Symbolism in
“The Masque of
the Red Death” by
Edgar Allen Poe
Symbolism
Symbolism

The use of a character, a place, a thing, or an event
in a literary work that stands for a larger idea.
•
Two Types
Traditional Association
•
Calls upon the reader to make common
associations with the character, thing, or
place being used.
Example: A dog being used to represent
loyalty.
What associations can you draw with the following?
Bravery
Nobility
Peace
Love
2nd Type

Newly created associations
◦ An author can create an new association by establishing
a connection between an object or person, to something
else.
◦ Example:
 A character may have a favorite food that he or she reflects
on as a dish served in his or her home as a child. The food
can then become a symbol of his or her past or family
tradition. I
For Poe’s
“The Masque of the Red Death,”
identify the following symbols and
what they represent.
Prince Prosero’s
name
The well and
properous
The series of
seven colored
rooms
The progression
of live toward
death
The black room
Death
The western
location of the
black chamber
The setting of
the sun; the end
of the daylight
or life
The ebony clock
in the black
chamber
The quick
passing of time
The guests don’t
have long to live
The number of
rooms (7)
One week,
which could
symbolize a life
span
The costumes of
the revelers
Repressed
desires or fears
The stranger at
the party
The Red Death
The lighted
tripods
illuminating the
rooms
The lives of the
guests