Symbolism in "Masque of the Red Death"

          Currently, I'm reading and writing a research paper on "Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allen Poe. It would be an understatement to say that I am fascinated by symbolism and that Poe provides stories adequately stocked with it. I admit that my mood significantly deepens into dark and reserved but my excitement remains when I reread the story and I find just as much depth as the time before! 

          Prince Prospero- Have to say, love the name. If he was alive, he'd take the compliment, I'm sure. Prospero = Prosperous, ironically... The prince outruns the red death for several months while blocking the castle doors. His prosperity ends, however, when "Darkness and Decay and the Red Death [hold] illimitable dominion over all." Exciting, right? The grand party has changed hands to some less lively hosts.

          7 Rooms- There are a few interpretations for this. A popular idea that many critics argue is that the rooms symbolize the seven decades of life. I find this interesting because Prospero runs through all of the rooms to his death. He started in the first room on the eastern side and ran to the black room on the western side (Did that ring a bell? East and west, dawn and dusk, are commonly used to symbolize birth and death). Poe describes the castle; "The apartments were so irregularly disposed of that the vision embraced but little more than one at a time." I haven't read an article on this but I assume that this shows how people can't really look at more than one bit of their life at a time. When you were two, you couldn't expect where you are now. Now, you probably can't remember exactly what being two is like or really see what your future has in store for you. When you're middle aged, will you remember what it's like to be in middle school and everything that you did? If the mansion doesn't portray this, I am very curious to know why Poe included this piece other than to show that Prince Prospero is insane. Also, I mentioned that there was more than one interpretation for the rooms. The other is that the 7 rooms symbolize the 7 deadly sins. It's already obvious that Prospero is not the kind of guy that you want to be (considering that his kingdom is at least half dead from a plague that makes them bleed out of their pores, and he decides to throw a fancy party with his friends). Do you think it's creative to include that the prince designed his castle after his life style? 

(Black,   violet,   white,  orange,  green,   purple,   blue)

          Ebony Clock- (Finally!!!) This black clock is a real party stopper. Located in the western-most chamber, it chimes and makes everyone meditate on their coming death. No reveler realizes that Death is coming soon, but they certainly feel it. It's a wonder that Prospero didn't throw the clock out after a few months, considering that every time that it chimed, everyone stopped dancing. No one wanted to go into the room that housed it, either. "To and fro" is repeated in "Masque of the Red Death" to remind the reader of the clock and that the ball will end soon. The time eventually ran out for the masqueraders and the Red Death appeared in the rooms killing everyone in a wave. What a signature Edgar Allen Poe happy ending!

I loved the story (why I chose to do this tedious research paper on it...) and found a lot of depth in it. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a gruesome story or irony! It's short for even a short story and really good for a short story!

"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 revelers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall. And the life of the ebony clock went out with that of the last of the gay. And the flames of the tripods expired. And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death [hold] illimitable dominion over all."