Structure

The short story “The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe has often been interpreted as an allegory, most of its elements being considered symbolic of human existence between life and death.

Also, like most of Edgar Allan Poe’s fiction, it is believed that the story has been inspired by autobiographical elements, such as Poe’s wife being sick and dying of tuberculosis (the Red Death in the story), or Poe’s prosperity while he was young (Prospero being a symbol of Poe himself).

Regarding structure, the short story follows a more or less traditional plot with gothic elements; it has an exposition, a rising action (which is mostly descriptive), a climax, a falling action and a resolution.

Title

The title of the short story already announces the Gothic genre the story falls in because it indicates the narrative will have something to do with the macabre and death.

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Beginning

The short story begins with a traditional long exposition in which the context of the story is provided,...

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Middle

The middle of the short story develops the rising action up to the climax. What strikes about the structure of the rising action is that it is very descriptive; no action really takes place after the Prince retreats to his castle with members of it court. Instead, the narrator simply describes the castle and the guests in detail.

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Ending

The falling action of the short story does not reestablish order after the climax. Instead, it is suggested that the masked person might have been the Red Death itself:

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