"The Masque of the Red Death" (originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death: A Fantasy") is a

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

by American writer

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wide ...

, first published in 1842. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous

plague Plague or The Plague may refer to: Agriculture, fauna, and medicine *Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis'' * An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural) * A pandemic caused by such a disease * A swarm of pes ...

, known as the Red Death, by hiding in his

abbey An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns. The conce ...

. He, along with many other wealthy

nobles Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteristi ...

, hosts a

masquerade ball A masquerade ball (or ''bal masqué'') is an event in which many participants attend in costume wearing a mask. (Compare the word "masque"—a formal written and sung court pageant.) Less formal "costume parties" may be a descendant of this tra ...

in seven rooms of the abbey, each decorated with a different color. In the midst of their revelry, a mysterious figure disguised as a Red Death victim enters and makes his way through each of the rooms. Prospero dies after confronting this stranger, whose "costume" proves to contain nothing tangible inside it; the guests also die in turn. Poe's story follows many traditions of

Gothic fiction Gothic fiction, sometimes called Gothic horror in the 20th century, is a loose literary aesthetic of fear and haunting. The name is a reference to Gothic architecture of the European Middle Ages, which was characteristic of the settings of ea ...

and is often analyzed as an

allegory As a literary device or artistic form, an allegory is a narrative or visual representation in which a character, place, or event can be interpreted to represent a hidden meaning with moral or political significance. Authors have used allegory th ...

about the inevitability of death, though some critics advise against an allegorical reading. Many different interpretations have been presented, as well as attempts to identify the true nature of the eponymous disease. The story was first published in May 1842 in ''

Graham's Magazine ''Graham's Magazine'' was a nineteenth-century periodical based in Philadelphia established by George Rex Graham and published from 1840 to 1858. It was alternatively referred to as ''Graham's Lady's and Gentleman's Magazine'' (1841–1842, and J ...

'' and has since been adapted in many different forms, including a 1964 film starring

Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor, art historian, art collector and gourmet cook. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price has two stars on the Hollywood Wal ...

. Poe's short story has also been alluded to by other works in many types of media.

Plot summary

The story takes place at the

castellated A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (i.e., a defensive low wall between chest-height and head-height), in which gaps or indentations, which are often rectangular, occur at interva ...

abbey of the "happy and dauntless and sagacious" Prince Prospero. Prospero and 1,000 other

have taken refuge in this walled abbey to escape the Red Death, a terrible

with gruesome symptoms that has swept over the land. Victims are overcome by "sharp pains", "sudden dizziness", and " profuse bleeding at the pores", and die within half an hour. Prospero and his court are indifferent to the sufferings of the population at large; they intend to await the end of the plague in luxury and safety behind the walls of their secure refuge, having welded the doors shut. Prospero holds a

one night to entertain his guests in seven colored rooms of the abbey. Each of the first six rooms is decorated and illuminated in a specific color: blue, purple, green, orange, white, and violet. The last room is decorated in black and is illuminated by a scarlet light, "a deep blood color" cast from its stained glass windows. Because of this chilling pairing of colors, very few guests are brave enough to venture into the seventh room. A large ebony clock stands in this room and ominously chimes each hour, upon which everyone stops talking or dancing and the orchestra stops playing. Once the chiming stops, everyone immediately resumes the masquerade. At the chiming of midnight, the revelers and Prospero notice a figure in a dark, blood-splattered robe resembling a funeral shroud. The figure's mask resembles the rigid face of a corpse and exhibits the traits of the Red Death. Gravely insulted, Prospero demands to know the identity of the mysterious guest so they can

hang Hang or Hanging may refer to: People * Choe Hang (disambiguation), various people * Luciano Hang (born 1962/1963), Brazilian billionaire businessman * Ren Hang (disambiguation), various people Law * Hanging, a form of capital punishment Arts, e ...

him. The guests, too afraid to approach the figure, instead let him pass through the six chambers. The Prince pursues him with a drawn

dagger A dagger is a fighting knife with a very sharp point and usually two sharp edges, typically designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon.State v. Martin, 633 S.W.2d 80 (Mo. 1982): This is the dictionary or popular-use de ...

and corners the guest in the seventh room. When the figure turns to face him, the Prince lets out a sharp cry and falls dead. The enraged and terrified revelers surge into the black room and forcibly remove the mask and robe, only to find to their horror that there is nothing underneath. Only then do they realize the costume was empty and all of the guests contract and succumb to the disease. The final line of the story sums up, "And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all."

