The Masque of the Red Death Group

Question:

tuslawmustang8
tuslawmustang8
Student
High School - 11th Grade

What does the masked guest symbolize in "The Masque of the Red Death"?

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Posted by tuslawmustang8 on Wednesday February 11, 2009 at 11:21 AM and tagged with characters, masked guest, symbols, the masque of the red death.

Answers:


  1. kwoo1213 Teacher
    College - Junior

    eNotes Editor

    Many would say that the masked guest who looks like death represents death itself. For example, the guests are afraid of the masked figure and they are also afraid of dying.  No one has the "guts" to unmask the man.  Also, no one can escape death; the guests attempted to "hole up" on Prince Prospero's mansion; however, they could not be protected from death because death finds all no matter race, ethnicity, age, religion, etc.:

    The last line of the story indicates that the Red Death has triumphed over life: "And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all.’’ (eNotes)

     

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/masque-red/characters

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    Posted by kwoo1213 on Wednesday February 11, 2009 at 1:03 PM

  2. christina0949
    christina0949 Student
    High School - 11th Grade

    from the title, what can you infer about the masked firgure?

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    Posted by christina0949 on Sunday March 29, 2009 at 11:38 AM

  3. christina0949
    christina0949 Student
    High School - 11th Grade

    what is the ''red death''?

     

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    Posted by christina0949 on Sunday March 29, 2009 at 11:40 AM