American Romanticism Symbolism in the Red Death Edgar Allan Poe's short story entitled The Mask of the Red Death is an artistic example of vivid symbolism. Throughout the sinister tale Poe writes in a style that appeals to all five senses and captivates the reader's curiosity until the story's dour conclusion. Upon first glance, the story seems to be a complex tale of good versus evil. If the reader were to examine the story more …showed first 75 words of 465 total…

…showed last 75 words of 465 total…most likely the Prince Prospero's, and ends with Death. Poe's creation of a Red Death is an anomaly in that red is usually considered the color of life, yet here it is represented as the mark of death and thus brings the story full circle. In essence, a huge metaphor is created to show the ignorance of the rich (represented by the Prince) to escape man's destiny (represented by The Masque of the Red Death).