Analysis

Directly influenced by the first

Gothic novel Gothic fiction, sometimes called Gothic horror in the 20th century, is a loose literary aesthetic of fear and haunting. The name is a reference to Gothic architecture of the European Middle Ages, which was characteristic of the settings of ea ...

Horace Walpole Horatio Walpole (), 4th Earl of Orford (24 September 1717 – 2 March 1797), better known as Horace Walpole, was an English writer, art historian, man of letters, antiquarian, and Whigs (British political party), Whig politician. He had Strawb ...

's ''

The Castle of Otranto ''The Castle of Otranto'' is a novel by Horace Walpole. First published in 1764, it is generally regarded as the first gothic novel. In the second edition, Walpole applied the word 'Gothic' to the novel in the subtitle – ''A Gothic Story''. Se ...

'', in "The Masque of the Red Death" Poe adopts many conventions of traditional Gothic fiction, including the castle setting. The multiple single-toned rooms may be representative of the human mind, showing different personality types. The imagery of blood and time throughout also indicates corporeality. The plague may, in fact, represent typical attributes of human life and mortality, which would imply the entire story is an

about man's futile attempts to stave off death (a commonly accepted interpretation). However, there is much dispute over how to interpret "The Masque of the Red Death"; some suggest it is not allegorical, especially due to Poe's admission of a distaste for

didacticism Didacticism is a philosophy that emphasizes instructional and informative qualities in literature, art, and design. In art, design, architecture, and landscape, didacticism is an emerging conceptual approach that is driven by the urgent need to ...

in literature. If the story really does have a moral, Poe does not explicitly state that moral in the text. Blood, emphasized throughout the tale, along with the color red, serves as a dual symbol, representing both death and life. This is emphasized by the masked figure – never explicitly stated to be the Red Death, but only a reveler in a costume of the Red Death – making his initial appearance in the easternmost room, which is colored blue, a color most often associated with birth. Although Prospero's castle is meant to keep the sickness out, it is ultimately an oppressive structure. Its maze-like design and tall and narrow windows become almost burlesque in the final black room, so oppressive that "there were few of the company bold enough to set foot within its precincts at all". Additionally, the castle is meant to be an enclosed space, yet the stranger is able to sneak inside, suggesting that control is an illusion. Like many of Poe's tales, "The Masque of the Red Death" has been interpreted autobiographically, by some. In this point of view, Prince Prospero is Poe as a wealthy young man, part of a distinguished family much like Poe's

foster parent Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home (residential child care community, treatment center, etc.), or private home of a state- certified caregiver, referred to as a "foster parent" or with a family me ...

s, the Allans. Under this interpretation, Poe is seeking refuge from the dangers of the outside world, and his portrayal of himself as the only person willing to confront the stranger is emblematic of Poe's rush towards inescapable dangers in his own life.

Prospero Prospero ( ) is a fictional character and the protagonist of William Shakespeare's play '' The Tempest''. Prospero is the rightful Duke of Milan, whose usurping brother, Antonio, had put him (with his three-year-old daughter, Miranda) to sea ...

is also the name of a central character in

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

's '' The Tempest''.

The "Red Death"

The disease called the Red Death is fictitious. Poe describes it as causing "sharp pains, and sudden dizziness, and then profuse bleeding at the pores" leading to death within half an hour. The disease may have been inspired by

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...

