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89th out of 384 books
—
2,102 voters
The Masque of the Red Death
However you try to escape it, horror is always there
While outside the abbey's armoured walls the common poor are ravaged by a grisly pestilence, within Prince Prospero hosts lavish entertainments. But the 'Red Death' will not respect the modest comfort of the Prince and his guests...
In 'The Masque of the Red Death'and other tales of Gothic horror, Edgar Allan Poe writes as...more
While outside the abbey's armoured walls the common poor are ravaged by a grisly pestilence, within Prince Prospero hosts lavish entertainments. But the 'Red Death' will not respect the modest comfort of the Prince and his guests...
In 'The Masque of the Red Death'and other tales of Gothic horror, Edgar Allan Poe writes as...more
Paperback, 16 pages
Published
April 30th 2004
by BookSurge Classics
(first published 1842)
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In one of my Literature textbooks, this is the story the book chose to best set the example of how important setting can be to a story.
Poe's incredible talent in setting a mood through the most miniscule of details is powerful as he establishes dread, irony, and a hefty infusion of Gothic feel by detailing the colors of a series or rooms and what they represent to the audience and characters. The symbolism of the clock is musical and alluring; the ominous clang and the dancers reactions with its...more
Poe's incredible talent in setting a mood through the most miniscule of details is powerful as he establishes dread, irony, and a hefty infusion of Gothic feel by detailing the colors of a series or rooms and what they represent to the audience and characters. The symbolism of the clock is musical and alluring; the ominous clang and the dancers reactions with its...more
This short story is hands down one of my favorite Poe stories! I love the symbolism and imagery in this tale. Basically, the "Red Death" is a plague that is wreaking havoc on the town in the story and Prince Prospero decides to lock himself, and many of his friends, away in his home. He ultimately ends up hosting a very grand masquerade party and while him and his people are lavishly partying it up within the confines of his sanctuary, everyone else is dying a terrible death. There are seven uni...more
I heard about this story while reading about The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers. I don’t remember reading any Poe (I think I read a condensed version of The Fall of the House of Usher when I was younger), and even after learning of the climax, I decided to sit down and read it for myself. Fortunately I have my brother's hardcover mystery collection, and Masque of the Red Death is included in the Poe volume.
SUMMARY
At some point in history (or the future, or some other world), a terrible dis...more
SUMMARY
At some point in history (or the future, or some other world), a terrible dis...more
I read a different edition that's not listed on GoodReads (see here) with the purpose of practicing my Spanish.
This is the most challenging book I've read in Spanish so far, even with the English translation available for immediate reference. One reason is that so far I haven't read a book whose content is mostly intricate description of scenes, rather than rapid sequential happenings. The other reason is that the vocabulary is extremely challenging in both English and Spanish. Often enough I've...more
This is the most challenging book I've read in Spanish so far, even with the English translation available for immediate reference. One reason is that so far I haven't read a book whose content is mostly intricate description of scenes, rather than rapid sequential happenings. The other reason is that the vocabulary is extremely challenging in both English and Spanish. Often enough I've...more
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click here.
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This story is the reason I fell in love with Edgar Allan Poe, I read this in class in September. I read it again last night.
Poe's stories are all around the same theme: there are no happy endings. And I can say that in everything that I have read by him, none of the characters live HAPPILY EVER AFTER. And in Masque Of The Red Death, there is NO escaping death.
The story starts off with Prince Prospero. He, in order to escape the red death, has a long lasting masquer...more
This story is the reason I fell in love with Edgar Allan Poe, I read this in class in September. I read it again last night.
Poe's stories are all around the same theme: there are no happy endings. And I can say that in everything that I have read by him, none of the characters live HAPPILY EVER AFTER. And in Masque Of The Red Death, there is NO escaping death.
The story starts off with Prince Prospero. He, in order to escape the red death, has a long lasting masquer...more
This was a very short story ,but one of the best stories I've ever read.
This is my first Poe story, he was great, the use of colors and symbols is fantastic.The ending was ... I can't describe it, the whole story was creepy and really dark!!!
this was the ending:-
This is my first Poe story, he was great, the use of colors and symbols is fantastic.The ending was ... I can't describe it, the whole story was creepy and really dark!!!
this was the ending:-
And now was acknowledged the presence of the Red Death. He had come like a thief in the night. And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall. And the l...more
The story is full of well-constructed imagery, that pops out from the page, bewildering our minds and creating a tense and strange atmosphere, saturated with some kind of latent terror. The writing is also rich in recurring symbolism, that builds up expectations for that imposing last scene.
