The Masque of the Red Death
By: Edgar Allen Poe
This story was about a disease called the Red Death, and it was spreading across the land. Blood ran red everywhere anyone went. The prince of the land, Prince Prospero, concealed him, and a thousand guests in a room. They sealed the iron door with bolts, so nothing could get in or out. The prince then threw a masquerade ball. He used seven rooms or apartments. Usually these rooms are all in a line, but the prince's were not. Each room had a different color, with a window that matched. However, in the seventh room, the violet room, the window was a scarelet red. It aslo had an ebony clock in the room. No one would enter this room, because it was dark and mysterious. Everytime the clock would chime, at the end of an hour, everyone would stop, and the music would cease. At the stroke of midnight, everyone stopped and gasped as they saw a new figure. His persona looked like a corpse. Like he was dead. The prince got angry and ordered him to be captured and hanged. The figure ran threw all the rooms to the seventh room. The prince followed him with a dagger. The prince was killed by the figure when he realized it was the Red Death. Everyone then died. A line that represents this story is: "All these and security were within. Without was the "RED DEATH". " (page 44)
The main character of this story is Prince Prospero. He is a self-centered man, but also very generous. He only cared of himself. He definately had the role of a prince down. To keep from getting the Red Death, he locked himself and some friends away. He didnt really care about the others who were dying, or had already died. He was just worried about himself. Physically there wasnt a description of him. Emotionally, he was stable. He wasnt crazy or mad, he was a normal prince. What motivates him to try to kill the figure is the crowds reaction. He didnt want his friends to think of him as a coward. So to prove his bravery, he went after the figure and died. What motivated him to lock him and his friends away was the Red Death. He didnt want to die, and he was in fear for his life. So he did what he could to prevent that from happening. If I was the prince I think I would do the same. The others that werent locked away were already going to die. Or had not the chance of survival. So I side with the prince. A line that represents him is: "But the Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless and sagacious." (page 43)
To star in my film, to play the prince, I would cast Brad Pitt. He has the looks of a prince, and he would be good at playing a self-centered role. He is also a really good actor, and I believe he would make this character come to life. To play the mysterious figure, I would cast Johnney Depp. Lets face it, he has stared in many mystery/gore films, and he also plays dark and mysteriousl well. I really think he could pull it off. He is also a really good actor. What I would take out of the story would be the parte where they stop when the clock chimes. Thats not really relevant to the story. I would however, keep the midnight chime, because thats when the figure appears. I would add more main characters. Like maybe a wife for the prince, and maybe there could be more than one mysterious figure. That way, the severity of the Red Death would really show. I would also add more to the scene where the prince dies. Make it a little more heroic, and elaborate on how he died. That would give the prince more points for being brave. I would also add maybe one or two survivors of the Red Death. Just have them escape somehow.