(or consumption, as it was known then), since Poe's wife

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

was suffering from the disease at the time the story was written. Like the character Prince Prospero, Poe tried to ignore the

terminal Terminal may refer to: Computing Hardware * Terminal (electronics), a device for joining electrical circuits together * Terminal (telecommunication), a device communicating over a line * Computer terminal, a set of primary input and output dev ...

nature of the disease. Poe's mother

Eliza ELIZA is an early natural language processing computer program created from 1964 to 1966 at the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory by Joseph Weizenbaum. Created to demonstrate the superficiality of communication between humans and machines, E ...

, brother

William William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

, and foster mother Frances had also died of tuberculosis. Alternatively, the Red Death may refer to

cholera Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...

; Poe witnessed an

epidemic An epidemic (from Ancient Greek, Greek ἐπί ''epi'' "upon or above" and δῆμος ''demos'' "people") is the rapid spread of disease to a large number of patients among a given population within an area in a short period of time. Epidemics ...

of cholera in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

, in 1831. Others have suggested the pandemic is actually

bubonic plague Bubonic plague is one of three types of plague caused by the plague bacterium (''Yersinia pestis''). One to seven days after exposure to the bacteria, flu-like symptoms develop. These symptoms include fever, headaches, and vomiting, as well a ...

, emphasized by the climax of the story featuring the Red Death in the black room. One writer likens the description to that of a

viral hemorrhagic fever Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are a diverse group of animal and human illnesses in which fever and hemorrhage are caused by a viral infection. VHFs may be caused by five distinct families of RNA viruses: the families '' Filoviridae'', ''Flav ...

necrotizing fasciitis Necrotizing fasciitis (NF), also known as flesh-eating disease, is a bacterial infection that results in the death of parts of the body's soft tissue. It is a severe disease of sudden onset that spreads rapidly. Symptoms usually include red or p ...

. It has also been suggested that the Red Death is not a disease or sickness at all but a weakness (like

original sin Original sin is the Christian doctrine that holds that humans, through the fact of birth, inherit a tainted nature in need of regeneration and a proclivity to sinful conduct. The biblical basis for the belief is generally found in Genesis 3 (t ...

) that is shared by all of humankind inherently.

Publication history

Poe first published the story in the May 1842 edition of '' Graham's Lady's and Gentleman's Magazine'' as "The Mask of the Red Death", with the tagline "A Fantasy". This first publication earned him $12. A revised version was published in the July 19, 1845 edition of the ''

Broadway Journal The ''Broadway Journal'' was a short-lived New York City-based newspaper founded by Charles Frederick Briggs and John Bisco in 1844 and was published from January 1845 to January 1846. In its first year, the publication was bought by Edgar Allan P ...

'' under the now-standard title "The Masque of the Red Death". The original title emphasized the figure at the end of the story; the new title puts emphasis on the masquerade ball.

Adaptations

Audio adaptations

Basil Rathbone Philip St. John Basil Rathbone MC (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967) was a South African-born English actor. He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in more than 70 films, primarily costume ...

read the entire short story in his Caedmon LP recording ''The Tales of Edgar Allan Poe'' (early 1960s). Other audiobook recordings have featured

Christopher Lee Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) was an English actor and singer. In a long career spanning more than 60 years, Lee often portrayed villains, and appeared as Count Dracula in seven Hammer Horror films, ultimat ...

Hurd Hatfield William Rukard Hurd Hatfield (December 7, 1917 – December 26, 1998) was an American actor. He is best known for having played characters of handsome, narcissism, narcissistic young men, most notably Dorian Gray in the film ''The Picture of Dori ...

Martin Donegan Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Austral ...

and

Gabriel Byrne Gabriel James Byrne (born 12 May 1950) is an Irish actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, audiobook narrator, and author. His acting career began in the Focus Theatre before he joined London's Royal Court Theatre in 1979. Byrne's s ...

as readers. * The story was adapted by George Lowther for a broadcast on the ''

CBS Radio Mystery Theater ''CBS Radio Mystery Theater'' (a.k.a. ''Radio Mystery Theater'' and ''Mystery Theater'', sometimes abbreviated as ''CBSRMT'') is a radio drama series created by Himan Brown that was broadcast on CBS Radio Network affiliates from 1974 to 1982, a ...