"And now was acknowledged the presence of the Red Death. He had come like a thief in the night. And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing...more
"And now was acknowledged the presence of the Red Death. He had come like a thief in the night. And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing...more
This was a great story. I found this and read it in my awesome Edgar Allan Poe book (barnes and noble classic edition, with leather bound binding and silver, sparkly end papers). And it was good. I like the real descriptiveness of this story, how it all comes together, and how complicated and unique this story was. In the book it was only a couple of pages long, but the story itself took me about ten minutes to read. Edgar Allan Poe is my favorite writer of that era (I might start reading other...more
Okay! This was the CREEPIEST story that I have read ever, by any author!
The guy was an absolute genius!!! And still remains so.
The guy was an absolute genius!!! And still remains so.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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This has got to be one of Poes best pieces of work, its interesting and very specific. I feel that perhaps it a commentary on his views when it came to the death caused by the consumption and how nobody really wanted to help each other. This story more specifically deals with how the rich seemed to live in their own little secluded world outside of the rest, while death surrounded them outside.
Eventually death does come in its own form, and the moral, I suppose, is that even with all the money...more
Eventually death does come in its own form, and the moral, I suppose, is that even with all the money...more
Oct 24, 2008
Ryanne
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Everyone in highschool
Recommended to Ryanne by:
Ms.W
This book is dark, and
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I am not even sure I can really count this it was so short but I will. I liked the haunting aspect of the story. Prince Prospero was an interesting albeit not well fleshed out character. This is of course a short story but it was still an interesting take on death. Poe is known for his dark and dreary tales as many readers know. I liked the descriptions of what was going on and the setting. We are left wondering why he did what he did. It made this a nice story and of course a quick read.
It has taken me what seems like forever to finally understand Poe. And once you understand him, his work becomes so profound. This book was a tragedy, and quite terrifying. But it was also genius. I have NEVER read anyone who can write like Poe; the ability to transform words into sounds and scenes, people and beliefs, and ideas that are so utterly magnificent in their horror that for a second I believed the Red Death had jumped the pages and was wreaking havoc on us all.
I still consider this to be the finest thing Edgar Allan Poe ever wrote. It is his greatest work in my opinion. Almost every line in it is beautiful in some way and the overall effect is considerable. I first read it back in school, but I was rereading it on audiobook, read by Basil Rathbone. Let me tell you, he does a good job. All the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. And it has that haunting, echoing last line "And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all".
Apr 29, 2012
Charlotte Jones
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
short-stories,
ebooks
I have never read anything by Edgar Allan Poe before, and I've always been a bit worried about attempting to because of the hype around his writing and the reputation he has in literature.
I found this short story amazing! It's beautifully written in a poetic, descriptive way, and even though there isn't really much of a horror aspect, the atmosphere created by the language used has you gripped from the beginning, expecting the worst.
I found this short story amazing! It's beautifully written in a poetic, descriptive way, and even though there isn't really much of a horror aspect, the atmosphere created by the language used has you gripped from the beginning, expecting the worst.
You can read this eerily written Gothic tale of grandeur and death here:
http://www.online-literature.com/poe/36/
It's too short for a review, but I will say that it's unlike anything I've ever read, fantastically written, and is definitely strange. However, anybody who loves the dark and gothic sides of literature will find themselves captivated by this for a short amount of time.
http://www.online-literature.com/poe/36/
It's too short for a review, but I will say that it's unlike anything I've ever read, fantastically written, and is definitely strange. However, anybody who loves the dark and gothic sides of literature will find themselves captivated by this for a short amount of time.
1 like · like · see review
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I really liked the imagery in this one. I loved the use of color and opulence juxtaposed against disease and death, I loved the idea of a prince sequestering himself amid luxury and decadence while the poor die of a horrible pestilence in the streets. And then the great levelling comes, "And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all." Fantastic writing, that!
