Masque Of The Red Death

2 Pages 557 Words

Honestly, fiction stories are not my favorite type of genre. I would much rather read a biography on one of my favorite athletes or a novel based on a true story. However, Edgar Allen Poe’s use of setting made “The Masque of the Red Death” a very enjoyable story for me. I really feel the story come alive as I read it. The enormous amount of detail that Poe uses, truly demonstrates his descriptive abilities. The details make the story believable, add irony, and create an atmosphere appropriate for the “Red Death.”
Even though “The Masque of the Red Death” is a fictional story, Poe makes it seem very realistic. His description of the setting paints such a clear image of the scene that one cannot help but to believe it is true. This manipulation is due to the great detail the writer focuses on throughout the story. Seemingly, more of the story is setting, rather than actual action. With descriptions of things such as the Red Death and the imperial suite, the author creates a believable image in the mind of the reader. This creation of images is very important to the story. Without these images, things such as the arrival of the Red Death would not be credible.
Poe also creates irony throughout the story. His description of the castle states that “a strong and lofty wall girdled it,” and that the gates were welded shut (327). This causes the reader to believe that nothing can happen to the prince and his people as long as they are inside. Ironically, the wall and gate which were intended to keep the Red Death outside of the castle, actually trap it inside. Poe leaves clues that suggest that this may occur. He mentions that the welded gates prevented egress as well as ingress. This means that if something has already entered, there is no way for it to get out. In this way, Poe uses his setting to create irony in his story.
Poe also does a great job of creating an appropriate atmosphere for the Red D...