'' (January 10, 1975), starring

Karl Swenson Karl Swenson (July 23, 1908 – October 8, 1978) was an American theatre, radio, film, and television actor. Early in his career, he was credited as Peter Wayne.

and

Staats Cotsworth Staats Cotsworth (February 17, 1908 – April 9, 1979) was an actor in old-time radio.DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 64. He is ...

. * A radio reading was performed by

Winifred Phillips Winifred Phillips is an American music composer and author. Her music composition credits include '' God of War'', '' Assassin's Creed III: Liberation'', and the ''LittleBigPlanet'' series. Early life Phillips' love of music began in childhoo ...

, with music she composed. The program was produced by

Winnie Waldron Winnie Waldron is an American music producer for video games, a producer for radio, a radio script editor / adapter, a manuscript editor and a radio host. Career Radio Waldron began her professional relationship with National Public Radio via ...

as part of

National Public Radio National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other n ...

's '' Tales by American Masters'' series. *

Eros Ramazzotti Eros Walter Luciano Ramazzotti (; born 28 October 1963) is an Italian pop singer, musician and songwriter. He is popular in Italy and most European countries, and throughout the Spanish-speaking world, as he has released most of his albums in bo ...

's song "Lettera al futuro" ("Letter to the future"), from his 1996 album ''

Dove c'è musica ''Dove c'è musica'' (''Where There Is Music'') is the seventh studio album by Italian pop/ rock singer Eros Ramazzotti, released in 1996 on the BMG label. It is Ramazzotti's first self-produced album and the first without any involvement from l ...

'', retells the main events of the story in a simplified form, without mentioning any specific characters or names but vaguely connecting the plague mentioned in the story to

AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...

, and concludes with the singer's hope, addressed to an imaginary unborn child, that such events will not happen any longer in the future. *

Nate DiMeo Nate DiMeo is an American podcaster, screenwriter, and author based out of Los Angeles, and the host of his award-winning podcast, ''The Memory Palace''. He is also the author (although the fictional character Leslie Knope is listed as the author ...

reads the story in a Halloween 2020 episode of ''

The Memory Palace ''The Memory Palace'' is a monthly historical podcast hosted by Nate DiMeo that debuted in 2008. The program features historical narratives concerning such subjects as the Cardiff Giant and the CIA project Acoustic Kitty. It is currently dist ...

''. *Although many adaptations of the story have been created in the realm of classical music, composer Jason Mulligan's concert drama of the same title is the only known setting that uses Poe's story unaltered in its entirety.

Comics adaptations

* In 1952,

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...

published "The Face of Death" in ''Adventures Into Weird Worlds'' #4. Adaptation and art were by

Bill Everett William Blake Everett (; May 18, 1917 – February 27, 1973) was an American comic book writer-artist best known for creating Namor the Sub-Mariner as well as co-creating Zombie and Daredevil with writer Stan Lee for Marvel Comics. He was alle ...

. * In 1952,

Charlton Comics Charlton Comics was an American comic book publishing company that existed from 1945 to 1986, having begun under a different name: T.W.O. Charles Company, in 1940. It was based in Derby, Connecticut. The comic-book line was a division of Charlton ...

published "The Red Death" in'' The Thing'' #2. Adaptation and art were by Bob Forgione. * In 1960, Editora Continental (Brazil) published "A Mascara Da Morte Rubra" in ''Classicos De Terror'' #9. Adaptation and art by Manoel Ferreira. It was reprinted by Editora Taika in'' Album Classicos De Terror'' #11 (1974) and by Editora Vecchia in ''Spektro'' #6 (1978). * In 1961, Marvel published "Masquerade Party" in ''Strange Tales ''#83, with story and art by

Steve Ditko Stephen John Ditko Page contains two reproductions from school yearbooks. A 1943 Garfield Junior High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen Ditko". A 1945 Johnstown High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen J. Ditko" under extracurricular act ...

