Prince Prospero in Edger Allen Poe's story " The Masque of the Red Death" is an interesting character that reveals much about Poe's views on nobility and the qualities these elitists exude. The purpose of this essay is to analyze the character Prince Prospero to demonstrate his fearfulness, reluctance and ignorance, three qualities that dominate the story's main character.

As Prince Prospero and his band of nobles try to escape the Red Death by shutting themselves away from the rest of society, they succumb to their greatest fears and are all killed by this mysterious spirited presence. Prospero, like many men, thinks he can avoid death or at least put it off. When the Red Death begins to kill most of the people in Prospero's kingdom, he attempts to use his wealth and possessions to escape the fate of everyman. The mere act of trying to escape death demonstrates the...
[ View Full Essay]