Masque of the Red Death 7 Deadly Sins and the 7 Rooms

“All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream “All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.” – Edgar Allan Poe “Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears.” –Edgar Allan Poe Copy the quote you choose Include the author’s name. Discuss the meaning, your understanding, analysis and questions relating to the quote.

6th century, Pope Gregory the Great reduced a list of 8 offensive and wicked human passions to seven items: The 7 Deadly Sins

Color Association: BLUE 2nd level of Dante’s Inferno. Punishment: being blown violently back and forth by strong winds, preventing them from finding peace and rest. Strong winds symbolize the restlessness of a person who is led by the desire for fleshly pleasures. Color Association: BLUE NAME – Lust DEFINITION – An intense longing or desire in general. CONSEQUENCES – Death. Smothered in fire & brimstone 1. Pride/Vanity - Pride is the excessive belief in one's own abilities, similar to vanity, which is setting one's heart on things of little value. 2. Envy – Envy is a state of being jealous of someone else for what they possess (material wealth, physical or personal qualities). 3. Gluttony - Gluttony is the act of consuming more than one is required (usually food and drink). 4. Lust - Lust is an excessive craving for the pleasures of the body, usually associated with sex. The era in which Poe wrote prohibited the explicit or implicit description of sex, but what do you think was going on at an anything goes party? 5. Wrath—Synonym: anger (usually leading to vengeance) 6. Greed - An excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth 7. Sloth - Sloth is the absence of work. Synonym: laziness

Color Association: ORANGE 3rd level of Dante’s Inferno. Punishment: being forced to lie in a vile slush that is produced by never-ending icy rain. The slush symbolizes personal degradation of one who overindulges in food, drink, and other worldly pleasures, while the inability to see others lying nearby represents the gluttons’ selfishness and coldness. Color Association: ORANGE NAME – Gluttony / Selfishness DEFINITION – The overindulgence of anything. Consuming more than one is required, thus withholding from the needy. CONSEQUENCES – Death. Force fed rats, toads & snakes 1. Pride/Vanity - Pride is the excessive belief in one's own abilities, similar to vanity, which is setting one's heart on things of little value. 2. Envy – Envy is a state of being jealous of someone else for what they possess (material wealth, physical or personal qualities). 3. Gluttony - Gluttony is the act of consuming more than one is required (usually food and drink). 4. Lust - Lust is an excessive craving for the pleasures of the body, usually associated with sex. The era in which Poe wrote prohibited the explicit or implicit description of sex, but what do you think was going on at an anything goes party? 5. Wrath—Synonym: anger (usually leading to vengeance) 6. Greed - An excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth 7. Sloth - Sloth is the absence of work. Synonym: laziness

Color Association: Yellow 4th level of Dante’s Inferno. Punishment: divided into two groups – those who hoarded possessions and those who lavishly spent it – jousting. They use great weights as a weapon, pushing it with their chests which symbolizes their selfish drive for fortune during their lifetime. Color Association: Yellow NAME – Covetousness / Greed / Avarice DEFINITION – A sin of desire similar to Lust and Gluttony. However, greed is applied to an artificial, aggressive desire and pursuit of material possessions. A desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves. CONSEQUENCES – Death. Boiled alive in oil 1. Pride/Vanity - Pride is the excessive belief in one's own abilities, similar to vanity, which is setting one's heart on things of little value. 2. Envy – Envy is a state of being jealous of someone else for what they possess (material wealth, physical or personal qualities). 3. Gluttony - Gluttony is the act of consuming more than one is required (usually food and drink). 4. Lust - Lust is an excessive craving for the pleasures of the body, usually associated with sex. The era in which Poe wrote prohibited the explicit or implicit description of sex, but what do you think was going on at an anything goes party? 5. Wrath—Synonym: anger (usually leading to vengeance) 6. Greed - An excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth 7. Sloth - Sloth is the absence of work. Synonym: laziness

Dante’s Inferno Punishment: N/A Color Association: Green NAME – Envy DEFINITION – Characterized by an insatiable desire (similar to greed and lust). A desire to have the qualities, possessions, traits, statuses, abilities, or situations of someone else. Dante defined envy as "a desire to deprive other men of theirs.“ CONSEQUENCES – Death. Put in freezing water. Dante’s Inferno Punishment: N/A 1. Pride/Vanity - Pride is the excessive belief in one's own abilities, similar to vanity, which is setting one's heart on things of little value. 2. Envy – Envy is a state of being jealous of someone else for what they possess (material wealth, physical or personal qualities). 3. Gluttony - Gluttony is the act of consuming more than one is required (usually food and drink). 4. Lust - Lust is an excessive craving for the pleasures of the body, usually associated with sex. The era in which Poe wrote prohibited the explicit or implicit description of sex, but what do you think was going on at an anything goes party? 5. Wrath—Synonym: anger (usually leading to vengeance) 6. Greed - An excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth 7. Sloth - Sloth is the absence of work. Synonym: laziness

Color Association: Red 5th level of Dante’s Inferno. Punishment: The furious fight each other on the surface of the river Styx and the sullen gurgling beneath the surface of the water. The punishment reflects the type of the sin committed during their lifetime. Color Association: Red NAME – Anger/Wrath DEFINITION – Reveals itself in the wish to seek vengeance. Vindictive. Revengeful. CONSEQUENCES – Death. Dismembered alive.

Color Association: Violet Is considered the original and most serious of the seven deadly sins. Dante’s Inferno Punishment: N/A NAME – Pride/Vanity DEFINITION –Dangerously corrupt selfishness. The putting of one's own desires, urges, wants, and whims before the welfare of other people. Irrationally believing that one is better, superior, or more important than others. Failing to acknowledge the accomplishments of others. Refusing to acknowledge one's own limits, faults, or wrongs as a human being. CONSEQUENCES – Death. Broken on the wheel.

Dante’s Inferno Punishment: N/A Color Association: Light Blue NAME – Sloth / Laziness DEFINITION – An absence of interest or habitual reluctance to exertion. An avoidance of physical work. Includes mental, spiritual, pathological, and physical states. CONSEQUENCES – Death. Thrown into snake pit Dante’s Inferno Punishment: N/A

There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable. - Mark Twain Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed. - Mahatma Gandhi It was Pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels. - St. Augustine Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others He who envies others does not achieve peace. - Buddha he one whose concern is with that which enters the belly will discover that his value is found in that which goes out of it - Imam Al-Ghazali Each of us is born with a box of matches inside us, but we can't strike them all by ourselves. - Laura Esquivel Never go to bed mad. Stay up and fight. - Phyllis Diller Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret. - Ambrose Bierce Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of. - Benjamin Franklin No Notes Here

Essay Prompt

Masque of the Red Death as an Allegory An allegory falls in line with the moral of a story. While an allegory is a story, poem, or picture, it's used to reveal a hidden meaning or message, like the moral. Allegories are exciting because they use characters and events to convey a meaning. They don't just come right out and say it. Masque of the Red Death as an Allegory

Edgar Allan Poe’s short story, “Masque of the red death” is an allegory about death. What is Poe saying about death? How does he use symbolism to express his meaning? Essay Prompt