Poe even caught cholera himself in 1849 and expected to die. Cholera and yellow fever killed tens of thousands across America in the 1830s and 1840s, particularly among poorer communities. Then a stranger joins the party seemingly dressed as a plague victim. Prince Prospero retreats to his castle to drink and dance until the disease known as the “Red Death” is over. What is the Masque of the Red Death about?Ī virulent plague is sweeping the country, and half the population has died. The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849).Edgar Allan Poe’s gothic story The Masque of the Red Death rings true to the horrors of Covid and self-interestedness. It seems like our version of Prince Prospero wishes to meet the same fate as the fictionalized version - at least given his response to the Red Death.

The Hubris Of Humanity: Fading more and more each dayįor most of us, at least. You should end up with a little something like this: Now, to see just what I am talking about when I say this is a story about us right now, take this scoreboard and apply it to a more modern context. Prospero attempts to confront death, with the slick confidence of a billionaire real estate mogul turned reality television star turned elected leader of a major world power (not for long, though). During this little get-together, the decadent denizens are doused by death’s dampening drench. Prospero does not care he wants to have a party, and he wants all of his rich, flashy, flighty “friends” to attend. Let us take a look at why this thing is so spot-on, by carefully examining the tale it tells a wealthy prince (literally named “Prospero”) and his sycophantic entourage of faux nobility host an elaborate masquerade ball amidst the outbreak of a plague (the “Red Death” referred to in the title), despite the warnings of others who speak of how dangerously grave this plague truly is. It just is.Īnd Poe was one prescient cat - that’s for damn sure. Prescience knows no period, nor no medium. However, let us not forget that The Simpsons have essentially proved that timelines don’t really matter in their numerous, Nostradamesque predictions of present-day phenomena. Now, this may be a little hard for you to believe, especially considering the fact that it was written in 1842. The Masque Of The Red Death is a story about us, right now. It is not a story about any of these things. In spite of what this title may lead you to believe, this short story from Edgar Allan Poe is not about the massively popular open-world Western-inspired video game Red Dead Redemption nor is it about the death of millions under the “red” system of communism (as opposed to capitalism, which will only give you the blues.and potentially invade your home, pillage your village, steal your oil, and kill your family for good measure alas, here I am, digressing yet again).

A Critic's Meta-Review: 4/5 The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849).

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