Edgar Allan Poe, those who are familiar with that famous name always allow a chill to run down their spines when they hear it. Poe has always been known for his dramatic and eerie writing style that has entertained readers for centuries. Of course we, as the reader, believe it is simply his brillance that sends a cold shudder through our bodies as we curl up on the couch with The Raven or The Masque of the Red Death, but there is still something more that we can attribute to his writing style. The techniques Poe used in his many stories are what created the fantastic sensation of acutally being a part of the story. In the following paragraphs, I will discuss the chilling techniques this legendary figure, Edgar Allan Poe, used to rope in his reader into the horrible, grotesque, and disturbing world of Prince Pospero and the age of "The Red Death".
Illustration for "The Black Cat" by Aubrey Beardsl...
Illustration by Aubrey Beardsley, 1894–1895
1848 Daguerreotype of Edgar Allan Poe at 39, a yea...Poe provided us with three major techniques to lead us through this disquieting and disconcerting world that is the reality of Prince Prospero, Poe provided us with, setting, tone, and props. Simply using these three sutble yet powerful techniques, Poe has created an imaginative and mind-boggling universe.
First of all, Poe introduced us with surreal, but profound imagery to paint the landscape and life of Prince Prospero and his "friends". Setting, one of the most dominant techniques in this short story, can be find around every corner of Prince Prospero's dark maze. Poe described seven rooms that connected to each other in a sick and twisted maze. In order to leave this "maze" you had to walk through all seven rooms which ranged from color to color and when you finally reached the end you found yourself inside a room, "closely shrouded in...