. It was reprinted by Editora Taika (Brazil) in ''Almanaque Fantastic Aventuras'' #1 (1973) and by Marvel in ''

Chamber of Chills ''Chamber of Chills'' is the name of two anthology horror comic books, one published by Harvey Publications in the early 1950s, the other by Marvel Comics in the 1970s. Harvey Publications The first ''Chamber of Chills'' was a 10-cent horror anth ...

'' #16 (1975). * In 1964,

Dell Comics Dell Comics was the comic book publishing arm of Dell Publishing, which got its start in pulp magazines. It published comics from 1929 to 1974. At its peak, it was the most prominent and successful American company in the medium.Evanier, Mark"Wh ...

published "The Masque of the Red Death", adapted from the 1964 film, art by

Frank Springer Frank Springer (December 6, 1929 – April 2, 2009) was an American comics artist best known for Marvel Comics' '' Dazzler'' and '' Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.''. As well, in collaboration with writer Michael O'Donoghue, Springer created one o ...

. * In 1967, Warren Comics published "The Masque Of The Red Death" in ''

Eerie ''Eerie'' was an American magazine of horror comics introduced in 1966 by Warren Publishing. Like '' Mad'', it was a black-and-white magazine intended for newsstand distribution and did not submit its stories to the comic book industry's volunta ...

'' #12. Adaptation was by Archie Goodwin, art by

Tom Sutton Thomas F. Sutton (April 15, 1937 – May 1, 2002) He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force after graduating from high school in 1955, and worked on art projects while stationed at Fort Francis E. Warren, near Laramie, Wyoming. Later, stationed at It ...

. This version has been reprinted multiple times. * In 1967, Editora Taika published "A Mascara Da Morte Rubra" in ''Album Classicos De Terror'' #3. Adaptation by Francisco De Assis, art by

Nico Rosso Nicolas Rosso (Turin, July 19, 1910 - São Paulo, October 1st, 1981) was an Italian-Brazilian comic artist. Born in Italy, he studied with the masters Giacomo Grosso and Giovanni Reduzzi. He also taught Illustration and Costume History at the Ber ...

with J.B. Rosa. This was reprinted in ''Almanaque Classicos De Terror'' #15 (1976). * In 1969, Marvel published "The Day of the Red Death" in '' Chamber of Darkness'' #2. Adaptation by

Roy Thomas Roy William Thomas Jr."Roy Thomas Checklist" ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #50 (July 2005) p. 16 (born November 22, 1940) is an American comic book writer and editor, who was Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibl ...

, art by

Don Heck Donald L. HeckDonald L. Heck
at the Social Security Death Index. Retrieved on Septembe ...

. This was reprinted by La Prensa (Mexico) in ''El Enterrador'' #4 (1970) and by Marvel in ''Chamber of Darkness Special'' #1 (1972). * In 1972, Milano Libri Edizioni (Italy) published "La Maschera della Morte Rossa" in ''

Linus Linus, a male given name, is the Latin form of the Greek name ''Linos''. It's a common given name in Sweden. The origin of the name is unknown although the name appears in antiquity both as a musician who taught Apollo and as a son of Apollo who di ...

'' #91. Adaptation and art were by

Dino Battaglia Dino Battaglia (1 August 1923 – 4 October 1983) was an Italian comic artist, noted for a distinctive and expressive style, best known for his visual adaptations of classic novels. In 1946 Dino Battaglia became part of the so-called Group of Ven ...

. This was reprinted in ''

Corto Maltese ''Corto Maltese'' is a series of adventure and fantasy comics named after the character Corto Maltese, an adventurous sailor. It was created by the Italian comic book creator Hugo Pratt in 1967. The comics are highly praised as some of the most ...

'' #7 (1988) and multiple other times. * In 1974, Skywald published "The Masque of the Red Death" in ''Psycho'' #20. Adaptation by Al Hewetson, art by

Ricardo Villamonte Ricardo is the Spanish and Portuguese cognate of the name Richard. It derived from Proto-Germanic ''*rīks'' 'king, ruler' + ''*harduz'' 'hard, brave'. It may be a given name, or a surname. People Given name *Ricardo de Araújo Pereira, Portugue ...

