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Select the correct text(s) in the passage.

Which three parts of this excerpt from Edgar Allan Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death" highlight the suggestion that the powerful and wealthy in the story are insensitive toward the outbreak of the disease and those who are suffering?

1. "But the Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless and sagacious. When his dominions were half depopulated, he summoned to his presence a thousand hale and light-hearted friends from among the knights and dames of his court, and with these retired to the deep seclusion of one of his castellated abbeys."

2. "The external world could take care of itself. In the meantime it was folly to grieve, or to think. The prince had provided all the appliances of pleasure."

3. "It was towards the close of the fifth or sixth month of his seclusion, and while the pestilence raged most furiously abroad, that the Prince Prospero entertained his thousand friends at a masked ball of the most unusual magnificence."

Answer :

Final answer:

Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death" reveals the insensitivity of the wealthy through key excerpts that illustrate their disregard for those suffering from the plague. The selected phrases emphasize their isolation, frivolity, and ignorance. These reflective lines showcase the powerful's inability to empathize with the plight of the afflicted.


Explanation:

Understanding Insensitivity of the Wealthy in "The Masque of the Red Death"

In Edgar Allan Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death," there are several parts of the excerpt that highlight the insensitivity of the wealthy and powerful towards the suffering caused by the plague. Here are three critical sections that demonstrate this:

  1. "The external world could take care of itself." This line clearly indicates the Prince Prospero's disregard for those outside his fortress, emphasizing his belief that he can isolate himself from the consequences of the disease.
  2. "It was folly to grieve, or to think." This highlights the frivolity exhibited by Prospero and his guests, as they indulge in excess and entertainment while the world continues to suffer from the plague outside their walls.
  3. "But the Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless and sagacious." This opening about Prospero's state of mind emphasizes his comfort and security in stark contrast to the misery of the populace, reflecting a profound insensitivity to the crisis around him.

These excerpts together illustrate the wealthy's negligence towards the plight of those afflicted by the "Red Death," portraying a stark image of ignorance amidst chaos.


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