Cover of The Masque of the Red Death

The Masque of the Red Death

by Edgar Allan Poe

Reading level
Plain English
Price
Free

About the book

"The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe is a short story first published in 1842. Prince Prospero and a thousand nobles seal themselves inside an abbey to escape a deadly plague called the Red Death. During a lavish masquerade ball in seven color-coded rooms, a mysterious masked figure appears, dressed as a plague victim. As the stranger moves through each chamber, terror spreads among the guests. This Gothic tale explores themes of mortality, isolation, and the futility of escaping death's inevitable reach.

  • Horror tales, American

Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #1064. The Masque of the Red Death on Wikipedia.

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