. This was reprinted by Garbo (Spain) in ''Vampus'' #50 (1975) and by Eternity in ''The Masque Of The Red Death and Other Stories ''#1 (1988). * In 1975, Warren published "Shadow" in' '

Creepy Creepiness is the state of being wikt:creepy, creepy, or causing an unpleasant feeling of fear or wikt:unease, unease. A person who exhibits creepy behaviour is called a creep. Certain traits or hobbies may make people seem creepy to others. The ...

'' #70. Adaptation by Richard (Rich) Margopoulos, art by

Richard Corben Richard Corben (October 1, 1940December 2, 2020) was an American illustrator and comic book artist best known for his comics featured in '' Heavy Metal'' magazine, especially the ''Den'' series which was featured in the magazine's first film ad ...

. The story is Poe's " Shadow: A Parable", not "The Masque of the Red Death", but the ending was changed to incorporate elements of it. This was reprinted multiple times. * In 1975, Charlton published "The Plague" in ''

Haunted Haunted or The Haunted may refer to: Books * ''Haunted'' (Armstrong novel), by Kelley Armstrong, 2005 * ''Haunted'' (Cabot novel), by Meg Cabot, 2004 * ''Haunted'' (Palahniuk novel), by Chuck Palahniuk, 2005 * ''Haunted'' (Angel novel), a 200 ...

'' #22. Adaptation by Britton Bloom, art by Wayne Howard. This was reprinted in Haunted #45 (1979) and by Rio Grafica Editora Globo (Portugal) in ''Fetiche'' #1 (1979). * In 1975, Ediciones Ursus (Spain) published "La Mascara de la Muerte Roja" in'' Macabro ''#17. Art by Francisco Agras. * In 1979, Bloch Editores S.A. (Brazil) published "A Mascara da Morte Rubra" in'' Aventuras Macabras'' #12. Adaptation by Delmir E. Narutoxde, art by

Flavio Colin Flavio Colin (Rio de Janeiro, June 22, 1930 - Rio de Janeiro, August 13, 2002) was a Brazilian comic artist and illustrator, considered one of the most important comic artists in Brazil. He began his career in the 1950s with an adaptation for the ...

. * In 1982, Troll Associates published "The Masque of the Red Death" as a children's book. Adaptation by David E. Cutts, art by John Lawn. * In 1982, Warren published "The Masque of The Red Death" in ''

Vampirella Vampirella () is a fictional vampire superheroine created by Forrest J Ackerman and comic book artist Trina Robbins in Warren Publishing's black-and-white horror comics magazine ''Vampirella'' #1 (Sept. 1969), a sister publication of ''Creepy'' ...

'' #110. Adaptation by Rich Margopoulos, art by Rafael Aura León. This has been reprinted multiple times. * In 1984, Editora Valenciana (Spain) published "La Mascara de la Muerte Roja" in ''SOS'' #1. Adaptation and art by A.L. Pareja. * In 1985, Edizioni Editiemme (Italy) published "La Masque De La Morte Rouge" in ''Quattro Incubi''. Adaptation and art were by Alberto Brecchi. This has been reprinted multiple times. * In 1987,

Kitchen Sink Press Kitchen Sink Press was a comic book publishing company founded by Denis Kitchen in 1970. Kitchen Sink Press was a pioneering publisher of underground comics, and was also responsible for numerous republications of classic comic strips in hardcov ...

published "The Masque of The Red Death" in ''

Death Rattle Terminal respiratory secretions (or simply terminal secretions),, known colloquially as a death rattle, are sounds often produced by someone who is near death as a result of fluids such as saliva and bronchial secretions accumulating in the throa ...

'' v.2 #13. Adaptation and art by

Daryl Hutchinson Darryl is an English name, a variant spelling of Darell. Male variations of this name include: Darlin, Daryl, Darrell, Darryl, Daryll, Darryll, Darrell, Darrel. Female and unisex variations of this name include: Daryl, Darian, Dareen, Darell ...

