The Masque of the Red Death Notes and Test Review

VOCABULARY Accord Blasphemous August Cessation Daunt Decorum Despairing Impeded Impetuous Monotony Peal Disapprobation Disconcerting Embellish Profuse Propriety Prostration Reverie Sagacious Wanton

Vocabulary 1 Accord: We are in accord concerning the method of handling this problem. Blasphemous: Telling that sacrilegious joke is blasphemous. August: The king was an august figure when he sat on his throne.

Vocabulary 1 Cessation: After the sudden cessation of the car alarm, the silence seemed deep. Daunt: I am not daunted by your threats. Decorum: The students decorum at the dance was excellent. Despairing: The woman’s despairing tears touched the hearts of many.

Vocabulary 2 Impeded: The pillar I sat behind impeded my ability to see the stage. Impetuous: His impetuous behavior caused him to make many mistakes. Monotony: There is so much monotony in my life that I need a change. Peal: The bells pealed at noon to celebrate the wedding.

Vocabulary 2 Disapprobation: The unruly child faced the disapprobation of his parents when they learned of his behavior. Disconcerting: He has not responded to the medicine and that is disconcerting. Embellish: He would embellish the room for the party by hanging banners.

Vocabulary 3 Profuse: Cutting that artery will cause profuse bleeding. Propriety: Those who attend the club meetings should conduct themselves with propriety. Prostration: He was prostrated by illness and could not attend school.

Vocabulary 3 Reverie: The students lend themselves to reverie during the long school days. Sagacious: The sagacious freshman knew not to buy an elevator pass from the senior attempting a clever ruse. Wanton: He had to drop out of the presidential race when is wanton behavior was exposed.

Edgar Allan Poe Born in Boston 1809 Son of traveling actors Tragic life

Poe’s Life and Work Mother died of tuberculosis Adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Allan Studied at the University of Virginia Gambling and drinking prevented him from continuing his education 1836 married his 14 year old cousin Virginia Clemm 1846 Virginia Dies Poverty stricken and an alcoholic

Edgar Allan Poe Poe is known for his tales of mystery, horror, and suspense King of the Gothic Genre

Literary Devices Allusion: Reference to a famous historical or literary figure or event Serves to explain, clarify, or enhance whatever subject

Literary Devices Symbolism: and object that is meant to represent something else Universal symbols representing universally recognizable ideas Invested Symbols give symbolic meaning by the way the author uses them

The Masque of the Red Death The Plague Prince Prospero Wealthy followers Masquerade

Symbols The 7 rooms The colors The directions East to West The mysterious stranger The Ebony clock The masquerading guests

To serve as lighting, there are large bowls of burning coals between the rooms. In the black room there stands a huge ebony grandfather clock.

The decorations match the color of each room. There is a Gothic window in each room which panes match the color of the room. The black room’s window panes are the only exception: its panes are “blood” red.

The Number 7 7 Deadly Sins 7 Stages of Man Pride/Vanity Envy Gluttony Lust Anger Greed Sloth 7 Stages of Man Infancy Childhood Lover Soldier Justice Old age Dementia/ Death How do the colors correspond with the two columns above?

Infancy Childhood Lover Soldier Justice Old age Dementia/ Death Pride/Vanity Envy Gluttony Lust Anger Greed Sloth

Questions you will need to know the answers to. Why do Prince Prospero and his followers retreat to his castle? To escape the Red Death and/or death in general.

Question #2 Describe the rooms that the masquerade ball takes place in. There are 7 rooms and each one is a different color. The rooms sit in a zigzag pattern and all the decorations match the chosen color.

Explain how the party is constantly disrupted. Question #3 Explain how the party is constantly disrupted. Every time the clock strikes off another hour, the orchestra stops playing and the people stop dancing

Question #4 Compare life outside the palace with the life of the people Prospero brought inside.

Question #4 Inside Outside Wealth Fantasy Life Happiness Health Hope Poverty Reality Death/Destruction Sorrow Sickness/ disease Despair

Question #5 What do you learn about Prospero's character from his desire to keep his palace free of the plague? He is afraid to die. He is prejudice against the poor. He thinks he can cheat death. (He thinks he can buy his way out.)

It causes a dream-like effect. Question #6 What mood or effect is created by the colors and the lighting in the rooms of the ball? It causes a dream-like effect. Fantasy

Question #7 Why does the clock have such a dramatic effect on the dancers? It symbolizes reality; their lives slowly ticking away.

Question #8 Why does the visitor frighten the guests? Because he suddenly and mysteriously appears out of nowhere Because he looks like someone with the Red Death Plague Because he just stalks to and fro and doesn't talk

Question #9 Description of the plague’s symptoms List 6 aspects of how Poe builds terror in the story: Description of the plague’s symptoms Doors welded shut; one couldn't leave even if one wanted to Dim, pulsing lights from the burning coals Black room with the red panes Appearance and behavior of the intruder Clock constantly stopping the party

Question #10 What is the lesson of the story? One cannot escape death

Question #11 Name what the following symbols represent.

Symbols Prince Prospero Masquerade Wealth and Prosperity Mans attempt to escape death Fantasy; Escaping Reality

Symbols The Masked figure The Number 7 Death The Red Death Seven Deadly Sins Seven Stages of Man

The 7 Rooms and the colors