - Horror|Masque of the Red Death, The]]
 
[[Category: Media Theme - Horror|Masque of the Red Death, The]]
 
[[Category: Books I've Read|Masque of the Red Death, The]]
 
[[Category: Books I've Read|Masque of the Red Death, The]]
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[[Category: Public Domain|Masque of the Red Death, The]]
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[[Category: Books That Fail the Bechdel Test|Masque of the Red Death, The]]

Revision as of 16:40, 28 April 2020

Illustration by Abigail Larson.

The Masque of the Red Death is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe and first published in 1842. It tells the tale of a prince who locks himself and all his friends behind the walls of an abbey to avoid becoming infected by a plague known as the red death.

Personal

I first read this story on 2017-11-14 as part of my goal to better familiarize myself with classic authors.

Status

This story is in the public domain. I do not own a physical copy, but I have listened to an audio book.

Review

— This section contains spoilers! —

Good

  • The masquerader in the red death plague is a pretty interesting character.
  • The story has a pretty creepy plot.

Bad

  • Overall, I found the story to be kind of dull and predictable. The moment I read that the prince was trying to weather the plague by locking himself and his friends in an abbey, I knew they were all going to become infected, although I have to admit, the stranger in the masque is a nice touch.
  • I don't get how the prince dies in the end. Is it simply from attempting to touch the ghostly form?
  • I'm assuming Poe was trying to teach a moral lesson by punishing the wealthy prince for thinking he was above the plague and partying while everyone else was dying, rather than use his wealth to research a cure or treatment or at least be humbly thoughtful for his relative safety. However, holing up to prevent becoming infected is a wise decision.

Ugly

  • Nothing.

Media

Links

Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-GoodReads.png  Link-ProjectGutenberg.png  Link-LibriVox.png