. * In 1988,

Last Gasp Last Gasp or The Last Gasp may refer to * Last Gasp (publisher) * ''Last Gasp'' (''Inside No. 9''), a TV episode * '' The Last Gasp'', a 2007 album by Impaled * ''The Last Gasp'' (novel) * "Last Gasp" (song) {{dab ...

published "The Masque of The Red Death" in '' Strip Aids U.S.A.'' Adaptation and art by

Steve Leialoha Steve Leialoha (born January 27, 1952) is an American comics artist whose work first came to prominence in the 1970s. He has worked primarily as an inker, though occasionally as a penciller, for several publishers, including Marvel Comics and late ...

. * In 1995, Mojo Press published "The Masque of The Red Death" in ''Weird Business''. Adaptation by Erick Burnham, art by

Ted Naifeh Edward "Ted" Naifeh is an American comic book writer and artist known for his illustrations in the goth romance comic '' Gloomcookie''. Naifeh has since become most known as the creator of the Eisner-Award-nominated series ''Courtney Crumrin'', p ...

. * In 1999, Albin Michel – L'Echo des Savanes (France) published "De La Mascara De La Muerte Roja" in'' Le Chat Noir''. Adaptation and art were by Horacio Lalia. This has been reprinted multiple times. * In 2004, Eureka Productions published "The Masque of the Red Death" in'' Graphic Classics #1: Edgar Allan Poe'' (2nd edition). Adaptation by David Pomplun, art by Stanley W. Shaw. This has been reprinted in the 3rd edition (2006), and in'' Graphic Classics #21: Edgar Allan Poe's Tales Of Mystery'' (2011). * In 2008, Go! Media Entertainment published ''

Wendy Pini's Masque of the Red Death ''Wendy Pini's Masque of the Red Death'' is a webcomic by the comic creator Wendy Pini. Based on the original 1842 short story by Edgar Allan Poe, ''Wendy Pini's Masque of the Red Death'' is described as follows on the back of the print edition ...

''. Adaptation and art by

Wendy Pini Wendy Pini ''née'' Fletcher, (born June 4, 1951) and Richard Pini (born July 19, 1950) are the husband-and-wife team responsible for creating the well-known '' Elfquest'' series of comics, graphic novels and prose works. They are also known a ...

. This version is an erotic, science-fiction illustrated webcomic, set in a technological future. Go! Media also published in print the first third of the graphic novel. In 2011

Warp Graphics WaRP Graphics, later Warp Graphics, is an alternative comics publisher best known for creating and being the original publisher of the '' Elfquest'' comic book series. It was created and incorporated in 1977 by Wendy and Richard Pini. The company ...

published the complete 400-page work in one volume. * In 2008, Sterling Press published "The Masque of The Red Death" in ''Nevermore (Illustrated Classics): A Graphic Adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's Short Stories''. Adaptation by Adam Prosser, art by Erik Rangel. * In 2013,

Dark Horse Comics Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops known ...

published "The Masque of the Red Death" in ''The Raven And The Red Death''. Adaptation and art by Richard Corben. This has been reprinted in ''Spirits of the Dead ''(2014). * In spring 2017,

UDON Entertainment Udon Entertainment Corp. is a Canadian art studio and publisher. The company publishes original and translated comic books, graphic novels, manga and art books related to anime and video games. It was founded in 2000 and is named after udo ...

's Manga Classics line published ''The Stories of Edgar Allan Poe'', which included a manga format adaptation of "The Masque of the Red Death". Punchdrunk-masque

Theatrical adaptation

* In 2007, British theatre company

Punchdrunk Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated trauma to the head. The encephalopathy symptoms can include behavioral problems, mood problems, and problems with thinking. The disease often gets worse o ...

produced an immersive show based on the stories of Edgar Allan Poe using ''The Masque of the Red Death'' as a framing device. The production utilized

modern dance Modern dance is a broad genre of western concert or theatrical dance which included dance styles such as ballet, folk, ethnic, religious, and social dancing; and primarily arose out of Europe and the United States in the late 19th and early 20th ...

interpretive dance Interpretive dance is a family of modern dance styles that began around 1900 with Isadora Duncan. It used classical concert music but marked a departure from traditional concert dance. It seeks to translate human emotions, conditions, situation ...