As a fith grade child one should not be obssesed with books of poe such as these, but this book rivited me in my youth to a true point of obssesion. I read this book over a dozen times as a child and can say my world was never the same afterwards. I still find myself thirty six waking to walking nightmares masked in tidings of the red death. Can't wait to see raven with John Cusack
وتيقن الجميع الآن من وجود الموت الأحمر بينهم، فقد تسلل إليهم كلص في غيهب الليل، واخذ يلقي بالمعربدين
الواحد تلوى الآخر في القاعات المضرجة بالدماء وكل منهم يسقط أرضا يموت على تلك الحالة المزرية لسقوطه
أرضا. ومع آخر ألوان المرح تلفظ الساعة أنفاسها الأخيرة وتخمد ألسنة المشاعل ويسدل الظلام عتمته الموحشة
ويعم الخراب والدمار في كل مكان ويبسط الموت الأحمر هيمنة مطلقة على كل شيء.
الواحد تلوى الآخر في القاعات المضرجة بالدماء وكل منهم يسقط أرضا يموت على تلك الحالة المزرية لسقوطه
أرضا. ومع آخر ألوان المرح تلفظ الساعة أنفاسها الأخيرة وتخمد ألسنة المشاعل ويسدل الظلام عتمته الموحشة
ويعم الخراب والدمار في كل مكان ويبسط الموت الأحمر هيمنة مطلقة على كل شيء.
Without a doubt, this is my FAVORITE, FAVORITE, FAVORITE EAP short story. Oh my goodness all the symbolism, the creepy feelings, the gothic horror. Oh my! Do yourself a favor and read this! I found that I liked it even more because we read this in my freshman English class and so we broke it down to the most basic level and I was able to appreciate the writing so much more.
This is exactly what I want from literature. It encompasses everything I look for in novels.
A mysterious plague, gothic architecture, rich decorations, symbolism, exploration of the human psyche, a shocking ending, and a cryptic moral.
What more could I ask for?
Beautiful. Edgar Allan Poe was a literary god.
This is a story I will definitely reread.
A mysterious plague, gothic architecture, rich decorations, symbolism, exploration of the human psyche, a shocking ending, and a cryptic moral.
What more could I ask for?
Beautiful. Edgar Allan Poe was a literary god.
This is a story I will definitely reread.
Chilling beyond belief, it contributes to the idea that death cannot be avoided. And it always finds you. The story carries a huge impact for something so short. (This was also fun because I already read Masque of the Red Death by Brittany Griffin and I could see the frightening inspiration behind it.) Horrifically entertaining.
Re-reading this in preparation for reading Masque of the Red Death. I love Poe. This is not one of my absolute favorites of his but I do appreciate the lush imagery, rich symbolism.
it was great as all of Poe''s stories are but it gets a little confusing, because it was writtin so long ago there are lots of old phrases which makes it hard to understand, plus there are alot of BIG words that i didnt know so i had to go and loook them up. however it was a really good story,if you would like to read it, it is really really short it shouldnt take yoou more then about 25 to 30 min to read ( morre or less it depends how slow or fast a reader you are) check out this...go to eapoe....more
I didn't particularly understand the plot at first, but after reading it I understood completely and even came up with symbolism of my own. I think that this is a good work of Poe, describing death and all. It was a bit dramatic, but at the same time very descriptive and required your full undivided attention.
Apr 04, 2012
A.J. Culpepper
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
everyone
This is my favorite story by Poe of all time! The ending never fails to send chills down my spine. I can't say enough in praise of this story - it's brilliant, simply brilliant! Poe's use of imagery and color is so vivid you can't help but be enthralled, captivated and held prisoner from beginning to end.
So who is the intruder? And why did the prince die?
I'm not a fan of Gothic or mystery novels so the story gave me only "umm ok" moment.
But the story is rich in imagery; especially, illustrations of rooms produce creeping effects on the whole story.
In this respect, it's quite a work of art.
I'm not a fan of Gothic or mystery novels so the story gave me only "umm ok" moment.
But the story is rich in imagery; especially, illustrations of rooms produce creeping effects on the whole story.
In this respect, it's quite a work of art.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| Classic Horror Lo...: The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe *Spoilers* | 3 | 25 | Oct 20, 2012 12:41am |
The name Poe brings to mind images of murderers and madmen, premature burials, and mysterious women who return from the dead. His works have been in print since 1827 and include such literary classics as “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Raven,” and “The Fall of the House of Usher.” This versatile writer’s oeuvre includes short stories, poetry, a novel, a textbook, a book of scientific theory, and hundr...more
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“There was much of the beautiful, much of the wanton, much of the bizarre, something of the terrible, and not a little of that which might have excited disgust.”
—
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“There are chords in the hearts of the most reckless which cannot be touched without emotion, even by the utterly lost, to whom life and death are equally jests, there are matters of which no jest can be made.”
—
14 people liked it
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