Beginning of Essay
Death imagery is a popular theme in Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories. Poe’s most famous works are morbid tales or terror, madness, death and decay (Vora). Poe captures the reader’s imagination and proceeds to lead them into a world of the gothic and the gro ....

Middle of Essay
.... a french word roughly translated as “face-mask,” refers to a form of indoor courtly recreation popular during the Renaissance that was represented by song, spectacular display, and dance (Wiebe). Though it was derived from the french dialect, it first became popular in Italy in the 16th century, where our story takes place. The word “masque” is significant not only to set the scene but to foreshadow the future of the story. Prince Prospero tries to dodge the red death through isolation and seclusion. The plot of the story becomes Man vs. Nature. Can Prospero and his thousand guest outrun death and fate? He places on a masque to almost ....