Symbolism in

“The Masque of

the Red Death” by

Edgar Allen Poe

SymbolismSymbolism

The use of a character, a place, a thing, or an event in a literary work that stands for a larger idea.

Two Types• Traditional Association• Calls upon the reader to make

common associations with the character, thing, or place being used.Example: A dog being used to represent loyalty.

What associations can you draw with the following?

Bravery

Nobility

Peace

Love

2nd Type

Newly created associations◦An author can create an new association by

establishing a connection between an object or person, to something else.

◦Example: A character may have a favorite food that he or

she reflects on as a dish served in his or her home as a child. The food can then become a symbol of his or her past or family tradition. I

For Poe’s “The Masque of the Red

Death,” identify the following symbols

and what they represent.

Prince Prosero’s name

The well and properous

The series of seven colored

rooms

The progression of live toward

death

The black room Death

The western location of the black chamber

The ebony clock in the black

chamber

The setting of the sun; the end of the daylight

or life

The quick passing of time

The guests don’t have long to live

One week, which could symbolize

a life span

The number of rooms (7)

The stranger at the party The Red Death

The lives of the guests

The lighted tripods

illuminating the rooms

The costumes of the revelers

Repressed desires or fears