"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.