1. “The Masque of the Red Death” Versus “Nothing in the Dark

2. General Information Author: Edgar Allan Poe
“The Masque of the Red Death”
“Nothing in the Dark”
Author: Edgar Allan Poe
Genre(s): Allegory, Horror short story
Publication date: May, 1842
Author: George Clayton Johnson
Genre(s): Science Fiction, Fantasy, Suspense
Original air date: January 5, 1962

3. Setting When: Where: When: Where: “The Masque of the Red Death”
“Nothing in the Dark”
When:
The Middle Ages
During a plague outbreak
During a masquerade ball
Where:
European countryside
Prospero’s Abbey/Castle
The royal suite of 7 interconnected rooms
When:
1950s
During the winter
A single day
Where:
American city
A condemned tenement
Wanda’s apartment

4. General Characters Prince Prospero 1000 retainers Musicians/servants
“The Masque of the Red Death”
“Nothing in the Dark”
Prince Prospero
1000 retainers
Musicians/servants
The Red Death
Wanda Dunn
Officer Harold Beldon/ Mr. Death
Contractor

5. Protagonists Prince Prospero Wealthy Young Robust Cruel Extravagant
“The Masque of the Red Death”
“Nothing in the Dark”
Prince Prospero
Wealthy
Young
Robust
Cruel
Extravagant
Wanda Dunn
Poor
Elderly
Frail
Compassionate
Simple

6. Antagonists The Red Death Tall Gaunt Face of a stiffened corpse
“The Masque of the Red Death”
“Nothing in the Dark”
The Red Death
Tall
Gaunt
Face of a stiffened corpse
Wrapped in funeral shroud
Blood spattered
Relentless
merciless
Harold Beldon /(Mr. Death)
Young
Well built
Handsome
Dressed as a policeman
Wounded
Determined
Kind

7. General Plot
“The Masque of the Red Death”
“Nothing in the Dark”
A wealthy powerful prince locks himself and loyal subjects in his castle in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid “The Red Death”
A lonely old woman refuses to leave her apartment for fear of meeting "Mr. Death.“

9. Exposition Setting established Plague explained Prospero is introduced
“The Masque of the Red Death”
“Nothing in the Dark”
Setting established
Plague explained
Prospero is introduced
Prospero’s precautions/preparations against plague
Setting established
Wanda is introduced

10. Conflict Prince Prospero vs. The Red Death Wanda vs. Mr. Death
“The Masque of the Red Death”
“Nothing in the Dark”
Prince Prospero vs. The Red Death
Wanda vs. Mr. Death

11. Rising Action Prospero holds a masquerade
“The Masque of the Red Death”
“Nothing in the Dark”
Prospero holds a masquerade
Someone appears among the guests dressed as a victim of the plague
Prospero pursues this guest through the rooms
Wanda overcomes her fears of venturing outside to bring in a wounded policeman
He tries to persuade her to obtain help for him
A contractor shoves his way into her apartment
The officer is of no help to her
Wanda realizes the policeman is Death in disguise

12. Climax Prospero falls dead to the floor followed by everyone else
“The Masque of the Red Death”
“Nothing in the Dark”
Prospero falls dead to the floor followed by everyone else
Wanda takes Death’s hand

13. Falling Action Death holds dominion over all
“The Masque of the Red Death”
“Nothing in the Dark”
Death holds dominion over all
Wanda walks out of her apartment with Death

14. Resolution No one escapes Death
“The Masque of the Red Death”
“Nothing in the Dark”
No one escapes Death
Death is not necessarily something to fear.

15. Point of View “The Masque of the Red Death” “Nothing in the Dark”
Third-person omniscient – the narrator knows all the thoughts, actions, and feelings of all characters. The author may move from character to character to show how each one contributes to the plot.
Some critics have argued that Death, himself, is the narrator.
Third-person objective – a narrator who tells a story without describing any character's thoughts, opinions, or feelings; instead, it gives an objective, unbiased point of view.
Rod Serling’s Intro and Outro inject a bit of Third- person omniscience

16. Symbolism Rooms = stages of life/death Clock = passing of time
“The Masque of the Red Death”
“Nothing in the Dark”
Rooms = stages of life/death
Clock = passing of time
Red Death = Death
Policeman = Death
Furniture = prison
Winter = old age