“The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allen Poe
VOCABULARY
WORDS
DEFINE
SYNONYM
ANTONYM
pestilence
sagacious
disconcert
visage
impetuosity
RECALL FACTS:
1. What is going on outside the palace during the time of this story?
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2. What actions did Prince Prospero take to prevent the Red Death? Who is joining him?
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3. What happened when the clock went off?
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4. How were the party goers dressed?
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5. Describe the seven rooms.
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6. Who enters at the end and what happens?
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MAIN IDEA/AUTHOR’S PURPOSE: Use “M” = main idea, “B” = too broad, “N” = too narrow.
________ Don’t try to escape death by hiding.
________ The Red Death can find everyone, even behind locked doors.
________ Regardless of how rich, happy, and ignorant you are, there is no way of escaping death.
CRITICAL THINKING:
1. Why is “masque” spelled as such? What could be another title?
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2. Describe the symbolism of the seventh room. What and how? What does the clock symbolize?
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3. Give three specific examples of imagery from the story.
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4. Describe the irony of Prince Prospero and the guest’s deaths.
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5. What is the mood of the story? What is an example of personification in this story?
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PERSONAL RESPONSE:
What could be another way to symbolize death in a setting? (Without using black and red.)
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