The Role Of Prospero In Masque Of Red Death

The Prince does not try to save the rest or the one's who might not be infected yet, he does not send medicine or help instead he locks his kingdom up and gathers some of his knights and dames leaving the rest of his land to die a painful and hideous death while he then proceeded to throw a masquerade to pass time by while " The Red Death" finishes killing the rest of the people . This effect's the readers and their perspective to the story because now they know that most likely their will not be a happy ending. It also makes the reader feel disappointment towards the Prince and his leadership protecting his people, and gets you wondering how someone could be so

The author, Edgar Allan Poe, using illusion or misdirection keeps the reader is suspense throughout this story called "The Masque of the Red Death". Symbolism such as the colored rooms, the impressive clock, the feeling of celebration being at a party all makes this story feel like a fairytale. Poe used this fairytale style and converts it into a nightmare in disguise.

Prospero, the "rightful" duke of Milan, primarily seeks revenge against two people, Antonio and Caliban. But, Prospero allows his

As a horrible plague (the “Red Death”) devoured any one who stepped foot in its path, “Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless, and sagacious.” (Baym 2007) Prince Prospero invited one-thousand knights, dames, and the pecunious people to stay in his castle to escape the “Red Death”. This left the

Conflicts affect the mood of the main characters in a story, by expressing the insecurities, Death,” a couple of conflicts are exposed throughout the piece. In the story “The Masque of the Red,” a couple of conflicts are expressed throughout this piece. The conflicts man versus fate and man versus himself are the conflicts that are displayed several times within this story. From major conflicts to minor conflicts, this story clarifies the problems that Prince Prospero faces within himself. In addition to Prince Prospero’s problems with himself, this story also explains the conflict of how death is uncontrollable.

Prospero also punishes Trinculo and Stephano for no reason. Trinculo and Stephano have no reason to be on the island besides aiding and abetting Caliban in his plot to overthrow Prospero. Because Prospero originally made the different groups of people who stayed on the island, he must have wanted Trinculo and Stephano to meet Caliban, and in turn punish them for a crime that he made them commit, implying that Prospero wanted to use his magic to further harm more people.

Prospero's intent throughout the course of The Tempest is neither to revenge himself upon his enemies, nor to reconcile himself with his estranged brother. It is, rather, to orchestrate the reclamation of his lost duchy, Milan, through both his magic and a shrewd manipulation of both the shipwrecked party and the islanders (Caliban and Miranda).

In the same fashion, Prospero had also been told by society that the only way he could live a good and prosperous life was to get his dukedom back. Without this fancy title, society convinced Prospero that he was unimportant. Prospero had the whole island to himself, a slave, a magical spirit, and his daughter, but yet, society tells Prospero that this was not enough. During the play Prospero said, “Now my charms are all o'erthrown, And what strength I have’s mine own, Which is most faint” (Act 4 Scene 1 lines 320-322). This quote shows the incredible heights Prospero went to in order to get his

The audiences of Shakespeare's time would not of seen such an actions as that made by Prospero unjust as throughout English history voyagers often took over land from the native people.

Although Prince Prospero from “The Masque of the Red Death” has descended into madness just as much, if not more so, as Roderick Usher, his madness is represented in a different manner. Prospero’s madness is fueled primarily by ignorance. He believes as long as he and his guests remain within the confines of the abbey, they will all be safe from the “Red Death.” Due to this ignorance, within the abbey “there were buffoons, there were improvisatori, there were ballet-dancers, there were musicians, there was Beauty, there was wine. All these and security were within. Without was

Prince Prospero does not care for the outside world and leaves them to die at the plague’s hands. Poe details Prince Prospero’s response to the plague with, “When his dominions were half-depopulated, he summoned to his presence a thousand hale and light-hearted friends from among the knights and dames of his court, and with these retired to the deep seclusion of one of his castellated abbeys.” (Poe) Prince Prospero makes no effort to aid his people, instead, isolating himself and his friends to seek protection from the disease. Isolation plays a powerful role here in providing a means of protection that ultimately proves false when the Red Death itself comes into the abbey and all succumb to it. Isolation also serves to prove the failings of self-importance in that no one is above one another. In attempting to shield only themselves, those in the court exhibited a selfish importance that isolation fails to corroborate. Even isolating themselves, Prince Prospero and his courtiers fall victim to the Red Death the same as the rest of the world. As a theme in “The Masque of the Red Death”, isolation does not equate protection and to seek it with a self-important worldview is to bring destruction to yourself. In seeking isolated protection, Prince Prospero is thus exposed in his cowardice and is proven as equal to those dying outside the walls, for he falls victim to the Red Death as well.

Poe uses allegory to allude to the double meanings of the characters Prince Prospero and the masked figure, as well as the setting of the chambers. Prince Prospero represents prosperity. While his nation is suffering from the “Red Death”, “…he summoned to his presence a thousand hale and lighthearted friends…and with these retired to the deep seclusion of one of his castellated abbey” (420). His nobility and wealth give him the ability to ignore the horror around him and live in luxury. This refers to real life in that the privileged are the ones who are able to still live comfortably even if others are in a crisis. Prince Prospero also represents an ignorance, selfishness, and arrogance that come with wealth through right instead of hard work. He believes that “[t]he external world could take care of itself” and that it is “…folly to grieve, or to think” (420). Instead of taking action to help his people, he just leaves them in the grips of the “Red Death”. The “Red Death” is

At first glance it seems as if Prince Prospero is doing the few others hidden in an abbey alongside himself where he has had the doors welded shut a favor. It looks like he’s trying to prevent them from death. This is no doubt for safety, but it’s also peculiar because it looks as though he is trying to prevent anyone from getting out, not just from getting in. This plot fact gives the story a very threatening atmosphere surrounding the abbey, but it also gives it a sort of power. Since no one can get in, Red Death seemingly can’t reach them. Prince Prospero is also a very uneasy or insane character and these people aren’t just locked up in any abbey with just anyone, they are locked up with the mad Prospero. Months after being locked up, Prince Prospero decides to do something fun and uplifting for the people who are surrounded by a kingdom overcome by death. It seems as though Prince Prospero is trying to lighten the mood for a fun night where he has a

Altogether, Prospero gave up his position as Duke of Milan because he chose to study black magic instead of taking care of his responsibilities to his people. The quest of knowledge of the black magic made Prospero become so studious that it seems that he completely forgot about his kingdom. In Act 1, Scene 2 Prospero acknowledged that he was caught up in his occult books, and as a result, he let his control of the government slip into Antonio’s hands. Prospero allowed his brother to help him run the government so he could get more involved in the occult. Antonio, Prospero’s brother, was able to take advantage of the situation by dethroning Prospero and becoming the new Duke of Milan. Antonio also decided that he would send Prospero and his daughter, Miranda, to live on an island. Magic had already become a major part of Prospero’s life, and being exiled to the island only helped him pursue it more. On the island, there was a witch, Sycorax, that ruled over it, and when Prospero defeated her, he gained the service of Ariel and Caliban.

Later, he lovingly educates the monster Caliban and gives him freedom. Caliban returns the kindness by trying to rape his daughter. Prospero makes the same mistake with both of them. He fails to keep them in their proper position. As a perfect ruler, this would be his responsibility.