The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe (1845)
Author: Edgar Allan Poe
Publication Year: 1842
Pages: 10
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Gothic, Horror, Pandemic
Source: eBook
Many years ago, when I first read this story, my review would have focused on its allegorical and gothic aspects: the inevitability of death and how it will hunt you down, no matter how far you go to hide. In this case, of course, it's set in an isolated castle.
However, after living through a pandemic, my perspective has changed. The story now feels more relevant, as if it isn't happening in a creepy castle centuries ago. It tells the tale of Prince Prospero and his attempts to escape the plague known as the Red Death, which has been devastating his country and claiming many lives. Does this sound familiar based on our recent history?
What’s more, he has the audacity to throw a party and invite other nobles, completely ignoring the suffering of those dying outside his walls. Again, doesn't that ring a bell? Think of those entitled individuals from a few years ago who disregarded public health measures (they implemented themselves) while others stayed home and couldn’t even say goodbye to loved ones for the last time—they held their own private gatherings instead. As we've learned, even if you think you can keep the plague at bay, it will show up at any gathering. No isolated castle can stop it! And that’s how the story concludes.
Who would have thought that Poe’s tale from 1842 could resonate so strongly in contemporary times?
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