, traditional acting, and an intricately designed scenic environment. The production was directed by Felix Barrett and Maxine Doyle.

Film adaptations

* ''

The Plague of Florence ''The Plague in Florence'' (German: ''Pest in Florenz'') is a 1919 German silent historical film directed by Otto Rippert for Eric Pommer's Deutsche Eclair (Decla) production company. The screenplay was written by Fritz Lang.Workman, Christopher; ...

'' was a 1919 German silent film that was adapted from Poe's story The Masque of the Red Death. * The story was adapted by

Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...

as a film, ''

The Masque of the Red Death "The Masque of the Red Death" (originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death: A Fantasy") is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1842. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plagu ...

'' (1964), starring

. * ''Mask of the Red Death'', short animated film from 1969 by

Pavao Štalter Pavao Štalter ( Karanac, 25 November 1929 – Zagreb, 5 October 2021) was a Croatian animator, director, screenwriter, scenographer and artist. He is known for his many animation shorts he produced at Zagreb Film Zagreb Film is a Croatian film ...

for

Zagreb Film Zagreb Film is a Croatian film company principally known for its animation studio. From Zagreb, it was founded in 1953. They have produced hundreds of animated films, as well as documentaries, television commercials, educational films and several ...

* Corman produced, but did not direct, a

remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...

of the film in 1989, starring

Adrian Paul Adrian Paul Hewett (born 29 May 1959) is an English actor best known for the titular role of Duncan MacLeod on the television series '' Highlander: The Series''. In 1997, he founded the Peace Fund charitable organisation. Early life Paul was b ...

as Prince Prospero. * ''Masque of the Red Death'' (1989 Alan Birkinshaw film), starring

Frank Stallone Francesco Stallone Jr. (born July 30, 1950) is an American actor and musician. He is the younger brother of actor Sylvester Stallone and has written music for Sylvester's movies. His song " Far from Over" appeared in the 1983 film '' Staying Al ...

Brenda Vaccaro Brenda is a feminine given name in the English language. Origin The overall accepted origin for the female name Brenda is the Old Nordic male name ''Brandr'' meaning both ''torch'' and ''sword'': evidently the male name Brandr took root in area ...

, and

Herbert Lom Herbert Charles Angelo Kuchačevič ze Schluderpacheru (11 September 1917 – 27 September 2012), known professionally as Herbert Lom (), was a Czech-British actor who moved to the United Kingdom in 1939. In a career lasting more than 60 ye ...

. * Corman also voiced Prince Prospero in "The Masque of the Red Death" segment of Raúl García's animated anthology ''Extraordinary Tales'' (2015). *

Huayi Brothers Huayi Brothers Media Corp. () is a Chinese multinational entertainment company that owns a film studio, a television production company, a talent agency, a record label, and a movie theater chain founded in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Maca ...

Media and CKF Pictures in China announced in 2017 plans to produce a film of

Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed thirty films in a career spanning over five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. Kurosawa displayed a bold, dyna ...

's previously unfilmed screenplay of "The Mask of the Black icDeath" for 2020. As of April 2020 this film does not appear to have been made.

In popular culture

References

External links

"The Masque of the Red Death"
at

Project Gutenberg Project Gutenberg (PG) is a Virtual volunteering, volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, as well as to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks." It was founded in 1971 by American writer Michael S. Hart and is the ...

"The Masque of the Red Death" with annotated vocabulary
at PoeStories.com * {{DEFAULTSORT:Masque of the Red Death 1842 short stories Infectious diseases in fiction Fiction about personifications of death Short stories adapted into films Short stories by Edgar Allan Poe Works originally published in Graham's Magazine